What is in a number?
Much is made of a shirt number. Surely, it’s the player playing the shirt and not the shirt he’s playing in that is important. However, some shirts and certain numbers carry responsibility; carry an aura about them. It’s fair to say there is more pressure playing in a Man United or Barcelona shirt, then it is to play in an Exeter or Yeovil town shirt. And in that way, I would argue that there are certain shirts numbers at club that carry a presence, a respect and a certain mentality needed to fit into the shirt; to carry its weight.
To the fans, a football shirt is like an heir to a throne; passing it on from one great to another. Like a captain’s armband, it carries massive significance.
At Newcastle, it was the famous number 9 shirt that was worn by Jackie Milburn, Malcolm Macdonald, Sir Les Ferdinand, Alan Shearer and now the recently departed Andy Carroll. Before Andy Caroll received the shirt, Chris Hughton, the manager at the time spoke of the shirt, ‘It can be a heavy number to carry, a burden, and wearing it is an achievement which I want somebody to grow into. “I want somebody to earn the right to be Newcastle’s No 9’.
At Man United the coveted No. 7 shirt was worn by Georgie Best, Brian Robson, Cantona, Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. There was an air of invincibility about it, and each player in that era was the best around
In South American football it’s the number 10 shirt. So much was made when Ronaldinho’s number 10 shirt was taken up by Kaka, even though Ronaldinho was still playing well. It was handing over the baton. In Brazil’s eye, Kaka was going to be the superstar of this team now, even though he had played in the Brazilian team as a number 8. The number here signified his value and importance to the team.
At Arsenal, it was the opposite. The number 10 shirt worn by Dennis Berdkamp, one of the greatest players in the history of the club, was handed to William Gallas on his arrival to the club. Wenger explained why, ‘In the end I thought it might be a good idea to give the number 10 to a defender, because a striker would suffer a lot with the comparison with Dennis’. Unlike managers before him who had used the shirt to get the best out of a player, Arsene did not want to burden the player with the weight of the shirt.
At Chelsea, the number 9 shirt worn by many greats, including Peter Osgood was so casually given to Boulahrouz. No sign of sentiment here. To me it showed lack of respect for the shirt. Surely it’s important to honour a football shirt?
I can finally come on to Liverpool and Luis Suarez. A shirt number has huge significance when it is given to you by the very person who became the greatest player in the clubs history whilst wearing it. It shows how much faith the manager has in you to fill the shirt. Suarez was unaware when that the shirt was worn by Dalglish when he asked for the number 7 shirt. He later said ‘If I had known that Kenny Dalglish wore the No.7 shirt I would not have taken I’.
The number 7 shirt at Liverpool has been worn by so many greats but also by those that have crumbled with the pressure of wearing its most famous number. Those that excelled; Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Peter Beardsley and Steve Mcmannaman. Those that failed include Dean Saunders, Nigel Clough and more recently Harry Kewell and Robbie Keane, and since then the shirt had been left unused; out of respect to the shirt. If no one is good enough to fill he shirt, then we’ll wait for it to be filled.
It is the quality in the manger to see the player who would excel with the challenge and who would live up to the number on the back. It also breeds huge confidence into the player. Wenger changed his earlier philosophy, and gave Walcott Thierry Henrys’ number 14 shirt, as a challenge to him; that’s the player you have to live up to and the level you have to reach. The same with Carroll at Newcastle, no doubt the pressure of wearing the number 9 shirt pushed him to score the goals to take Newcastle into the premier league. When he first came to Old Trafford, Ronaldo didn't want the No. 7 shirt. He said ’after I joined, the manager asked me what number I'd like. I said 28. But Ferguson said 'No, you're going to have No. 7,' and the famous shirt was an extra source of motivation. I was forced to live up to such an honour’. He certainly did that.
At Liverpool, the bench mark for Suarez is very high. Kevin Keegan and Kenny Dalglish aren’t easy players to follow. But there is something about this player, which goes beyond his ability on the pitch that tells me that this shirt number won’t burden him. There are some players who thrive best when more is expected from them. Our Luis is one of those.
