Liverpool legend Phil Thompson has slammed Liverpool duo Philippe Coutinho and Mamadou Sakho for their half-time shirt-swapping antics during Liverpool's 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday.
Despite Liverpool losing the game 2-1, Sakho and Coutinho - combined cost €29m - swapped shirts with Samuel Eto'o and Oscar at half-time, a needlessly reverent gesture towards two players who cynically scythed down Reds' stars Jordan Henderson and Lucas Leiva at different points in the game.
Reacting to the news, an irritated Thommo tweeted:
"Never ever again let a Liverpool player swap a red shirt at half-time. Someone please have a serious word"
When told of the shirt-swap after the game, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers also reacted with irritation. He told reporters:
"Well one, I didn’t know that, and two, thanks for telling me because I don’t like that.”
Rodgers and Thommo are spot on here. A Premier League game is an adversarial contest; it's supposed to be competitive, and for the duration of the game, the player are - for all intents and purposes - enemies, and should be fighting hard to to retain the competitive spirit for a full ninety minutes.
Swapping shirts at half-time is an absolute joke, and (arguably) gives the opposition team a psychological advantage. In Sakho's case, he clearly initiated the shirt-swap, which tells the world that he's in awe of Eto'o, and probably boosted the Cameroonian's confidence. Ditto Oscar.
It's also a tacit admission of defeat - players should be fired up to win the game; they should be angry about losing, and thinking about ways to get back into the game. Does swapping shirts at half-time - with the team LOSING - display the requisite winning mentality? I submit that it does not.
What makes it worse is that Sakho and Coutinho swapped shirts with two players who used every cynical trick in the book to manipulate the game. Eto'o committed a career-threatening tackle on Hendo in the first two minutes, and Sakho would've seen this, yet he still decided to swap shirts at half-time. Eto'o then went on to cynically foul Suarez in the box.
Oscar dived in with a two-footed tackle on Lucas near the end of the game, and if he'd connected, it would've inevitably led to serious injury. The Brazilian also blatantly dived several times during the game, yet Coutinho still felt the need to swap shirts.
To be honest, it's an embarrassment. You don't just turn off the fierce will to win at half-time in a bid to pay homage to your footballing heroes, especially opposition players who show blatant disrespect for LFC and the rules of the game.
I sincerely hope Rodgers reads both players the riot act.
Author: Jaimie K
Despite Liverpool losing the game 2-1, Sakho and Coutinho - combined cost €29m - swapped shirts with Samuel Eto'o and Oscar at half-time, a needlessly reverent gesture towards two players who cynically scythed down Reds' stars Jordan Henderson and Lucas Leiva at different points in the game.
Reacting to the news, an irritated Thommo tweeted:
"Never ever again let a Liverpool player swap a red shirt at half-time. Someone please have a serious word"
When told of the shirt-swap after the game, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers also reacted with irritation. He told reporters:
"Well one, I didn’t know that, and two, thanks for telling me because I don’t like that.”
Rodgers and Thommo are spot on here. A Premier League game is an adversarial contest; it's supposed to be competitive, and for the duration of the game, the player are - for all intents and purposes - enemies, and should be fighting hard to to retain the competitive spirit for a full ninety minutes.
Swapping shirts at half-time is an absolute joke, and (arguably) gives the opposition team a psychological advantage. In Sakho's case, he clearly initiated the shirt-swap, which tells the world that he's in awe of Eto'o, and probably boosted the Cameroonian's confidence. Ditto Oscar.
It's also a tacit admission of defeat - players should be fired up to win the game; they should be angry about losing, and thinking about ways to get back into the game. Does swapping shirts at half-time - with the team LOSING - display the requisite winning mentality? I submit that it does not.
What makes it worse is that Sakho and Coutinho swapped shirts with two players who used every cynical trick in the book to manipulate the game. Eto'o committed a career-threatening tackle on Hendo in the first two minutes, and Sakho would've seen this, yet he still decided to swap shirts at half-time. Eto'o then went on to cynically foul Suarez in the box.
Oscar dived in with a two-footed tackle on Lucas near the end of the game, and if he'd connected, it would've inevitably led to serious injury. The Brazilian also blatantly dived several times during the game, yet Coutinho still felt the need to swap shirts.
To be honest, it's an embarrassment. You don't just turn off the fierce will to win at half-time in a bid to pay homage to your footballing heroes, especially opposition players who show blatant disrespect for LFC and the rules of the game.
I sincerely hope Rodgers reads both players the riot act.
Author: Jaimie K
Usually when people get riled up about this kind of thing, I think it is just people making something of nothing but in this case, I understand and agree with the outcry.
ReplyDeleteNot every game has to played with a derby day mentality and intensity, but one has to have respect, not only for the opposition, but also the paying fans and the occasion. I think those involved should be embarrassed that in a game of this magnitude they couldn't forego niceties for another hour.
We've lacked an edge in these last two big games and whilst fitness is undoubtedly an issue, you can't help but question the mentality that leads to this kind of action.
its ebay thats to blame. seriously Coutinho needs to start playing for the team again not trying to catch the eye of brazils manager.
ReplyDeleteIt was a strange moment to see especially in a fixture which almost carries the same hostility as a Man United game. The Keane Vieria documentary showed what you need to be champions and that moment we don't have those kind of characters in our team when facing the big sides. Maybe the wrong decisions that went against Liverpool over the two games and the mistakes they made can toughen them up for the 2nd half of the season.
ReplyDeleteAt least sakho and coutinho waited until half time....Skrtel wants to swap shirts during the match...wocka wocka wocka!
these two specially coutinio has cost lp games with his jealous ways with Suarez, and what can the manager for cheslky can say he himself is a chump.. .get new players that want to win for lp not hatefull ones, pass the ball to the best player in the world at the present time.
ReplyDeleteHe needs to have a word with Skrtel first. He is not even waiting for half time before trying to swap shirts with whoever happens to be standing nearest - even the ref's not safe.
ReplyDeletejust cant understand sakho wanting to swap shirts with eto after watching him do what he did to his own teammate (Henderson) I would want a bit of payback, not his shirt, think they need a chat with tommy smith and get educated
ReplyDelete100% I total agree with you sad but true jealous coutinio causing us to many bad games and costing us points loss, but he not the only player doing this and our manager also, drop these so call ego money grabbing players and tell our so call manager to make the right subs changing that also costing us big time.
ReplyDeletewhats the big deal with this who cares.If the players are as brave as rogers says shouldn't he be cutting them some slack im assuming its a two way thing with the Chelsea players so why has morino said nothing.i heard eto passed his shirt to sako and he fumbled it into the tea ladies lap and lost it.while tino went missing under pressure and never got his
ReplyDeletetino as ive stated numerous times is a one trick pony who goes missing
ReplyDeletepeople in Liverpool pay big hard earn money to watch a bad game and Suarez and Steve are the focal point of lp lets hope Steve gets back and play for a long time coz he cares about the club.
ReplyDeletei don't care how great you are as a centre forward or winger or striker if you as a club don't have a smart mid field you will go for not, those two games lost could have been won or at least tied, I'm not saying is too late but got to get their act together with a great chance of finishing first.
ReplyDeleteLets not get carried away jumping on the bandwagon here people. This is a nothing incident. They swapped a shirt with a friend. Who really gives a s###
ReplyDeleteAlso all you slating Coutinho really do know nothing about Liverpool and how critical he is to our team
A drama and scapegoats are being created due to 2 losses.
ReplyDeleteLets put things in perspective. Before our last 4 games I would have said/accepted a return of 5 points from Spurs, City, Chelsea away and Cardiff at home would have been a decent return. We came away with 6 points and apart from comical refereeing we would have had 8 with vital moral boosting draws at City and Chelsea
We have agood run of fixtures coming up and expect us to be right back in the mix come Feb
Instead of pissin about on Twitter,Instagram etc. these and others should be made to spend time in the Anfield Museum learning about the club that pays their wages.They're not playing for some non-league outfit swopping with a Prem team or up against Messi/Xavi/Iniesta etc.One of Mr Rodgers' legendary educational lectures is called for.'Bravery Self Respect and Inspiration' being the topic of the day.
ReplyDeleteJust emphasizes why Agger is the heart of the team and should be playing every game, and also why we need more midfielders.
ReplyDeleteEmbarrassment alright.
Needless to make it tragic as some already made it for me, weve got bigger issues to focus on and solve them rather than discussing for a swap of shirts, even if its a mistake its done and dusted now, not worth talking for it.
ReplyDeletehold on kelvin coutinho needs to buck up the only reason hes in the team is theres no one else he has been far below par n FACT
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year everyone.
ReplyDeleteCome on Red Men. If you want it enough then this could be a great year.
YNWA
I'd rather he gave his shirt to some disabled kid than a rival player, that's all.
ReplyDeleteI'm really confident Rodgers had a good word. It's definitely part of BR's nature. It'd be absolutely dumb and incompetent to let it pass otherwise. If he didn't mind giving Sterling a piece of his own mind re: his attitude in that fly-on-the-wall documentary, then there is NO DOUBT that Rodgers threw them against the wall and cut their balls off.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think Coutinho has been drinking too many Coronas with ol' mate Luis recently. Luis on the other hand can afford it because he's a goat.
ReplyDeleteHe's a young player who is going through a period all young players in elite football go through in their first year or two, when the opposition work them out and they have to adapt. Coutinho's through ball has become easy to read and predict and he's been reliant on it.
ReplyDeleteHe and the coaches have to find a way to expand his game, to introduce some new options to his play and work on some different ways of executing his skills. If he can do that he'll go on to develop into a terrific player. He seems to have a good attitude, to me, and he's being well-coached, so he has every chance. Just be patient.
Different things motivate different people. You can't expect every player to be a heart-thumping goggle-eyed fanatic, people just aren't like that. If it makes some of the lads feel confident and happy in their work to be on good terms with the opposition players, let them get on with it. If others of them want to feel like they're going to war, that's fine too. It's about the individuals, surely, finding what works for them.
ReplyDeleteThat is the single most thing you've said I agree with you Very Strongly on. Others too. You pretty much said it all there! Someone tackled my mate like that, they'd be swapping bandages, not shirts!
ReplyDeleteWonder how Hendo and Luis felt about it..??
Shows their attitude! Can you imagine Souness swapping shirts with those two muppets? (Eto'o and Oscar)
ReplyDeleteHE WOULD OF HAD THEIR LEGS IN THE SECOND HALF!! We NEED someone a bit like that!!
Yeah. And Loyalty to your team mates when they've been clattered!!
ReplyDeleteI agree. They were naive. But it's their attitude/lack of loyalty to their team mates that hurts. If a team mate showed that kind of reverence to an opposing player who nearly broke my leg, well I wouldn't be too happy about that.
ReplyDeleteIt's not good for the dressing room spirit. In my opinion.
YNWA
Pretty sure Rodgers had a word with Sakho and Coutinho. Bring on Hull!!!
ReplyDeleteWonder what starting eleven Rodgers will go with today?
ReplyDeleteI would go with this
------------Mignolet---------------
Kelly--Toure--Agger--Johnson
--Hendo----Lucas----Alberto--
------------Coutinho--------------
-------Aspas-------Suarez-------
Think it is about time we get to see what Aspas and Alberto have to offer and with our injury list Rodgers now has to use them.
What clearly needs sorting out is our defence. We have kept one clean sheet in the last 8 matches. That is unacceptable to be honest and our defending at set pieces is atrocious with Skrtel being the biggest culprit. I do not understand how Skrtel continues to keep his place in the team?
Everybody was banging on about playing 3 at the back and conceding goals? Well now we are leaking goals with four at the back too. Rodgers has to drop Skrtel and maybe play Johnson at LB who has had at times much better performances at LB than RB. Also would like to see Kelly back into the team. The only way Kelly is going to get match fitness is to play football!!!
Anyways, we need to bounce back now and hammer Hull but they are in some pretty decent form at the moment. No excuses though, we are at Anfield = 3 points or nothing...
Happy 2014 to everyone. It is going to be a great year!
ReplyDeleteI see no BIG DEAL on this matter ! Any1?
ReplyDeleteIt sends out a message that you are in awe of the opposition 'star' players.We are Liverpool not some pub team having a charity auction on Friday night.
ReplyDeleteGood article, and spot on. Can't see any Liverpool fan disagreeing.
ReplyDeletehe needs to have an even more serious word with glen johnson. he is so lazy, predictable on the ball, has the touch of a hippo and lacks composure. the fact he is our only recognised senior right back clearly has made him complacent. the same can be said of moses in terms of laziness and bad attitude which probably stems from his lack of commitment due to him only being on loan. these two players have frustrated me most this season and any arrivals in those positions i.e. salah/tello and montoya who we have been linked with can only be a good thing. if it were up to me i'd get rid of both johnson and moses asap.
ReplyDeleteCoutinho is a live wire. He needs to work on his finishing. He lacks that composure and needs to slow it down before taking his shot. Like for many players his age you have to show patience because he is still developing. If you know any thing about football, young players need time to fulfill their potential. I have seen more in Coutinho than I have seen from a lot of players his age. If he improves on what he has done so far he will be a world class player. Coutinho isn't hateful!!?!?! Please don't think your psychiatrist.
ReplyDelete