6 Mar 2015

Legend blasts: I have a 'problem with Coutinho' and I'm 'concerned' by his elevation to LFC saviour

Liverpool attacker Philippe Coutinho is in scintillating form at the moment, with his recent performances prompting Brendan Rodgers to label him 'sensational' on more than occasion. After his recent wonder-goals against Manchester City and Southampton, fans and pundits are raving about Coutinho, but one ex-Red remains wholly unmoved by the hype.

In an interview earlier this week, Liverpool legend Ronnie Whelan admitted that he's 'concerned' with the ' move to make Coutinho the man who is going to save Liverpool', and revealed the two areas he feels the Brazilian must improve. He explained:

"He [Coutinho] is gifted with some fabulous skills, but I'm not fully sold on this lad. My problem with Coutinho is his inconsistency and the amount of times he gives away possession."

This is a such refreshing alternative to the cloying overpraise, ridiculous hype, and damaging ego massage continually perpetrated by fans, players, and Rodgers himself. Whelan's view is defiantly old-school and perfectly represents one fading aspect of Liverpool's FC's philosophy: the demand for continuous improvement irrespective of achievement.

Under Shankly and Paisley, the culture of fawning deification just didn't exist; players weren't treated like demi-Gods, and the single-minded desire to constantly improve formed the basis of the club's amazing success in the '70s and '80s.

Instead of constant backslapping and sycophantic love-ins, the managers of yesteryear demanded constant improvement, and never allowed players to bask in the club's almost continual success. The Rafa Benitez era aside, Liverpool have (IMO) totally lost sight of this principle, and the current wave of backslapping is ample evidence of this.

It's always the same thing: whenever Liverpool put a run together, all the players start massaging each others' egos in the press, waxing lyrical about how amazing they are, and how fantastic they're allegedly going to become in the future.

This week alone, we've had Lallana fawning over Henderson; Rodgers labelling Can potentially 'world-class'; Mignolet gushing over Coutinho etc. It's embarrassing. This team has achieved absolutely *nothing* yet, but they're all worshipping each other as if Liverpool just won the league.

I'm a huge fan of Coutinho, but I see no point in getting carried away. His current form is the exception over the last 18 months, not the rule - the time to start bestowing praise is when he can maintain his form for more than two months at a time, and score the number of goals commensurate with his talent.

Coutinho is playing well at the moment, but as Whelan suggests, he *is* inconsistent; his middling form during the first half of this season showed that, and he suffered the same inconsistency last year, too.

Additionally, according to Opta stats, Coutinho has lost possession (i.e. been dispossessed) 62.4 times in 39 appearances this season, so Whelan's contention that he 'gives away possession' too much is also a valid observation.

In my view, Brendan Rodgers - and a whole host of ex-Reds in the media - should adopt Whelan's approach to player assessment:

* Give responsible, specific praise where it's due ('some fabulous skills'), but:
* Temper that with specific examples of areas in which the player/team needs to improve.

This is the way it should be.

Author:


105 comments:

  1. While I agree with your point about over praising player been a bad idea,it is the same at most clubs,and while I cannot wait for Ireland to have a player of Whelans talents back playing for LFC I generally find Ronnie is very negative overall about players, he probably sees the wages been paid and he knows he was a better player but unfortunately this is the game these days and it's not changing anytime soon.

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  2. "Coutinho has lost possession (i.e. been dispossessed) 62.4 times in 39 appearances this season", how can one be dispossessed a fraction number of times??

    And that is less than 2 per game, which is much better than many dribblers.
    Yes, I know his 2 wonder goals have led to a lot of praise, and sometimes overhype. But he deserves the praise, considering he has been performing well for a number of matches continuously.

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  3. , how can one be dispossessed a fraction number of times??

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  4. "Lallana fawning over Henderson", "Mignolet gushing over Coutinho"- How can all this be "embarrassing" just because we have won "absolutely *nothing* yet"? This just highlights our team spirit. Although, I think Rodgers should stop labeling all his players world-class.

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  5. What's too much? Without any comparison these numbers are almost meaningless. Is that through passes, or take on? Is it high for our team? Is it high in the league? Cout has been inconsistent but he has improved markedly and whsst being praised. Perhaps he likes being praised. Rodgers almost always tempers his praise with caveats such as " has a lot to learn" etc. I feel like I am repeating myself. Anyone want to pay for me to repeat myself? It does sound like easy money.

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  6. He said something similar about Can 1-2 days back- 'I feel he will develop into a world-class player.'

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  7. Fair disclosure: River Monsters starts at 22h00.

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  8. Yeah that's what I said. He hasn't called anyone world class. He said they could be and talks about them needing to put the work in and keep humble but he hasn't said any of our players are now world class other than possibly Gerrard.

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  9. Doesn't make any difference, and once again, you're just making excuses. It puts unnecessary pressure on these young players to live up to that label, and it's an expectation that isn't needed, or productive.

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  10. Perhaps it is worth reading my post as you have just proven what i said. He has not said anyone IS world class.

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  11. And what do points make?

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  12. No, you're just being pedantic. As usual.

    There's no distinction - the end result is the same: gross overpraise, and the creation of undue pressure/expectation.

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  13. Once again I thank you for the compliment. I feel that representing what someone says honestly and accurately is only fair to that person. You should be more pedantic yourself.
    The destination is giving the player a goal to reach or saying they have already reached that goal. Those two things are hugely different, if you don't see that then I question your skills of comprehension.
    Before you delete have you attacked the argument or the person.?

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  14. Kudos to you sir. Spot on.

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  15. I don't really know if it is good or bad. I would be just speculating and don't assume to know more about these things than Rodgers. I couldn't care less about headlines. What i care about is results. Whether what he is doing is negative or positive is up for debate but when I see players like Can, Henderson, Coutinho and Sterling playing well and showing absolutely no f ggff fear when playing yhe champions I wonder if it actually does work. Personally I prefer to find out when I feel I have the data. Gerrard saying Rodgers is the best man manager he has ever worked with does make me lean in thay direction though.

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  16. My glass half full assessment is that player's praise of a team mate is a sign of team spirit. Key contributor to our up turn in fortunes.

    Whelan's point re Coutinho is too Black and White. Coutinho is always on the front foot, making things happen, trying things others wouldn't.

    The stats used below are irrelevant considering the above. I wonder if his goal against man city counts as losing possession, it was man city's kick off after he'd scored. .....

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  17. With you mate. You didn't say are world class but potential to be. What's wrong with BR saying that. Shows ambition.

    Jaimie would be quick to make the correction if he was mis-quoted

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  18. Being dispossessed 1.6 times a game does not seem that much considering how often he beats players.

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  19. I'm not sure if it does put added pressure on certain players. Some want to be labelled as world class and having a manager believe in you doesn't or shouldn't add any added pressure. If a player in a top team cannot handle the pressure of being talked about as 'possibly' being 'world class with dedication, improvements and consistency, then surely they can't handle the pressure of being in a top team.


    I'm sure some actors want to win the Oscar but being talked of as an excellent actor doesn't necessarily mean they'll crumble under the next set of lights they perform under.


    Top players are always under some kind of pressure and those that have the backing of their manager surely perform better than those that don't.

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  20. I don't think he is being pedantic. Talking about something that could happen in the future is not the same as talking about the present.


    Players being talked about as future world class is different than saying they are world class now, as was Jay Jay's point.

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  21. It is based on personality if anything. Whether or not you are motivated/diffused by praise or harsh words. I'm willing to guess alot of us are motivated by compliments more than a bollocking.m

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  22. Opta stats say Coutinho has lost possession 62.4 times this season.That doesn't make sense.Where do they get the 0.4 from?

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  23. It can be an oddly easy management trick. You tell someone that they do a job noone wants to do well and they will do it more willingly. Condiments work.

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  24. Hi Jaimie. Whilst I've voted no on your poll, I would consider paying for individual articles, in-depth stuff and the like, but not transfer rumours. Being free is what drives the traffic to your site in the first place, those numbers are everything when considering online monetisation imo, look at the relatively fast rise and growth of the "free to play with in app purchases" games market.

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  25. Ronnie Whelan 100% correct assessment of PC (IMO), yeah in brilliant form and long may it continue; however he needs to stop blowing hot and cold over the season, when he's good he's brilliant but when he's bad........!!

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  26. For me BR would become an incredible manager if he undertook a vow of silence!

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  27. Salt & vinegar works for me.

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  28. You live there right? Please ask them for us and report back...does it place unnecessary pressure?

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  29. "Over" praise is clearly one man's opinion...well two in this case. I persdonally wouldn't consider it "over." I would consider it a compliment and a recognition that I'm working my butt off to be good enough to wear a Liverbird on my shirt.

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  30. battle of the idioms? 'do as I say not as I do'

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  31. How do you know? I think Çan has demonstrated quite convincingly that he can do both...and at times against Burnley he did do both. He's a class player with great ball skills and a quiet mind. He's never flustered and wins virtually every challenge he is in.

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  32. He uses his brain to make up for the half a step he may not possess over faster MFs. He's very tricky. He sets up defenders to spring his next move whether pass or dribble...he's always a step ahead of his nearest opponent. Watch him closely and you'll see it.

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  33. Philippe Coutinho deserves all the praise he is getting at the moment. Its clear to see that he has gone up a level which reminds be of how Bale stepped up. I tend to listen to Tim Vickery on Brazilian players and it was inresting to hear that he thought that Coutinho would not make the cut when he first saw him as a young player. We are very lucky to have got this player and personally I think he could our version of zizou.

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  34. look a the ex reds that will be turning up for the stevie g game next month. Theres no reason why this crop cant become world class players too.

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  35. I also agree with Whelan. There is a bit of a 'love in' going on at LFC at the moment which is deserved but also slightly nauseating. Obviously I'm a proud LFC fan but to consistently hear that Coutinho, Hendo, Can, Marco, Ibe and Sterling could all world be class after beating the likes of Burnley is dramatically hovering over the 'overly hyped zone'.



    There are currently many young players that are great such as Hazard etc but the difference with them is that they are consistent in there performances and they have won things. Bar Sterling, none of our players have been consistent to warrant these accolades.

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  36. Why? Why "should" it be that way? Because you personally don't like it? Of course, you run a web site that has an agenda to be critical. That's just how you like to operate and fair enough, plenty of people share your views. But there remains ZERO evidence that the amount of praise, deserved or otherwise, heaped on this team or on specific individuals has an impact on form and results. Liverpool are in league leading form and many players are being praised. So long as the good form continues there is nothing to be concerned about.


    This happened last season too. People were falling over themselves to say amazing things about Suarez and Sturridge and Sterling. The club had it's best PL season ever. It had no impact then. So why would we care so much? Most of us don't expect other people to behave in a way that suits our personal preferences.

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  37. It is fairly irresponsible. Praise is one thing, but to constantly say that these players will be world class around the age of 23/24 is providing unnecessary pressure on these young players. I can't recall Benitez, Wenger or Alex Ferguson regularly over praising their players who ironically with some of them, were actually World Class.

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  38. Ah yes, just keep ignoring the significant body of evidence (including academic studies spanning 10 years) that prove that too much praise is counter productive. I've posted the evidence before, and just because you refuse to acknowledge doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

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  39. Jesus, the over-praise thing again...

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  40. Sorry mate but I have no idea what you're on about...

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  41. Goodness. Where to start? "Under Shankley and Paisley", " the 70s and 80s". In those days we didn't have the Premiership. We didn't have Skye and universal football coverage. We didn't have mandatary interviews after games. Internet newspapers requiring instant headlines. Sites like this needing clicks. Social media and Twitter. JK, I assume you're a young man? I'm a septuagenarian who probably should know better than to get involved in discussions like this (good fun, though it is!) But even I realise that the utterance's that you refer to are the way of the modern world. Strongarm tactics are of a bygone world. Long live ego massage.

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  42. Fergie also said Gerrard was not a 'top top' player.


    I think Wenger and Fergie have said, at one point or another, their players 'can be' world class... with work, dedication and consistency. I'm pretty sure Fergie has said it about Ronaldo and pretty sure Wenger used it with Henry.



    It's a moot point anyway. We want world class players at the club, yet do not want our manager 'adding pressure' to 'potential world' class players currently at his disposal.

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  43. I disagree with the notion that Cout gives away the ball too much. As a matter of fact it is rubbish. You have to put it into context. He is the best playmaker in the team and he always tries to make things happen as opposed to making the obvious pass, so you should expect that he will give away the ball at times trying to make the difficult passes to put a teammate through on goal. This is one aspect of his game that makes him such an exciting player, and trying to get him to 'play it safe' will do nothing to elevate his game. If trying to make the difficult pass with a chance of creating an assist leads to him giving the ball away then so be it.

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  44. Yeah, let's all criticize Coutinho and boo him when he loses possession. That will help to get him out of the club fast which seems to fit perfectly into some people's agenda. Some people need to get a grip!

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  45. Nicolas Chamberlain1:43 am, March 07, 2015

    Academic studies?
    Don't be such a liberal;)

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  46. That's not what Jaimie is saying. At all.

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  47. If you could show us a study that proves too much praise is counter-productive to this Liverpool team, then maybe we will believe you. But the fact is, Liverpool are able to play well for consistent periods *despite* this praise that you over obsess yourself with, and therefore, this 'significant body of evidence' is proving to be completely irrelevant and useless in this context. The real significant body of evidence we should be concerned with is the marked improvements of such players as Hendo, Sturridge, Coutinho and Suarez during their time under Rodgers.

    Besides, how do you know that, behind closed doors, Rodgers doesn't demand constant improvement from his players? That's a completely different dimension to public dimension that we all see, and a dimension you choose to ignore. Do you really think that Rodgers and his coaching staff stand there on the Melwood training pitch going wax lyrical every time Coutinho does a little step over, and completely ignore his mistakes? Because I'm sure that in the players' minds, their coaches' assessments behind closed doors far outweigh what Rodgers decides to tell a journo after a match.

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  48. Not really. 'You are world class' could be translated into, 'you have nothing else to prove. You don't need to go that extra mile anymore'
    'You can be world class' = 'Keep working, the goal is in sight, but you are not there yet'.

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  49. Spot on mate, I've argued these points numerous times myself

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  50. I haven't noticed Coutinho losing the ball too much recently. I think that Whelan has predisposed himself to expect Coutinho to lose the ball, and when he does, his brain goes into 'see! I told you!' mode.

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  51. Exactly, and the more dribbles and key passes you attempt, the lower your stats will be. That's why stats can only ever partially tell a story

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  52. Wasn't the 3% - only of those who voted?

    This would be a tiny part of the number of people who visit the site... realistically that is your likely subscriber base

    Logic would suggest that (most of) those who wanted to subscribe would vote... whereas (all/?) hardly any of the slackers who just quickly read - and move on - would be likely to vote.

    It may become a 'high quality' site - but inevitably debate declines and it is in danger of going up itself over time. Tomkins and his team write a lot of analysis and commentary to attract their readers. No offense but your (very successful) profile is to rehash the latest 'news' (ie made-up cr*p from bored journos and then take a controversial stance on it - to promote debate). NewsNow can provide simple access to the original articles ...

    To get a real snapshot of the potential for subscribers - you really need to tell us what will be different. Right now the feedback is that debate will be choked back (smaller number of visitors) and that reduces the value of this site.

    All IMHO ;-)

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  53. I've not seen Ozil win a match for Arsensl single handedly yet...

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  54. Good but slow.

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  55. To me just another ex player saying hey remember me under the guise of making a controversial claim thats all it is.

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  56. It's pretty clear what he is on about mate. Try re-reading the posts lol

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  57. Agree 100% Rodgers has shown he is willing to change the formation several times over the course of a season.

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  58. Love this player. He is like a mix between moms and Xavi! A physical beast who can dictate the tempo of a game a very rare player indeed. He would be perfect for us next to Henderson in this formation. I still see Allen as a squad player. Rodgers clearly isn't 100% sold on Lucas. Can will still get plenty of games with his versatility. Gerrard is leaving. This is the perfect signing for us. Milner for £120k?! No thanks!

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  59. That should say momo as in sissoko

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  60. I think you also need to take into account that now a days there are far more TV channels so players get interviewed a lot more than they did back in the "good old days of Whelan and Souness etc... So if someone is asked about the great form of Hendo then they cannot just say nothing. Of course they are gonna say he is doing brilliant, outstanding etc. That's just the time we live in with media every where. I'm sure mignolet and others get interviewed all the time by different press bodies. 442, national newspapers, Belgian press, press from every country that want their exclusive etc. I don't think the players read every article about themselves. Although I'm sure some do.

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  61. That's an odd statement to make considering I've emailed you some of those details myself. What you seem to be ignoring yourself is that none of those studies relate to professional athletes. Most of them are about children. And some of them quite specifically talk about types of praise, not just the broad categorisations you use. So you're off the mark on three counts. The effect is there, I won't deny that, but there is nothing to suggest that it applies in this situation. Just because it happens under controlled scientific conditions doesn't translate to a simplistic cause and effect that works exactly the same for everyone. If the effect as you describe were real for these players then we'd see it, plain as day. Yet Rodgers continues to do exactly what you suggest he shouldn't be doing. And every week we see these players get better. You can reference all the studies you like, they just don't seem to apply in this instance. Instead take a look at the evidence right here in front of you.


    If you don't believe me then perhaps consider that Steve Peters has been studying the mental processes of elite athletes for quite some time now. There also cannot be any doubt that Rodgers, having employed a sport psychologist, would discuss with him when it is appropriate to praise his players and when it is appropriate to criticise them. Rodgers clearly employs a deliberate strategy in how he manages the egos on his team and it's one that is quite at odds with what you are suggesting. If nothing else you might just want to resign yourself to the fact that it will never change and you're wasting your time arguing against it.

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  62. He was terribly guilty of it earlier in the season but in fact it's a big part of his game that he's improved on. Of course as an attacking midfielder who organises most of the players he's going to be the guy trying for the killer pass. No one should be surprised that many of those passes don't come off. Coutinho just happens to be the architect of most of what Liverpool does and therefore when it goes wrong it falls to him to earn the negative statistic. Whelan is confusing the responsibility Coutinho has in the team with some perceived weakness. In truth Coutinho embodies everything that Liverpool are trying to do in an attacking sense and I doubt Rodgers would share those same concerns. If anything it's the players in front that will be asked to adjust because they're not giving Coutinho the right target.

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  63. The culture of 'over praise' as you put it, existed as much then as it does now, it just the media only had one interview per week with Shankly, as opposed to one interview per minute or so now, Shankly famously once said Liverpool reserves were better than Everton. This is another example of you OTT need to be negative in the name of 'critical realism' if you want to get people to pay for this website you are going to have to be a bit more democratic and guard yourself again blocking people for disagreeing strongly with your arguments. I am quite sure this message will be deleted when all I am saying is you are wrong about this, and frankly you are wrong about most things you write. Coutinho is a creative number ten who tries to play killer passes, these by definition with come off or the ball goes to the opposition. His stats for 'giving the ball away' as you and Ronnie put it show he only does this in the offensive third and at comparable to Hazards , is he also an overhyped overrated player?? Respond don't restrict .....

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  64. This is Jaimie logging in as someone else to make it sound like someone agrees

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  65. Which study? From where? Footnotes please or links or this is just hot air

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  66. Start of the season his pressing was non-existent. Now he is great in that, but still mistaking too many easy passes. Other than that he is brilliant, magnificent, and all that..

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  67. Who's to say what's too much..

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  68. Another spot on from me...

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  69. First, I'm not interested in whether you 'believe me' or not. Second, this is just excuse-making - there is zero likelihood of someone conducting a study on how praise affects LFC players, yet you ask for exactly that.

    It's not just about football; in all areas of life, studies have shown that excessive praise is often counter-productive. Human frailty is the common denominator here, not *football*.

    There is copious evidence out there supporting my oft-advanced contention (do a Google search). For example, read this, which details a 10-year study which shows that excessive praise causes underperformance/loss of motivation/dulled competitive edge:

    http://nymag.com/news/features...

    Whether you choose to accept it or not, excessive hype and praise can have a negative impact on motivation, will to succeed etc, and this is a proven psychological fact.

    The key point (as highlighted in the study) is this: when someone is grossly overpraised, they often feel that there's no longer any need to put in the effort.

    Apply that to footballers, who are deified like they're Gods AND paid obscene amounts of money, and it's perfectly clear how excessive praise can be damaging.

    Denial just highlights the infinite insularity of football fans; apparently, nothing in the outside world - like the study I've referenced - applies to footballers. In order for such a study to have relevance, it must be specifically about Liverpool FC.

    What utter nonsense. People are people.

    I will take scientific/psychological studies (lasting 10-years+) from respected academic institutions over the biased protestations of football fans.

    You and others can continue living in denial, but the significant and wide-ranging evidence is clear.

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  70. You say often, who's to say it is affecting our team that way? Again, I agree some praises are excessive, but so are some critics and that is the way it will always be, at least in the media...

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  71. Jaimie surely loves Whiplash?

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  72. Wow, you want to charge people to enter the site?

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  73. Will be is not overpraise it is just praise.

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  74. Stop deleting posts that don't agree with you opinion

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  75. If you want people to pay for this you are going to have to enter debate rather than just deleting things you have no answer for . I don't understand why you do this?

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  76. Wish I could up vote this comment twice

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  77. Ultimately as you say over praise CAN be detrimental. Can being the key word. Ultimately there is ZERO evidence that this issue you are so fixated on is having any negative impact on our players whatsoever, in fact quite the opposite - our young players go from strength to strength.
    As Adam alluded to in an earlier post, Steve Peters - one of the world's leading sports psychologists works very closely with our squad and manager, so if there was a problem I'm sure he would have addressed it.
    As it is, all the evidence suggests that it is posing no problem whatsoever due to the consistent improvement and development of our young players.

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  78. Outstanding...

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  79. Crazy post, the same things have been coming out of the team all season regardless of our form. I'd rather have a team high in morale and forming bonds as a group than miserable bunch. You're right in the overpraising, Coutinho has been inconsistent for much of his Liverpool career, but for 3 months now that consistency has been there. He's our chief playmaker, of course he's going to give the ball away a few times, but you want him to try those balls through. The weight on the pass has to be learned and practised, not achieved by shying away from it. Got to remember he's still young, still so much time to develop and maybe, dare I say it, be world class

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  80. am I blocked yet?

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  81. like i said many times, consistency is the key word.......

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  82. You're so predictable: 'I don't care if you believe me or not'. I know that Jaimie, and after reading this site for years, you think I wouldn't know that? I was just making a point of why a lot of people don't agree with you

    We're not living in denial, we just don't see the logic behind the selection of your evidence. I don't know how you can compare the two situations of children getting constant, first hand gross overpraise from teachers and parents, and footballers being described as 'outstanding' and 'potentially world class' every once in a while in the media. Think about it, for every time that BR calls Henderson outstanding in front of a microphone, on the training ground he's probably explained to him 5 things he needs to improve on. We've even recently seen a hint of it! 'Henderson is great but needs to improve tactical discipline'. Furthermore, we even have a highly respected sports psychologist on hand. You really think that he would let BR get carried away with the overpraise behind closed doors?


    Feasible or not, this is why I suggested it would be better to have a study examining the effects of media overpraise on the LFC squad, because so far, there is absolutely zero evidence of those findings that you mentioned being reflected in our team. How can we be living in denial if, in the context of LFC, there is nothing to be in denial about? I don't doubt the validity of the research that you evidenced, because they have a different context. But where on earth is the evidence that overpraise is a detriment to this team? And where is the evidence that BR gives too much overpraise? The pre-xmas slump? I'd find that hard to believe. In the context of Liverpool Football Club, those articles prove absolutely nothing.

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  83. It's a pointless argument, really. Quite simply, we don't think it applies to footballers because there is absolutely zero evidence of it. It has nothing to do with denial, or bias, or whatever other character flaw that JK will throw at you if you disagree.

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  84. He was indeed guilty of it earlier on, and last year at times too, and that's exactly what has predisposed Whelan. You're 100% right. By the law of averages, the more times you try something, the more times you will fail. But that also comes with all of the times you succeed. When you're asked to architect a team's penetration, which comes via taking risks, then it's ridiculous to expect him to hardly give the ball away.

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  85. And most times the release clause is put in so that clubs in the same league don't get them for cheap.

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  86. Expensiby? Did you just create a word?

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  87. That's his release clause, generally release clauses are put in to stave off competition from rival teams in their own league, if a player was to move abroad then 20-25M would be more likely.

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  88. Yes these managers obviously have said that their players are world class at one stage or another. That's not my point. My point is you didn't ( in Fergies case) or don't hear the likes of Wenger constantly declaring that their players will be world class. With BR it's seems the case on a regular basis once one of his players have a good game.

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  89. Who cares. It certainly doesn't seem to be affecting the players, if anything they are performing better. The only people concerned are fans concerned for the mental health of pampered footballers. Just let man get on with his job. Part of his job is informing players of their ability.

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  90. The only thing I care about is LFC winning and if that continues then more the better. I'm a BR fan and never wavered like most when we had difficulties at the start of the season. What's annoying is the constant world class tag that gets placed on players with every good game that they may have. But these statements are not accurate in reality. It was the same with the golden generation etc. Can't we just say he had a good game without the 'hyper bowl'? I agree part of his job is about 'informing he players of their ability'. But not inflating egos.

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  91. I agree, relentless ego-massaging, back-slapping praise is counter-productive and can convince a lot of players they are already there. (Sterling here springs to my mind). But to me I don't think Coutinho has this sort of mind set, and that in part stems from being Brazilian and trying to break into the national team, but he always sets off any comments by insisting her works hard and needs to keep going. This is a testament to him personally. But, with a lot of players attitude in this day and age I think it should be a much more limited praise. More credit to Whelan for standing separate from the rest.

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  92. Stop fuckin complanin jus njoi ur teams performance..

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  93. Seriously man r u a lfc supporter or jus sum bug in dis site...I have nvr evr read u praising bout lfc so stop commentin

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  94. One more thing JK fuck off

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  95. 4eva LFC, LFC 4eva7:55 am, March 10, 2015

    The problem here is Whelan and co and yourself JK living in the past while the football world moves on, what you forget is that the media like yourself JK play a massive role in players ego's. How many times I have read " Sensational talented footballer" or "Future World Class Striker" and now cause Cortinho has answered what was asked of him people want to shoot him down and say he is over praised, I do agree with your comments about what BR said about GJ but I have to say if the club can manage players ego's, then there is nothing wrong with giving praise when it's deserved, God knows players take a lot of shit when their not performing.

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  96. You will never hear labels like 'sensational' or 'world-class' from me (unless I'm talking about the likes of Zidane, Maradona, Beckenbauer, Barnes, Dalglish etc. If you read labels like that on this site then it's other players/ex-players etc saying it, and it's already out there.

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