Jockey

Two issues here.

 

One, there is a very strong possibility that "the way he's going about" forcing the move is the only chance this move has of actually happening. So sure, we all want him to be professional and continue to play for his club and not say anything in public. But if he does that, then Southampton will just keep him and sell him next summer for the same fee. Him throwing his toys out the pram is the only chance for him to move this summer.

 

Second, the problem with your second suggestion that we pretend to move on to our next target is that we then weaken van Dijk's motivation to come here and only here, which again, is the only hope we have of completing the deal.

 

So yeah, it sounds great to say "we'll just put it out there that we're buying Koulibaly," but Southampton's response isn't going to be "oh, shit, there goes our £65m, better get Liverpool on the phone." It'll be "good, glad that's done with, we can keep him for a year and then sell next season." Not to mention that van Dijk will hear stories of Liverpool moving for Koulibaly and call his agent to say he's not desperate to come only here after all, maybe better return Arsenal's and City's phone calls after all.

Somethings are so plain to see - you wonder why people fail to spot them! 

Sorted. I dont think he's as bad as one or two have made out.

Neither do I. 

Of course it's not "VVD or no one."

 

We're not going into a season where we might play 55 games with Matip, Lovren, Klavan, Gomez, and ... Can? as our only centre back options. That would be insane.

 

The "VVD or no one" thing is for one person's ears only: van Dijk.

 

If this were a normal transfer, Edwards or Klopp would just pick up the phone to his agent and tell him not to worry, we're still communicating with Southampton, "they'll have to see reason at some point," etc. etc. But with this particular transfer, obviously we are terrified of going near anything resembling tapping up. That makes it more complicated. Hence the public statement, very carefully sent through the club mouthpiece, a man whom VVD actually follows on twitter.

 

"We still love you and only you, Virgil!" That's what that statement really means.

That is how I see it. If we start looking at alternatives - he'll could very well think 'fuck this - i'm off to City'! 

Or Arsenal as Dickie points out! 

I'm sure suarez and his family will take good care of the Cou's

I'm sure they will. But Suarez isn't Neymar! 

We keep getting told by these smart arses in the press, that the reason we don't bid on players till we've already fucked off the selling club with our tapping up, is because nobody in modern football bids on a player unless they know the player will say yes. So we know barca have bid, which using the rules that defend fsg would suggest Coutinho wants out. All that's left now is if barca will activate the price that fsg want. If neymar does one to PSG, them hitting a number to suit fsg shouldn't be too hard.

 

See ya Phil, it's been a laugh. I'm looking forward to demari grey and oxlaide chamberlain already.

Equally (just a suggestion). Neymar was one of the primary movers behind getting Coutinho here, if Moreno is so important, and Lucas why move to Barcelona when Neymar is moving to Paris? Maybe this was Barcelona's attempt to keep hold of Neymar? 

Maybe! 

I think the issue with VVD might be this - he has come out and said 'Liverpool only for me' to Southampton - we had to pull out, so rather than leave him high and dry we are basically letting it be known that it is him or no one.

Otherwise he may think 'fuck this i'm off to Arsenal or City if I can't play for Liverpool'. Just a suggestion. 

Coutinho isn't going anywhere. I wouldn't worry - for all the criticism of FSG they did stand firm over Suarez, Sterling was a cunt and I don't think too many of us where that arsed. 

Keep Coutinho and bring in Isco and Van Dyke that's how it works it's called improving your team and challenge for trophies we used to be pretty good at it a while back and it worked.

Nope sell him for £150m million and buy a fucking big boat! 

And Tadic. 

Re: Neymar for £200m - does FFP actually mean anything?

I think it means Financial Fair Play? 

We were given encouragement by Keita to make a bid! 

Klopp says he ain't going.

I'm not worried. 

But I would sell any of our players for £100-£150m - If we can get Isco & VVD in first, then announce his sale for £100m plus. 

Wonder if Barcelona have tried to sign Coutinho to keep hold of Neymar? 

Coutinho is the perfect replacement for Iniesta! 

Which is my worry - i'm hoping they go for that PSG cunt Verati in part

-ex. 

It works the same way though, any player can refuse a deal and wind down their contract.

 

Contracts mean very little because people CHOOSE to not stick to them.

 

saying we have 'no choice' is simply wrong and a lie.

Yes you are right we do always have a choice - it is just whether it is the best option! I don't think we will contemplate selling him FWIW. 

I think he's shite, but no I wouldn't sell him tomorrow.

 

Why?

It was a hack handed way of saying it Coutinho wants to go, we couldn't stop him! And that we as fans wouldn't accept a contract if we wanted rid!

As I said - cackhanded and not thought out! So just ignore it please haha! 

You are a huge gold Knob Jockey. Welcome to TLW. 

 

Ps. You don't have to reply to every post that every poster makes on everything. 

 

Haha! That is ace. 

I am going to reply to this one. 

I know it isn't all measured on net spend and figures can be a little misleading but when you look at what we have a club have spent and what we have recouped on transfers this decade it looks like this (from 2009/10 season to 2016/17)

 

Spent - £589m

 

Received - £417m

 

So just working on that we have 'spent' £172m in 8 seasons - that is an average 'investment' in transfer fees of £21m a season.

 

In the same period Man Utd's looks like this...

 

Spent - £688m

 

Received - £295m

 

393m 'spent' in 8 seasons...average 'investment' in transfer fees of £49m per season.

 

I am no expert in football finance but just using that rudimentary measure should we really be that far behind them in terms of 'spend'? Or is that about right?

You need to take account of the wages! That is where city, Chelsea and United are really fucking everything up. £200k a week is becoming the norm with them for top players - we may be able to afford one or two, but not more than that! 

This is why Klopp has been installed isnt it? So those years of small time and shithouse behaviour stop?

It took them several years to realise that hiring a world class manager is as important as buying top players. I don't have much to complain about regarding our dealings since Klopp took over and I fully realise that we can't match City,Utd or Chelsea for cash in the transfer market. We have to be cleverer with our transfers and I think we are. The only place I think we have a problem is in terms of image and PA as we still look totally naive.

Spot on! 

Thing is Ali would have negated the need for Keita, but we blew it! 

You're so right, come to think of it FSG are awesome and being that we are a corporation now no one will buy us. I'm happy with the signings we've made and I'm glad we're not wasting money. 

Never said that either!

So try to not be knob for a minute or so. Difficult as it is. 

There is still no reason to sell him. Exactly the same as VDV and Keita.

With you on that! That isn't where we are disagreeing - unlike Keita, what is Coutinho agitates and wants to go? 

Yes we can say no. But! 

Careful Denny, you'll have people thinking FSG are in it for the money, when we all know their true role is to be sensible guardians and custodians of our great club. 

Nobody has argued that - so stop lying! 

Hyperbole to make a point based on nothing. Who do you think is going to buy the club? We are a corporation - that is what we are now. Get used to it. 

He just signed a 5 year contract. He could be encouraged to wait another season.

And he should be! For PR alone with would be stupid to sell him. 

But, if he doesn't? 

I don´t disagree with any of that. But maybe if we´d acted like a big club for the last...however many years, Coutinho stays another year, or maybe two. Or whatever. I´m certainly not trying to paint a black and white picture. I just find the actions of the club utterly depressing. It doesn´t induce anger any more. I have been successfully pacified by years of the club´s shithousery and mismanagement.

i think football is utterly depressing when it is like this! PSG are nothing - a, promotional activity for the 2022 world cup. Why would Neymar go to them?

We need to be prudent, but I think we have spent enough to have competed a lot better - we have bought a lot of meh, and I agree that we should have bought a couple of 'big' players not Mane type signings, Sanchez type. But we seem to struggle getting them over the line! 

Your knob, Jockey? 

Haha, fair comeback - serves me right!

What is little spending? I think we have spent a lot - just spent too much of poorly. 

His contract is to 2022. There is absolutely no reason we need to sell him this summer.

 

If we do sell him, then it will be for financial reasons.

Sorry but that is just you and your own bias! 

If Coutinho wants to go? 

We are not, and won't be at Barcelona level for a fair few years - Chelsea, city and United are fucking miles behind them and United have dominated financially for 25 years. 

We are allowed to try and climb the food chain. I´m not really expecting us to match Real Madrid or Barcelona any time soon, but there are significantly more realistic targets that we, well, don´t have the ambition to surpass.

I agree with you on that. But it takes time - probably longer than what Phil has got left at the top level!

We shouldn't sell - i'd be disappointed if we do - but i'm not sure how much control we have over it. 

Wrong.

 

You say no, fuck off.

 

Especially when the player has only just signed a 4 year deal. 

Would you sell Lovren tomorrow?