Norana Johar found the perfect recipe to “connect” with her husband, M. Zulkifli A. Jalil – Liverpool.
A passionate Reds supporter, Zulkifli would spend the weekends glued to the television, watching games alone. Norana, the founder of CookiesCikAna, hated it, but knew she couldn’t ask him to give up Liverpool.
“If you can’t beat them, join them,” said Norana, or Ana to her friends. “But I can’t recall the moment I decided to support Liverpool. I just eased into it, and my love grew organically.
“I started watching games with him, and my football knowledge increased. I would ask my husband about the game on Mondays or Tuesdays, and he would be annoyed and say, ‘There’s no game on weekdays!’
“I would confuse the English Premier League with the Champions League and other cup competitions.”
As her understanding of football grew, so did her love for Liverpool. Norana would spend her time searching for match schedules and players’ names, checking the table, and becoming excited about the next matches.
But the signing of the Egyptian King, Mohamed Salah, in 2017 sealed Norana’s devotion to Liverpool.
“He is definitely my footballing hero. I love his tenacity on the field. He always keeps trying until the last whistle. I admire that attitude. He has an excellent work rate, less drama, and great teamwork. As if those are not enough, he looks so happy doing it,” said the 50-year-old.
“Jurgen Klopp is another footballing hero of mine. He created a strong team willing to fight for his vision and was the epitome of a great manager. My love for Liverpool started during his time, so it feels like the end of an era.
“I watched one of his farewell interviews and cried for a good hour. He truly understood what it meant to be a part of Liverpool. He brought back the league title after 30 years, and to top that off, he gave us 7-0 and 5-0 – you know what I mean!”
But as Klopp exited, in came Arne Slot. The Dutchman has won four of his five matches and appeals to Norana.
“Slot is a no-nonsense, practical manager who tackles problems head-on. He handled Trent Alexander-Arnold’s tantrum by explaining why he subbed him (against Brentford) as soon as it happened.
“He switched to the previous system when the players couldn’t play at the level he wanted in his debut game. He handled the media professionally and criticised the areas that needed improvement rather than pinpointing them to individuals or pretending that everything was okay.
“He has what it takes to take Liverpool to the top, and I’m happy to welcome him as the new manager.”
Asked what her proudest moment supporting the club was, she said it was when she, Zulkifli, and their daughter Tia were among the crowd in Liverpool for the 2019 Champions League victory parade.
“Who would have thought we would celebrate the team in Liverpool after the 2-0 victory over Tottenham? But everything aligned in our favour, and we were there. The town was painted red, and the fans were loud and proud, cheering for their team for three to four hours until the bus that carried the players reached our location,” she recalled vividly.
“The atmosphere was electric and spectacular. Throngs of fans from many parts of the UK and the world came to Liverpool for that one-day celebration to confess their love for the club. That was a beautiful moment for me to experience, first-hand.”
With the games coming thick and fast, Norana is quietly confident the team Klopp left behind – Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo and Virgil van Dijk – and Slot’s quiet assurance could see Liverpool regain the league crown it last won in 2020.
“My confidence level is through the roof! Overly optimistic? I don’t think so. I believe in my heart that we have what it takes to win them all,” she said.
“Gravenberch and Gakpo will be the breakout stars this season. Gravenberch received a lot of criticism from fans at the end of last season. Instead of making excuses and moaning, he has come back and bossed the midfield. Gakpo is going to score a lot this season.”
FIXTURES (Malaysian time)
Sept 21
West Ham vs Chelsea (7.30pm)
Aston Villa vs Wolves (10pm)
Fulham vs Newcastle (10pm)
Southampton vs Ipswich (10pm)
Tottenham vs Brentford (10pm)
Leicester vs Everton (10pm)
Liverpool vs Bournemouth (10pm)
Sept 22
Crystal Palace vs Manchester United (12.30am)
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest (9pm)
Manchester City vs Arsenal (11.30pm)
