Global LFC Family: Japan

Name: Taisuke Inami
Age: 35
City/country: Saitama, Japan
Job: Working for an electronics manufacturing company

Why did you pick Liverpool as your team?

In 1983, when I was five years old, my father was transferred to the London branch and my family moved to London. We lived there until 1986. All my friends in London were either Arsenal fans or Spurs fans. But one day, when I played football with my friends, I saw one of my friends wearing a Liverpool shirt and his shirt looked so cool. I also liked the Liverbird on it. That was when I started to become interested in Liverpool. I started watching Liverpool games on TV and reading all the magazine articles about the Reds. Then I just fell in love with Liverpool!

What's your earliest LFC memory?

When they won the European Cup in Rome in 1984. I was fascinated by the way Bruce Grobbelaar's spaghetti legs baffled the Italians in the penalty shoot-out. I was six years old at that time, but even now, I remember clearly the way the players like Graeme Souness and our manager, Joe Fagan, lifted the cup. The design of the shirts the players wore in that season is still my favourite.

Who was your first LFC hero an why?

The two players with cool moustaches: Ian Rush and Bruce Grobbelaar. I remember Rush ran so fast, baffled the defenders and scored so many brilliant goals. He was the type of player who could score goals whenever we were desperate for them. He was definitely my hero. Another hero of mine was Grobbelaar who had amazing reflexes, made hundreds of great saves, brought us the European Cup with the spaghetti legs and tried to entertain us by doing the handstand at Wembley. It is difficult to choose one player because I really like both of them.

What is your favourite LFC memory?

The 1980s when we dominated English football, the 4-3 win over Newcastle in 1996 and the 2005 miracle of Istanbul are all good memories. But if I have to choose one, I would say that is when we won the treble in the 2001 season. When I moved back to Japan in 1986, there was no live broadcast of English football on TV. The Japanese people had to wait until the 1999-2000 season to watch English football games live. But I had to wait for another season until I could afford to pay for the digital satellite broadcast to watch Liverpool games. And this 2000-01 season, when I had watched all the Liverpool games for the first time since I moved back to Japan, was the season when Liverpool were brilliant. All the local grown players like Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher played really well and Liverpool won the League Cup after the dramatic penalty shoot-out. We also won the FA Cup with two brilliant goals by Michael Owen against Arsenal and then we saw that dramatic 5-4 win over Deportivo Alaves in the UEFA Cup final. And on top of that, we finished third in the league table and qualified for the next season's Champions League. I bought some LFC merchandise to commemorate this brilliant season, which I still treasure.

Who has been your favourite Liverpool manager and why?

If I had to answer this question some months ago, I think I would have answered it with either Fagan, Dalglish, Houllier or Rafa Benitez. But after I saw Brendan Rodgers bring us a 5-0 victory over Spurs at White Hart Lane this season, I think I should say it is Brendan. I really like his aggressive and attacking style of football. It is based on passing and possessing the ball and it is really fun watching such football. I can also see that the players are happy playing under Brendan. He is also great at encouraging and giving confidence to young players like Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Jon Flanagan. These young players have been brilliant this season and I think this is a very good thing. I want him to be the one who will bring us the trophy we've been desperate for and I have a feeling that he might achieve it at the end of this season.

Have you ever been to Anfield?

I have been to Anfield twice. My first visit there was in January 2002. I watched the game against Leicester City. The day before the match, I joined the stadium tour. Anfield was the place I had always dreamed of visiting, so I was so excited when I got there and had a chance to look inside. I felt so happy and that is why a couple started talking to me, saying: "Hey, you look so happy." I told them that I had always dreamed of visiting Anfield and this was like a dream come true. And they were so kind that they wanted to look around the stadium with me and took so many photographs of me with my camera. I was really impressed by the kindness of the Liverpool supporters. On the next day, when I watched the match, I was very happy to see us win 1-0. I also enjoyed singing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' with all the other Liverpool supporters there and I was really impressed by the passionate support they showed. My second visit there was with my wife in November 2008. Visiting Liverpool this time was our honeymoon. My wife, who had been to the football stadiums in Japan to watch J-League games, said it was amazing that the pitch at Anfield was so close to the stand and that the supporters were so passionate. Unfortunately, we drew against Fulham, but I was happy to get so many autographs from players like Daniel Agger and Xabi Alonso on the matchday programme.

Where were you while we were in Istanbul?

I wish I didn't have to answer this question. This, of course, brings back one of the happiest memories about Liverpool, but at the same time, to me this was a memory of shame as a Liverpool supporter. I was watching the game on TV in the house. The kick-off time was 4am in Japan and after I watched the first half, I switched the TV off and went to bed, feeling so devastated. And as I was crying in bed, my mobile phone started to ring with text messages from my friends, saying: "What a game! Amazing! A miracle!" So I got out of bed and switched the TV on and I saw Steven Gerrard was brought down in the box by Gattuso and the Reds were given a penalty. Then I saw Alonso make it 3-3 and I couldn't understand what was happening. I thought I was in a dream. And then I saw Liverpool lift the Champions League after the dramatic penalty shoot-out. I cried with joy when I saw Steven lift the cup. I regret even now that I switched the TV off after the first half and didn't watch the game for 15 minutes when all the other Liverpool supporters never gave up and kept supporting the players.

Do Liverpool have a passionate fan base where you're from?

Yes, they do. Liverpool have visited Japan three times to play in the Intercontinental Cup and the Club World Cup and have impressed the Japanese people. So, they are very popular here and when this football TV show did a survey to find out the Japanese people's favourite Premier League club, Liverpool were their favourite. Liverpool supporters in Japan go to pubs to watch the games. The owner of the pub I often go to in Tokyo is a passionate Liverpool supporter and his pub is always full of Kopites when they show Liverpool games. We all enjoy singing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' and other Liverpool chants there. I wish the Reds would come to Japan for their next Asia Tour.

Which team are considered Liverpool's biggest rivals in your country?

Manchester United, where Shinji Kagawa plays, are very popular here now. And Arsenal, the manager of which used to manage a Japanese club called Nagoya Grampus Eight, are also very popular.

Where do you go online to follow news about LFC?

I often visit the Liverpool FC official website and I also check LFC's official Facebook page and Twitter.

Do you also support a local team?

I support Gamba Osaka. I used to live in Osaka for five years. Because the home ground of Gamba Osaka was within a 15-minute walk from where I lived, I started to go to watch Gamba games. I like the style of their football. It is an aggressive, attacking style, where the players prefer to pass the ball to keep possession and I think it is very similar to that of Brendan Rodgers' team. In 2008 they won the AFC Champions League and challenged Man United in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Who is your favourite current player and why?

Luis Suarez. He is such a world-class talent. I have been fascinated by the way he dribbles and nutmegs the defenders. His shooting skill is amazing. He also works hard pressing and getting the ball. He is so passionate about scoring goals no matter what the score is and never gives up the game until the final whistle is blown. I like it when he shows his passion for goals and wins. I think he can be equal to all the legendary strikers who played for Liverpool. I like singing his chant, 'I Just Can't Get Enough'. It is my favourite of all the Liverpool chants.

If you could meet anyone connected to Liverpool FC - past or present - who would it be and why?

Steven Gerrard. My age is close to Steven's, which means I share the same memory of Liverpool with Steven. It feels like he is a close friend who I have never met. When I was a child, I used to dream of becoming a footballer. My dream didn't come true but I kind of feel content when I watch Steven play. It feels like my close friend, Steven, has achieved what I couldn't achieve. I wish I could go to a pub with him, drink beer and talk about Liverpool.

What makes you most proud to be a Liverpool supporter?

Liverpool FC and their supporters always stick together and support each other. It is as if they are a big family. All the Liverpool supporters I met when I visited Liverpool were very kind and friendly. They were so kind that they treated me as if I was their close friend. And of course, I have always been impressed by the way the club and their supporters support the families who lost their loved ones in the Hillsborough disaster. I am proud to be one of such great supporters, a member of the LFC family.

Finally, what does 'the Liverpool way' mean to you?

Liverpool are not only about football or winning games. Liverpool, for me, are the principles that guide my life. Since I started supporting Liverpool, I have learned so many important things in life like never giving up, always doing your best, being patient from time to time, believing in yourself, respecting others and helping and supporting your friends. Liverpool have taught me that miracles do happen if you live that way.

Click here to visit the all-new official Liverpool FC Japanese Facebook Page>>

Previous articles in the Global LFC Family series:

South Africa - Melissa Reddy>>
Thailand - Jeerawan Duangnam Herriot>>
Australia - Wayne Psaila>>
Mexico - Victor Alvarado>>
Indonesia - Andhika Sarwendha Suksmana>>
Nepal - Nischal Adhikari>>
Ghana - Aristo Dotse>>
India - Kaushal Goyal>>
Singapore - Henry Hann>>
Bahrain - Mohamed Ashoor>>
Mongolia - Amarsaikhan Orsoo>>
Vietnam - Pham Quynh Le>>
USA - July 4th Special>>
Iran - Mohammad Reza Rahimi>>
South Korea - Yong-Suk Choi>>
Norway - Arild Skjæveland>>
Russia - Ivan Potapov>>
Myanmar - Khin Maung Cho>>
USA - Roy Yates>>
China - Chen Jing>>
Brazil - Bárbara Rubio>>
Kenya - Mitesh Chavda>>
Spain - Luis Gutierrez>>
Venezuela - Jorge De Castro>>
Greece - Efstratios Sakkias>>
Malaysia - Muzili Aznor Musa>> 
Taiwan - Roxan>>
Finland - Jani Lilja>>
Turkey - Ulfan Ismihanov>>
Mauritius - Jean-Carl Palmyre>>
Pakistan - Bissmah Mehmud>> 
Poland - Radoslaw Chmiel>>
Jamaica - Andrew Hewitt>>
Bangladesh - Iresh Zaker>>