26 Dec 2017 20:24:48
heya eds, doesn't need a long response just genuinely wondering whether coutinho would still harbour a desire to leave / try and force a transfer if interest from Barcelona disappears?

{Ed002's Note - Yes, he wants to be playing at the highest level and challenging for titles every year.}

1.) 26 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 20:42:59
cheers ed2 :)
in that case, let's hope then that we can prove we can do that for him over the next few months!

{Ed002's Note - I don’t think you get it.}

2.) 26 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 20:49:31
depends what you mean ed2. I'm just going off what you said and as a fan hoping that we could still sway him to believe that we can be that club for him.

Or are you saying that it is written in stone that coutinho doesn't believe Liverpool will be at the highest level challenging for titles every year and he wants to go because of it?

{Ed002's Note - Coutinho wants to leave to play at the highest level and be challenging for honours every year. Liverpool can’t offer that. He handed in a transfer request and his family and agent have travelled to Boston to try and get him away from the club. He approached Barcelona and was speaking with international team mates about leaving 18 months ago. Take the hint.}

3.) 26 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 20:49:31
depends what you mean ed2. I'm just going off what you said and as a fan hoping that we could still sway him to believe that we can be that club for him.

Or are you saying that it is written in stone that coutinho doesn't believe Liverpool will be at the highest level challenging for titles every year and he wants to go because of it?

{Ed002's Note - he approached another side to see if they would buy him, his agent and family have visited Boston to try and get him out, he spoke of leaving to international team mates 18 months ago and has handed in a transfer to Liverpool. You should get it by now.}

4.) 26 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 21:16:10
It’s funny how a better salary isn’t mentioned or living in a Mediterranean climate. It’s either the draw of London’s limelight or a warmer feel. Just ask Sanchez?

Couthino could move to Celic and challenge for honours but one feels his family would be a tad. Chilly.

{Ed002's Note - it is nothing to do with that.}

5.) 26 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 21:23:47
I gave my post a thumbs down to thumbs down your replay ed2 lol. take the joke :)

hey look I fully get what you're saying, but as a fan, and I'm sure many other liverpool fans would have similar feelings, we'd hope to convince our best players to stay and help us be a club at the highest level challenging for titles every year. whilst he is still here and is performing, I just hope that he may change his mind! If he goes then ok we move on and go again! is there something wrong with that?

{Ed002's Note - He doesn’t want to play for Liverpool. He wants to move elsewhere. Perhaps put your efforts in to trying to persuade Salah to stay?}

6.) 26 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 21:32:40
nah there nothing I can do to make coutinho or salah to stay. just support them while they're with us and hope that those with influence do their jobs well to keep building us up as a club at the highest level competing for titles every year! would love that!?

hey ed2 this is related to a question I asked weeks ago that I don't think you quite understood what I was asking. The theme of what you are saying about the world's best players wanting to play at the highest level etc. we seem to get near enough to that level and then boom, torres leaves, suarez leaves, coutinho MIGHT leave :p. what does liverpool need to do next to get to that level?

{Ed002's Note - Liverpool are not at that level at all. Right now the only English side that might be is Manchester City.}

7.) 26 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 21:33:15
Couthino might win the “ two team league “ in Spain and the tin pot Copa del Rey Ed002 but when it comes to major honours in Europe, the English teams are back.

City are better than Barcelona in my opinion and if Couts wants to play and challenge at the highest level then he should move to City.

The Premier league is now way ahead of La Liga.

So it’s all about salary an climate, he and is family are Brazilian after all.

{Ed002's Note - you have no idea. He is not moving for the money. When was the last time Manchester City won the Champions League? Real Madrid and Barcelona have won four of the last 6 and it was 5 years ago since an English side won. Typical ignorant xenophobic post.}

8.) 26 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 21:44:08
absolutely, and man city funded their way to that position. I feel like you're saying that Liverpool should be resigned to being a club where they are. So is mega-money simply the only way to get to where city is? to steal an american sports' phrase, being outside of a big market like London and manchester, would Liverpool have to overpay their stars to compete?

{Ed002's Note - Liverpool has spent vast sums of money over the years. All of this whining that you are all so hard done by is as embarrassing as it always is.}

9.) 26 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 21:56:57
ah come on mate, no need to jump to assumptions about my tone on a computer screen. I was genuinely enjoying the conversation with you about this. was hoping to get some more insight from you in terms of what the club can actually do to be at the highest level but you've just repeated that we're not at the highest level. leads me to think that you don't believe we can get there.
Which is something I asked about a few weeks ago, that clubs like us are consigned to being in the tier below and that's just the way it will be.

10.) 26 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 22:01:40
I personnally believe LFC won't sell Pipco even in the summer unless Barça pays the due price. Everyone was saying he will be off in the summer but he's still there. And by 1st February we will again see him in a LFC shirt. And Coutinho isn't the only player who wants out, we saw what happenned with De Gea and how he behaved to go to RM, he was no angel and even MU kept him for the sake of the team. Hazard also wants to go to RM. Finally, most of the players today are driven by money (see Neymar) .

{Ed002's Note - What “due process” is that?}

11.) 26 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 22:14:30
120 million.

{Ed002's Note - Not even a currency - this is why we don’t talk about money.}

12.) 26 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 22:21:38
Liverpool is in the UK 120 million pounds is that not the due price.

13.) 26 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 23:14:02
Faith, I am sure Ed02 only deals in fact or the present. Off the top of my head I can never remember any speculation and he/ she only seems to expand out side of that for their own opinion.

For my sins, I am the patient one! Only a few times around the late 80s did we repeatedly break transfer records I think! (Beardsley, Saunders) Even when we paid 35 million for Carroll, this was on the back of a record fee for Torres (Like with Beardsley, Barnes and Houghton with the Rush sale)

I would like to answer your question about a return to an elite team. For which we are close. To take the next step, we need to continue with the recruitment and unfortunately selling.


Whilst the like of Pip and Mo are likely moving on we will be handsomely rewarded financially. Its what we do with that money that is important and if we find players to come in and make the same impact that the above and others have made.

Of the 1st team players we buy in the future maybe we can also find some who love the club so much that they fore go the chance to win trophies.

Perhaps in the short term we can win a few cups and continue to make further steps in the CL.

However the key for success will be likes of Gomez, TAA, AOC, Big Dom and Henderson making progress and then maybe another 3 or 4 being integrated from the academy in the next 2 or 3 years.

To me this is a base to build from so as you can see IMO we are still a bit away from that base.

Klopp is the best we can get and while stats don't win leagues they are looking like they are going the right way, apart from the very obvious aberrations.

14.) 26 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 23:41:52
Cou will move most likely in the summer, end of story.

15.) 27 Dec 2017
27 Dec 2017 00:42:06
Guys, he wants to leave. Let’s just accept it. Let’s not treat this as football manager where we receive the transfer fees either. Let’s not mention money- that’s for sky to blow out of proportion. It’s not about loyalty or being a fan, footballers don’t think like that. It’s about playing at the best level and England is quite far from that level. Let’s hope the club scouts find a suitable replacement- that’s all we should be thinking.

16.) 27 Dec 2017
27 Dec 2017 05:16:34
The team will always be more important than the sum of its parts - Coutinho is leaving, that's fine, we need to find a suitable replacement and keep building the team, improving the quality and aim to challenge for more top honours - long term I'd imagine it better not to have the disruption.

The real key will be who we replace him with - our track record of replacing quality assets leaving has been mixed to say the least: We got Suarez after Torres and, if you ignore all of his dreadful behaviour, was a good player. We got Aquilani to replace Xabi Alonso which was, to be honest, the beginning of the end for Rafa. Since the departures of both Agger and Carragher we have failed to acquire a decent CB (Matip, Lovren, Klavan, et al not quite doing the business) .
Who we replace Coutinho with will be crucial in determining how much of a loss he ends up being. He is a fantastic player who can change games on his day - we need to replace him with genuine quality, there is not really a like-for-like replacement, but it needs to be a well thought out strategy to adjust to him leaving - poor recruitment in this regard will see us take a step back, and if that happens perhaps more quality assets leaving.

17.) 27 Dec 2017
27 Dec 2017 08:42:13
I expect a similar deal to Suarez, agree a deal in Jan for a move in the summer, in return he gives 100%.

18.) 27 Dec 2017
26 Dec 2017 23:24:48
U mean "due price" Ed2? I don't know but I don't need to. I only believe that as long as the club doesn't receive an acceptable offer from their POV, they won't sell. As u know better than me Ed, no club can block transfers nowdays and still keep the player happy so they can only hope for the best compensation. LFC isn't the best suitable club for Pipco rigt now (better weather, more money, more success in Spain. ) . But, what if we win the champions league this year (like we did in 2005)?

I agree with your various notes ED abt the club wasting money on weak players. But I guess, it's not easy to attract the best players without the spending power like MU, MC or Chelsea so we always had to go with 2nd, 3rd or 4th choices. We just can't compete on the salary level (we have the 5th highest payroll costs, right? ) . I know that u will point out that City and Chelsea r more successful nowdays (which is true) but they built their success with the help of outragiuosly rich owners to begin with. That's why the Liverpool job is the most difficult for any manager as while not being amongst the most attractive clubs, the fans expect to win trophies every year.

Sorry for spelling mistakes guys, was in a hurry.

{Ed002's Note - Right, "due price". And the club can certainly block a transfer - and have done so in the summer with Coutinho and will try to again. The price is not a matter for here. Whining about Chelsea having a new owner 15 years ago and him investing money in the club is the stock "how badly done by" Liverpool answer. The Liverpool manager's job being "the hardest" is laughable. Why bring in salaries? Liverpool were third highest overall in the in Premier League in 16/17 and are paying Coutinho £200k per week. Move on. Liverpool are not so hard done by.}

19.) 27 Dec 2017
27 Dec 2017 00:16:58
Ed2, when faith said what do Liverpool need to get to the next level to be at the 'highest level' that Coutinho wants to be in, we are in the champions league and with his help we can be in it again next season. But the thing that separates the best is that there are those that are happy to compete and those who want to flat out win. Now Couts might want to flat out win and that's pretty obvious with his requests, but what to Liverpool need to do to as faith said reach the likes of Real, Barcelona etc, or are you saying that level is unattainable due to the gap between the top teams and Liverpool? Because outside of Liverpool, I'm not sure many teams look at us in the same way they look at the top ones. Does that make sense?

{Ed002's Note - Liverpool need to be challenging regular to win things - they are not. They need to act professionally and gain the respect of other clubs - they don't. They need to be involved with the "elite" sides that are in the strongest position in making decisions - they aren't and won't be any time soon.}

20.) 27 Dec 2017
27 Dec 2017 05:15:28
Ed 002.
Interesting answer to say the least.

Players have always moved abroad, even when LFC was challenging at the highest level, Keegan, rush to name a couple, so it doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

Barcelona is an attractive proposition not just for footballing terms but from a cultural point of view too. His family travelling to Boston and grovelling with FSG shows they want to move away.

I used to live with a girl from Barcelona and travelled there 5/ 6 times a year, it’s wonderful City with gorgeous fishing villages 20mins North, along the Costa Brava coast line - Vilssar De Mar, orenge De Mar. So I totally get the pull of Catalonia

But for footballing reasons. yes the two Spanish clubs have had it there way for the last 5 years but it goes in cycles Ed 002, I remember all the players wanted to move to Italy back in the early 90”s - that’s where the money was. but for me the pendulum is swinging, both RM and Barcelona are behind PSG and City imo and I can see either one of those clubs winnng the CL .

I think Couts is a great little player but he’s no Xavi or Iniesta. And let’s face it, what would you be rather doing on New Years Eve? Eating fresh barnacles and 12 grapes to the sound of the 12 dongs on NYE, or Pie and chips ( slightly exaggerated) in the North West of the UK?

{Ed002's Note - You are obsessed with money and location - it is simply nonsense as I have explained - How old was Coutinho in the early 1990s when players were moving to Ital? You don't seem to have any slight grasp of the situation whatsoever.}

21.) 27 Dec 2017
27 Dec 2017 06:42:14
Well said Ed002. Many LFC fans fail to grasp that elite players will never stay at LFC for too long unless we challenge for league titles and the UCL on a regular basis. Top players want Barcelona or REal because they are the two most successful clubs in Europe in the past 5 seasons.

22.) 27 Dec 2017
27 Dec 2017 10:19:42
Nothing to do with failing to grasp elite players want to move abroad or even to a top club within the PL. Everyone talks as if it’s only just started to happen within the last 5-10 years.

Liverpool has always had players move, even when we were top of our game, I quote again, Rushey to Juve in 1986.

{Ed002's Note - An example from more than 30 years ago - great job. Don't post anymore on this subject - you are wasting everyones time.}

23.) 27 Dec 2017
27 Dec 2017 11:01:24
Sorry Ed002.

But it shows that players have always wanted to move on, especially abroad! 30 years ago, we were playing at the highest level, challenging on all fronts and winning.

So whilst, as you correctly say, we are not at those dizzy heights any more, not dining at the top table, giving Couthino the challenge he desires, winning the CL, players always have and always will move on.

Very few players that aren’t transient.

{Ed002's Note - I am not questioning the fact that players are transient employees of clubs. I have explained that repeatedly. Your rediculous obsession is that Coutinho is moving so he can live in Spain and get a higher wages as the reason is absolute nonsense.}