http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...s/jon-flanagan-celebrated-pizza-after-6411968The Domino Effect: How Reds goal hero Jon Flanagan celebrated with a pizza
It was the abiding memory from a remarkable afternoon in the capital. A euphoric Jon Flanagan sliding on his knees in front of the travelling Kop before being mobbed by his Liverpool FC team-mates. The collective outpouring of joy both on the pitch and on the bench told you everything you needed to know about the unity of Brendan Rodgers’ squad and the popularity of the goalscorer. How to celebrate the greatest moment of your blossoming Liverpool career? The answer was with pizza and reliving the 5-0 demolition of Tottenham all over again on Sunday night. “I got back home from London just in time for Match of the Day 2 and I had a Domino’s,” Flanagan told the ECHO. “It was nice to watch the goal again. I recorded it too. “I’m still buzzing. To score was a dream come true.”
The 20-year-old Academy graduate will always cherish his first goal for the Reds. Fifteen minutes from time at White Hart Lane he met Luis Suarez’s cross with a fierce right-footed half volley which cannoned in off the underside of the bar. Flanagan had ventured forward with the blessing of Rodgers who had encouraged him to make his mark in the final third. “The manager has been telling me to push on when I can and try to get into the penalty area,” he said. “I saw Jordan Henderson running through and with them down to 10 men I spotted there was plenty of space in front of me. “When Luis Suarez got it I was hoping he would see me and it was a great cross. It dropped perfectly so I decided to hit it first time. “To be honest, I thought it was going to come back off the bar. When I realised it had bounced into the net it was just an unbelievable feeling. It’s all a bit of a blur really. I was just thinking ‘bloody hell, I’ve just scored here’.”
Flanagan instinctively charged towards the away end where his dad John was among the 3,000-strong Red army going wild. Liverpool players celebrate the goal by Jon Flanagan against Spurs “It was perfect as my dad, two of my uncles and some of my mates were there,” he said. “It was brilliant to be able to share that with them. All the lads piled on top of me and they were buzzing for me. I don’t think they were expecting it as I don’t get many. I think my last one was for the under-21s against Crystal Palace. “When I got back to the dressing room I must have had 30 to 40 messages on my phone.”
The goal was reward for the extra hours Flanagan has put in at Melwood with the youngster keen to prove to Rodgers he has the attacking prowess to accompany his robust defensive qualities. “I always stay behind after training with a few of the lads to do some shooting practise,” he said. “I’d like to think it’s something I can add to my game. “First and foremost I need to concentrate on defending as that’s my main job. “But as a full-back in the modern game you also need to be able to get forward and pose a threat in the final third.”
It’s been some transformation for Flanagan who hadn’t graced the Premier League for 19 months prior to November’s defeat at Arsenal. He got the call after Glen Johnson was sidelined with a jaw infection and his display was one of the few positives at the Emirates. That convinced Rodgers to turn to Flanagan once again when Jose Enrique aggravated a knee injury ahead of the derby at Goodison. Despite being asked to play left-back, the right-sided defender produced a man of the match performance and has kept his place ever since.
Sunday was his fifth successive start for the high-flying Reds but there is no danger of all the acclaim going to his head. Jon Flanagan celebrates at the end of the Spurs game “I know I’ve still got a lot to learn,” he said. “Brendan has given me a run in the team but I have to keep repaying that faith with good performances. My confidence is growing with every game and I’m feeling more like part of the team. It’s up to me to keep it going. “It was hard for a long time because I wasn’t sure if I would get a chance. I had a difficult time with injuries last season. “I’ve just kept my head down, worked hard and made sure I was ready when the chance came. Hopefully I’ve shown the manager now what I can do. “Sunday was a big test for me up against Aaron Lennon but I felt I coped with him quite well. I’ve never really been one for getting nervous as I tend to just take things in my stride. “The games come thick and fast at this time of year and we need to keep it going. We have to try to pick up as many points as we can.”
With Jamie Carragher having retired and Steven Gerrard in the twilight years of his career, the hope is that Flanagan will help ensure the team retains a Scouse heartbeat in the long term. He spent his early years living in the shadow of Anfield and joined the club’s Academy at the age of 11. “My family have all supported Liverpool all their lives. My dad and my uncles used to take me to Anfield from a young age,” he added. “I used to live in Utting Avenue for about 10 years before we moved to Childwall. When I didn’t go to the games I could hear the crowd from our house. “The club has always been a big part of my life. Stevie, Carra and Michael Owen were my heroes growing up. “To follow in their footsteps has been brilliant. To be able to say I played on the same pitch as Stevie and Carra is amazing. “It’s every local lad’s dream to pull on the red shirt. Now I’ve managed to score my first goal I just want to keep progressing.”
Brendan Rodgers says Liverpool youngster Jon Flanagan has shown he has both the talent and the temperament for Premier League football. The 20-year-old full-backcapped another fine display with his first goal for the club in Sunday’s 5-0 thrashing of Tottenham at White Hart Lane. “Jon’s come into the team and done great,” Rodgers said. “He’s a terrific boy. He’s played for the under-21s side, he’s played in practice games where there are two people watching, and he’s played in pre-season with thousands watching, and whoever he’s up against he doesn’t change. “I thought going back a few games when he got in the team against Everton, this is a kid who can handle it. And since he came in and was man of the match in the derby, he’s been fantastic. His confidence is growing all the time. “His goal was a brilliant finish. I said to Jon ‘you’ll be up for the Ballon d’Or after that!’ You could see how much it meant for him and the supporters. “A couple of years ago when he got in the team at 18, he was very good and he got a big new contract. That is the problem with young players in this country. We pay them to fail and then they just drift away and you never hear of them again. I’ve told him ‘just play every game as if you haven’t cracked it, and just be the best you can be’. That’s what he’s done.”
Flanagan factfile Born: January 1 1993 (Liverpool) Liverpool appearances: 23 Liverpool goals: 1 Joined the Kirkby Academy aged 11 and rose up through the ranks. Kenny Dalglish handed him his debut against Manchester City at Anfield in April 2011. He went on to make seven league starts before the end of the campaign. Started on the opening day of the 2011/12 season against Sunderland but made just six starts and two substitute appearances in all competitions. Injuries hampered his progress for much of the 2012/13 campaign. The Europa League game against Anzhi in Russia and a late cameo in the FA Cup tie at Mansfield were his only first-team outings. After impressing Rodgers in training, Flanagan got his chanceagainst Arsenal at the Emirates last month – it was his first Premier League match for 19 months. When Jose Enrique broke down with a knee injury, he was preferred to Aly Cissokho for the left-back slot in the derby at Goodison. Currently enjoying a run of five successive league starts.
I'm starting to think Flanagan may well have a long-term future with LFC. His defensive skills will improve with time and every club needs a player like this, a no-nonsense defender who might not be the most skillful, but is 200% committed and focused. The fact that he is local is a big plus.
