Eulogy for Gary Speed Essay Example
Eulogy for Gary Speed Essay Example

Eulogy for Gary Speed Essay Example

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  • Pages: 3 (779 words)
  • Published: July 4, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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Why they die so young I'll never know. Searching for the words to describe my feelings right now will only be a mere utterance of my true sentiments. Nothing prepares you for this. Nothing prepares anyone for any part of this. We are all here today to not only remember Gary Speed, not only to give our condolences, not only to mourn over the loss of a role model and mentor, but to show our sympathies to an individual who just oozed class, class which transferred to everyone around him.

It is too soon and raw to be writing about Gary Speed's death but then it will always be too soon and raw. He was one of us, one of the lads and to see him go at such a young age, 42 years young, is just beyond comprehens

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ion. We often see clichis thrown about too easily, but few people would argue that he was a lion on the pitch in his leadership and a role model off the pitch. Both his opponents and teammates would agree with this statement.In one game against Liverpool, we were 2-0 down with a man sent off at half-time, but Gary at half time, being the soldier he was on the pitch, showed us that there was light at the end of the tunnel, he made us pull our socks up with his speech and if you're going to talk the talk as a player, you better walk the walk and Gary most definitely did. In the second half he barked instructions at us, and when someone like Gary shouts, you listen.

In no time, we scored, a normal team would

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drop their level of performance but Gary kept us on our feet like the true captain he was and led us to victory. No surprises that the man of the match that day was Gary, and being full of humility, what did he say in his post-match interview? He said "The lads deserve most of the credit", no Gary, you were the catalyst to our win, you deputised for the man we had dismissed.Nothing was more important to Gary than his family, he had everything to live for, a husband and father of two, he was managing the best Wales side I've ever seen playing some of the most beautiful football I've ever seen. I would have loved to have seen Wales v Barcelona, now that would have been an advert for football.

Wales are the most improved side in the world and that's only because of his style. In his first meeting, he let the Welsh players know that they would be learning the national anthem in Welsh and it was definitely not for show, "I don't like the showy nationalism,' he once said...

A tattoo, wrapping yourself in a flag - that doesn't matter to me, the way to show your patriotism and commitment is to go and support or play for your team. " Just the other night, there was a match on TV and he had a wager on first scorer and naturally, we all laughed at the 0-0 result. He was asked by masses of people for autographs and being the thoughtful, kind and unselfish individual he was, he happily obliged. But I digress; people say football is more than

just a game, well today we can all see it means nothing at all.When you finish football, you lose people, but not him, it is too soon and raw to be speaking about Gary's death but then again it will always be too soon and too raw. Just look at the reaction of Gary's death, on Sunday Craig Bellamy pulled out of the Liverpool v Manchester City game as he couldn't contain himself, Shay Given, his former Newcastle teammate couldn't hold back his tears against Swansea and John Hartson, who was commentating on the same game, left to go home as he was left literally speechless.

If there is anyone who still doubts the greatness of this man, if there is anyone who still doubts the legacy this man left, then you, my friend, are living in a world different from ours. The world is mourning at your death Gary, you've left us all in tears, why did you die so young? Why did you die so young? Today is a difficult day for me, you and the whole world. We're all still struggling to come to terms with what has happened. My words today do not even begin to give him the praise he requires, rest in peace Gary, rest in peace.

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