Don't think he'll feature again before August 31th.
Costa? Conte messaged him he wasn't needed/wanted anymore at Chelsea, I wouldn't go over there and train with them again either if I was him.
Philippe Coutinho
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) are here to discuss Amad saving our blushes in a win against Southampton as well as our now annual loss at home to Brighton. They discuss Amorim's post-match comments, revisit how mid-table we may or may not be, and discuss some transfer news.
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It's hilarious because it's Liverpool but is it ever going to be possible to turn the tide and make it so Barcelona and Madrid aren't every single players dream destination? It really is very frustrating. Obviously with Neymar moving to PSG it's slightly shifted the balance but we'd need to see more players rejecting those clubs for big PL clubs for it to be a thing.
Or you suffer lots of niggling injuries that miraculously clear up just before internationals, you let your Brazil coach know about the situation, and perform well during int duty.
what happened after that?
No you are right, I think we might see a shift to short term contracts for the top players though.
No sane player would make a world cup plan that involves refusing to play for a whole season, and show up for the internationals and expect it all to work out.
Maybe he's doing that intentionally to avoid another potential 7-1.
I transferred to Barcelona!
I could argue no sane club would expect a player who has handed in a transfer request, had multiple reports about conflicts with a manager, to turn up and it have no effect on performance, attitude or desire. What happens if he does stay and plays to his normal standard, and next season Barca don't come for him? Lets assume a standard Liverpool season of a top 6 finish, no trophy, what other teams are coming for him at a price Liverpool would accept? I can't see how he fits at Real, he won't be sold to a British club bar maybe City, so you now have a player who hasn't wanted to be there, has done his job and can't get a move he really wants.
What could go wrong?
Why? You want to go to week long contracts? Because Coutinho's last signature is half a year old and Dembele's a year. The problem boils down to players who behave like entitled children and thug clubs like Barca who seem very happy to enable this behaviour.
Pogba ...
There's plenty of time yet
We need it to be common place though, which is my point. We need the best players in this league.
I don't really care overall, I think players however if they see that clubs are unwilling to let them go if they request a transfer may want to share the "power". Previously it was always assumed they could leave if they wanted, if they now start to feel that a club will hold on to them, then they may want to reduce the length of contracts especially if they are young, talented players.
If Liverpool wanted to sign a Coutinho player from Italy, and he says I will only come on a 2 year contract and Liverpool say no we do 5 years. He then goes to Chelsea who will offer him a 2 year contract to get the star player then what? I just can't see players being beholden to a clubs whim, things will change for better or worse.
No. We need the best players at United. I hope Barca and Real tap up every single player at the other top English clubs. Couldn't really give less of a feck. I find it bizarre that people want Liverpool to keep Coutinho so Premier League can make a "statement".
Same.
I don't want Liverpool to keep him I want him gone. I, like you, only really want to see the best players at Utd but in reality that's not really going to be possible is it? We can't sign everyone and if we start to attract the world's best then naturally others will follow and want to be part of it with other teams. I'd take us having the best players in the world and possibly a few other teams having some too than the current situation where all players just bend over for the two Spanish giants at nearly every opportunity.
Why would they want to do that if the player is willing to refuse to play (or even score own goals)?
Conte's sacking via text message, and it's effect on the player could've been anticipated, the impact is the manager's fault entirely - that's not my point. I was referring to the act of players under contract staying away/refusing to play and holding clubs to ransom. High profile instances (regardless of justification) such as these present a precedent for players and agents seeking to engineer a move. What can clubs without culpability for their circumstances - so LFC as opposed to CFC in this instance - do to protect themselves?
Apologies, I should've made my point more clearly. Justification aside (I accept Costa's sentiment), I am referring to players refusing to play or staying away when under contract - maybe Coutinho is the better example in this instance given Conte's conduct. My concern is that clubs are exploited even further, and contracts become increasingly worthless.
1. Not sure about the specifics, but likely
2. No, the club can't bar him from using the facilities to train. They can make him train alone, or with the reserves, but they can't stop him from training at their facilities
3. That's likely true in his case bc he's brazilian. A guy like Alexis on the other hand has his spot on the team guaranteed even if he spends a year on the couch
I'm sure the club can say our club, our rules. You can't train while you are 'suspended' without pay. Or he can turn up but is only allowed access to the to-be-disposed dumbbells in the dark corner of the gym.
Take an eye watering fee of 120 million quid? As much as I understand the sentiment you're getting at, the club is hardly losing out without recompense.
Whether it's good or bad in footballing terms for Liverpool can be argued, but like Ronaldo with United, the financial compensation changes the complexion from "being held to ransom" to "ah, feck" in my opinion.
I guess we will find out.
Coutinho has a regular working permit. Liverpool can't prevent him from working. Melwood is technically his working place. They can't bar him from melwood. They can force him to train alone(completely alone) outside of the first team & reserves hours, but that's about it
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I agree, the money is unbelievable and certainly takes the edge of it for the selling club. But then do what with it? Bring Carroll in for Torres? Bring Valencia/Obertan in for Ronaldo?
I'm not sure Liverpool's attack will suffer too much without Coutinho. They've scored 5 goals in 2 games away from home already, but they've also conceded 4. A bit of reshuffling and I think they'd be grand going forwards. Their weakness has been, and remains, keeping them out at the other end. £120 million should, even in this silly market, get them a very good central defender, a decent enough attacking midfielder, with change.
I do think they'd be daft to sell him mind. They're desperately trying to establish themselves at the top table, and selling your best players, no matter how well you may cope without them, doesn't signal that.
PSG?
Liverpool are ruined without Coutinho. as much as I hate the Spanish bullies, I'm getting immense pleasure from this one.
as much as I hate the Spanish bullies, I'm getting immense pleasure from this one.No they aren't. They still have a decent attack without him.Liverpool are ruined without Coutinho.
We're going to have £120m in our pockets in the morning?
Maybe 60m and Nathan Redmond.We're going to have £120m in our pockets in the morning?
We're going to have £120m in our pockets in the morning?
Or, allowing for inflation, exactly 2.9 Andy Carrolls.
Hopefully FSG are equally as wasteful this time 'round.
Are Barcelona really going to pay that much for Coutinho? Those board members are crazy.
Those board members are crazy.Are Barcelona really going to pay that much for Coutinho?
No. They'll pay less than €100m upfront, and maybe it'll reach around €100m after add-ons.
Unsettling the player that leads to him refusing to play for his current club is their classic buying tactic to pay less.
Still a huge amount for him but I guess it's just the way things are at the moment.
Is he really refusing to play? He doesn't strike me as the type but I guess it's Barcelona..
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