"It's complicated"? -- No it isn't, fuck off Barca - £113 Million bid rejected

[manwithnoname]

I have a dark creeping feeling this has been prearranged in some shape or form.

I think that is bollocks. Klopp's been banging on about Coutinho's quality and importance for yonks, as well as quite clearly bigging him up as our best player.

Why would he do that, knowing "the plan" was to sell him all along? It just makes him look a mug who has no control.

 

[doctor_mac]

I think that is bollocks. Klopp's been banging on about Coutinho's quality and importance for yonks, as well as quite clearly bigging him up as our best player.

Why would he do that, knowing "the plan" was to sell him all along? It just makes him look a mug who has no control.

I hope you're right. Nevertheless, managers frequently wank on about the importance of players up until the moment they're sold. Chairmen up and down give their fullest backing to managers they are in the process of replacing. It is a strange old game that way. Bald lies everywhere.

 

[manwithnoname]

I hope you're right. Nevertheless, managers frequently wank on about the importance of players up until the moment they're sold. Chairmen up and down give their fullest backing to managers they are in the process of replacing. It is a strange old game that way. Bald lies everywhere.

I am right. That doesn't mean Coutinho won't go to Barcelona, though.

 

[gkmacca]

It's about time the club grew some balls and started playing the kinds of games that Southampton play. Report Barca - practically the whole football world is sick of how that club behaves, and it would at least give us the initiative if Coutinho does fancy a move. In fact, if FSG were so ready to beg forgiveness by Southampton, they bloody well SHOULD be protesting about yet another blatant bit of public tapping up of one of their own players.

 

[Glen C]

There's no way Klopp is wanting or expecting Coutinho to be sold this summer. If he does go it will be against his wishes which i can't see FSG doing. I just don't see Coutinho being sold this summer at all.

 

[Fabio]

It's about time the club grew some balls and started playing the kinds of games that Southampton play. Report Barca - practically the whole football world is sick of how that club behaves, and it would at least give us the initiative if Coutinho does fancy a move. In fact, if FSG were so ready to beg forgiveness by Southampton, they bloody well SHOULD be protesting about yet another blatant bit of public tapping up of one of their own players.

Completely agree

However

I wonder if fsg want to keep barca sweet in case we want a player+cash deal. Keeping them onside may garner us a better deal

 

[Mors]

There's no way Klopp is wanting or expecting Coutinho to be sold this summer. If he does go it will be against his wishes which i can't see FSG doing. I just don't see Coutinho being sold this summer at all.

How is this/we any different to Soton with VVD here though? Yes, Klopp might not want him to go, and FSG might not need that money, exactly the same situation with the manager and owner with Soton. But if the player goes in a strop, asks to move, then neither team are going to want a player that's not 'committed' to the team/cause.

 

[Judge Jules]

It's different to the van Dijk situation because there's no way Coutinho is going to down tools and try to force a move. If he'd had that kind of thing in mind, he and his agent would have insisted on a release clause in the new contract he signed only last year.

 

[Glen C]

How is this/we any different to Soton with VVD here though? Yes, Klopp might not want him to go, and FSG might not need that money, exactly the same situation with the manager and owner with Soton. But if the player goes in a strop, asks to move, then neither team are going to want a player that's not 'committed' to the team/cause.

Its different because Klopp has a lot more power here than the other managers do at their clubs. They don't get the final word on the ins and outs....but klopp does. FSG are also desperate to keep Klopp so wouldn't be so stupid as stab him in the back but undermining him. Plus van dijk has told them he wants to go. According to klopp he's had words with coutinho and its all good.

 

[Mors]

I think if Barca went all out for him, and offered us market rate, his head would be turned and we'd see him dropped out of the squad. It'd be nice if it wasn't the case, but all footballers are mercenaries.

 

[FoxForceFive]

Completely agree

However

I wonder if fsg want to keep barca sweet in case we want a player+cash deal. Keeping them onside may garner us a better deal

Fuck that mate.

We have something they want.

If we do have to sell him then it should bloody well be on our terms, & we should play as dirty & as hard as possible to get as much as we can out of them.

For now that means just saying no to every pissy little bid they put in. Market value is about 150m or higher judging by the amount shite players are going for this window, so dismissing anything less out of hand is an ideal starting point, & will hopefully hold them off for a season.

 

[Woland]

Countinho always said once he won the Asia trophy he's off. He's got nothing else to prove

 

[Mystic]

 

[manwithnoname]

I think if Barca went all out for him, and offered us market rate, his head would be turned and we'd see him dropped out of the squad. It'd be nice if it wasn't the case, but all footballers are mercenaries.

I don't think there is anything particularly "mercenary" about a footballer being interested in joining Barcelona

 

[Insignificance]

I don't think there is anything particularly "mercenary" about a footballer being interested in joining Barcelona

Agree. The mercenary part is when he wants to leave Barcelona for some French club.

 

[HC]

€100m offer inbound apparently

 

[doctor_mac]

 

[Mors]

Sky seem to think we'll struggle to turn down £89mill.

 

[doctor_mac]

Sky seem to think we'll struggle to turn down £89mill.

Sky know fuck all. Sky quote joke tweets as part of their news briefings.

 

[Red Bird]

Sky seem to think we'll struggle to turn down £89mill.

Really? In this insane climate?

 

[Mors]

IF they sell Neymar, we should wait until that happens, then ask them for all that money for Coutinho.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

If they sell Coutinho ... it's going to be tough to be a fan ... We should be building around this world class talent.

FUCK BARCA.

 

[Raz]

If they sell Coutinho ... it's going to be tough to be a fan ... We should be building around this world class talent.

FUCK BARCA.

We became a selling club a long time ago. He is off. How else would we fund Keita and VVD?

 

[Woland]

The 20m quid a year we're saving on the wage bill these days? The extra 60m quid a year we're getting off the TV? The CL money?

 

[Raz]

The 20m quid a year we're saving on the wage bill these days? The extra 60m quid a year we're getting off the TV? The CL money?

Don't be naive.

 

[Woland]

Don't be naive.

I don't think he'll go

 

[Raz]

I don't think he'll go

I hope you are right.

 

[Woland]

I hope you are right.

Every time I think about us selling him I think THIS IS WHAT I'LL FUCKING DO IF THOSE FUCKING LIZARDS FUCKIN.... and then I remember that they probably won't and I'm getting all worked up for nothing and to think nice warm fluffy happy thoughts. So yeah, me too.

 

[doctor_mac]

The Firm speaketh....

 

[Woland]

See?