19 Apr 2013

Sold too easily...? 'Amazing' Coutinho explains why he had to leave Inter Milan.

Last week, Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson admitted that he is 'still a little wary' about Reds signing Philippe Coutinho, and questioned Inter Milan's reasons for selling the Brazilian for a 'relatively small amount'. Whatever the reason, Liverpool have bought an excellent player, and in a new interview, Coutinho sheds some light on the reasons behind his departure from Serie A.

In a recent column for the Liverpool Daily Post, Lawro admitted that he has a little 'scepticism' over Coutinho's ability to make a long-term impact. He explained:

"Leading Italian clubs don’t let their best players leave for a relatively small amount, so why would they [Inter Milan] let him go?

"It’s another classic example of everybody wanting to judge a player within five minutes of him pulling on an Liverpool shirt.

"Defenders are still learning about Coutinho, and I’m sure they will be better prepared to deal with him next season".


Well, it seems that Coutinho pushed for a move away from Inter, as opposed to the Italian club being keen to let him go. Speaking to TMW this week, Coutinho bemoaned his lack of opportunity at Inter, and insisted he made the right decision to sign for Liverpool. He observed:

"Every player needs to play, and even before [LFC's offer] I thought of leaving Inter.

"I had few opportunities there, and Liverpool's offer was great and it came at the right time. I'm convinced that I have made ​​the right choice".


With two goals and three assists in 7 starts for Liverpool, Coutinho has made an immediate impact at Anfield, and he attributes his fine start to 'immediately integrating well' with his new team-mates, something he says is 'very important':

"Playing with the likes of Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard is something special: they are two idols, and it is very good for morale knowing that they believe in you"

Coutinho played a more central role for Inter, but he believes that Brendan Rodgers' decision to play him as a winger is an excellent decision. He noted:

"I had played more central [at Inter], but I am definitely better in the role in which I am employed now, as a winger."

If, as Lawro suggests, defenders work him out next season, will this curtail the effectiveness of his game, or is Coutinho good enough to deal with it? A logical comparison would be David Silva at Man City: superb first season, but his influence has waned big time this year, mainly because defenders know how he plays and what to expect.

Conversely, Luis Suarez is in his second year at Liverpool, and defenders have had plenty of time to get used to him, but he's still banging-in the goals.

Whatever happens, you can be sure that the LFC hype-machine will continue to spew out gross overpraise for any Reds player that displays a modicum of talent. This week, it's the turn of Jose Enrique, who fawned:

"He [Coutinho] has amazing talent. Luis had a really good year after just six months here before, and with Coutinho, it's going to happen the same. he will improve a lot more, and he is going to be a top player for us"

For me, Lawro's cautious 'wait and see' approach is the right way to look at things.



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27 comments:

  1. rodgers best buy by far ,hope he can keep the momentum going and not hit a brick wall like sturridge

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  2. liverpool4life5654:00 pm, April 19, 2013

    I am just happy he at Liverpool, he only 20 he can only get better if he puts his head down and trains hard,if Rodgers brings in players of this guy quality I will be looking forward to next season!

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  3. Actually in Silva's second season he was better than the first and this season is almost as good as his first.

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  4. This does not concern Coutinho, but if one read the official website's weekly propaganda interviews, one would think we have 20 superstars causing envy from every big team in Europe.

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  5. Coutinho will do me fella's, since he came he has been superb!!!

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  6. Since Torres came to EPL and any player that has come to the Premiership after him have made an impact. Those reasons are not valid anymore. King Kenny decided to buy Downing rather than Mata because he taught Mata was not ready for the EPL yet. Well we all know the rest of that history. Lawro needs to wait and see!! By the way EPL defenders are still trying to figure Suarez out!

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  7. If Sturridge's transfer constitutes hitting a brick wall, Carroll's must be the Tsunami, hurricane Katrina & the Waco explosion & any other natural disaster you can think of! Sturridge has already shown he's worth persisting with!

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  8. Inter wanted to trim their wage bill, hence selling Sneijder but also probably as Coutinho wasn't playing much they thought they may as well sell. He didn't command a high fee because he wasn't playing a lot in my opinion.
    By Lawro's definition, every good player must cost £20M upwards? That's precisely the mentality that has seen us fail hard in the transfer window. Of course some players are more obviously worth the outlay but others are not- Carroll- potential sure, but £35M is world class striker territory. Downing- £20M was a huge amount. Again not justifiable as money well spent. Borini- £11M on an unproven striker is a gamble. Allen- one decent season doesn't justify £15M.
    None of these players (who cost a lot) you could say are quality right now but they cost a lot! Coutinho has looked a great player and £8M is for once money well spent by us. Just because a player is cheaper doesn't mean they aren't good. It's a balance between quality and value and there's good signs with this player.
    Michu £2M. Quality
    Diame Free. Quality
    Vertonghen. About £7M? Quality
    Ba £7M. Quality
    There's 4 players there off the top of my head that cost a combined total of roughly £16M or a Henderson . So sorry Lawro, I don't agree with you.......

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  9. quality signing! great potential

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  10. liverpool4life5656:12 pm, April 19, 2013

    Sturridge has done enough in his short time at Liverpool 5 goals and couple of assist. He got a long contract and is only 23.

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  11. If BR don't go for Diame this summer, he is braindead. 3.5mn is really peanuts for his quality.

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  12. what hes been poor but were accustumed to that

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  13. liverpool4life5658:57 pm, April 19, 2013

    "Poor" hardly, give the guy a break, he isn't a finished article he has some work to do on some aspects of his game but what footballer doesn't? Every footballer goes through a drought, also he been Injured so it obviously going to affect his game when he comes back.

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  14. absolutely bang on.lawro was talking shite!!

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  15. That is how wasteful LFC has been in recent seasons. 35 mil pounds is not only world class, but it's the 8th most expensive in the entire history of soccer. JH, cost 16 mil pounds, together with AC, billed as 'player for the future' by KD. All these transfers dropped my bloody jaw to the freakish ground. The appointment of KD, combined with Comolli, was definitely the worst decision made in the modern history of LFC. BR is also guilty for wasting some good money, but at least he bothers to play some youngsters in games, though it's getting lesser now than starting of the season.

    Maybe some of us fans don't realize, we are not rich at all right now without champions league football for years yet we spend like we are challenging for top spot in the league every season. Take a good hard look at the Forbes lists of soccer clubs and one will know where I'm coming from. There are countless players that are good and cost below 10 mil pounds not 'spotted' by LFC, the 'big boy' in the league, or should I say they can't be bothered to spot those 'cheap' players.

    Coutinho looks like an exciting player for LFC given his bright start in the league. It may be true that EPL defenders are not familiar to his Brazilian style of play but he may well turn out to be like some good players that graced the league for years the moment they started, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Torres. Let's hope for the latter than the former.

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  16. Boss, you are absolutely spot on! Aside from that supremely silly overpriced price tag, I can't see how AC is a better player than DS.

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  17. Jason as usual you're too quick to stick the knife in. Sturridge was MOTM against Chelsea. The guy has undoubted talent, and I'm looking forward to see how he copes leading the line with Suarez out. Think about the meaning of YNWA

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  18. lol 3month after he starts and he gets motm and now he,s brilliant

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  19. I never said he's 'brilliant', don't twist my words. I'd save that level of praise for someone like Suarez. What I said is that he has undoubted talent. Sunday's performance also shows he is well capable of being the best player on the pitch. I also believe he'll be putting in performances like that on and more regular basis in the future. For £12m he is well worth the money.


    By all means criticise when it's warranted, but your point is completely unwarranted with Sturridge, as they are in many other instances. Why don't you try supporting your team for a change rather than only highlighting the bad stuff.

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  20. at the time of this comment he sturridg had hit a brick wall he had a decent game on sunday so hes world class lets see hoe he performs saturday before we think he,s the bees knees

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  21. Again you're twisting words, I never said he's world class. What I'm saying is he is a much better player than you give him credit for and well worth the £12m we paid for him.

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  22. look m8 suarez has just been banned for 10 games do you think i give a dam about sturridge we will see how good he his now

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  23. Hate to say it but he had another great game against the magpies!

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  24. agreed m8 but he needs to do that consistantly

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  25. LOL you must be kicking yourself up the ass now

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  26. Yes we did didn't we. Well worth £12m I thought. How about?

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