Last summer, Spanish attacker Suso had a good pre-season for Liverpool, and scored two goals in the measly 148 minutes of football that Brendan Rodgers deigned to grant him. Despite his good form, the manager totally ignored Suso during the first half of the season, and it came as no surprise when the Spaniard jumped ship for AC Milan during the January 2015 transfer window. Clearly, it simply didn't matter how well Suso performed - Rodgers didn't rate him, and this summer, history is repeating itself with Joao Carlos Teixeira.
Consider the following:
* Teixiera grabbed two assists in 45 minutes of football during Liverpool's first pre-season game against Thai All Stars.
* A laudable effort, and it's hard to see what else he could've done to stake his claim for further pitch time during the tour.
* Did Rodgers reward Teixeira for his effective performance? NO. He inexplicably ignored the Portuguese attacker for the next three games.
When Rodgers failed to start Teixeira for the Brisbane Roar game, I highlighted it on the site, and predicted that he'd spend the rest of the tour being ignored.
Of course, I was shouted down by raving Rodgers apologists, but as predicted, Rodgers dumped Teixeira from the team, and robbed him of the chance to build upon his excellent performance in the first game.
Oh wait - I forgot: Rodgers played Teixeira in an open training session match against Felda United in front of 5000 fans. My bad. Bravo!
For the last two (stupidly non-competitive) pre-season games, Firmino, Coutinho, and Benteke will come into the squad, so it's doubtful that Teixeira will make another significant appearance during the current pre-season schedule.
In my view, Rodgers' treatment of Teixeira - nicknamed the 'new Deco - is unfair, and leaves a lot to be desired:
* In what universe is it good man-management to drop and then ignore a player who grabbed two assists in the opening game of the pre-season tour?
* How is this supposed to motivate Teixeira, and how does this treatment jive with Rodgers' (false) reputation for developing young players at Anfield?
* Why wouldn't Rodgers give Teixeira more game time? Is this the best way to handle one of the club's brightest attacking talents?
* Wht kind of message does this send to the rest of Liverpool's academy youngsters?
Rodgers' treatment of Suso and Teixeira is hardly surprising, though. Only British academy youngsters get a proper chance at Anfield.
Indeed, in the entire history of Liverpool FC, no young, foreign, attacking player has ever made it through the youth system to become a regular in the first team, and Rodgers is perpetuating this negative trend.
To underline the point: over the last 3 years, Rodgers has granted Teixeira a mere 8 minutes of (competitive) first-team game time, which is pathetic, and makes a mockery of the myth that he gives young players a chance at Anfield.
If Rodgers rated Teixeira, he'd be getting the same level of game time as Ibe, and Gomez, both of whom are - quelle surprise - British.
What I don't understand is this: why not simply promote Teixeira to the first team instead of needlessly spending £20m on Lazar Markovic?
The Serb made 30+ appearances last season, and Teixeira's would've really benefited from that level of game time. It's not like he could've done any worse, is it?
Plus, Liverpool would be £20m richer right now.
In an interview last week, Teixiera made it clear that he's desperate for a chance this coming season, but it isn't going to happen.
It's over for Teixeira at Anfield, he just doesn't know it yet.
Author: Jaimie K
Consider the following:
* Teixiera grabbed two assists in 45 minutes of football during Liverpool's first pre-season game against Thai All Stars.
* A laudable effort, and it's hard to see what else he could've done to stake his claim for further pitch time during the tour.
* Did Rodgers reward Teixeira for his effective performance? NO. He inexplicably ignored the Portuguese attacker for the next three games.
When Rodgers failed to start Teixeira for the Brisbane Roar game, I highlighted it on the site, and predicted that he'd spend the rest of the tour being ignored.
Of course, I was shouted down by raving Rodgers apologists, but as predicted, Rodgers dumped Teixeira from the team, and robbed him of the chance to build upon his excellent performance in the first game.
Oh wait - I forgot: Rodgers played Teixeira in an open training session match against Felda United in front of 5000 fans. My bad. Bravo!
For the last two (stupidly non-competitive) pre-season games, Firmino, Coutinho, and Benteke will come into the squad, so it's doubtful that Teixeira will make another significant appearance during the current pre-season schedule.
In my view, Rodgers' treatment of Teixeira - nicknamed the 'new Deco - is unfair, and leaves a lot to be desired:
* In what universe is it good man-management to drop and then ignore a player who grabbed two assists in the opening game of the pre-season tour?
* How is this supposed to motivate Teixeira, and how does this treatment jive with Rodgers' (false) reputation for developing young players at Anfield?
* Why wouldn't Rodgers give Teixeira more game time? Is this the best way to handle one of the club's brightest attacking talents?
* Wht kind of message does this send to the rest of Liverpool's academy youngsters?
Rodgers' treatment of Suso and Teixeira is hardly surprising, though. Only British academy youngsters get a proper chance at Anfield.
Indeed, in the entire history of Liverpool FC, no young, foreign, attacking player has ever made it through the youth system to become a regular in the first team, and Rodgers is perpetuating this negative trend.
To underline the point: over the last 3 years, Rodgers has granted Teixeira a mere 8 minutes of (competitive) first-team game time, which is pathetic, and makes a mockery of the myth that he gives young players a chance at Anfield.
If Rodgers rated Teixeira, he'd be getting the same level of game time as Ibe, and Gomez, both of whom are - quelle surprise - British.
What I don't understand is this: why not simply promote Teixeira to the first team instead of needlessly spending £20m on Lazar Markovic?
The Serb made 30+ appearances last season, and Teixeira's would've really benefited from that level of game time. It's not like he could've done any worse, is it?
Plus, Liverpool would be £20m richer right now.
In an interview last week, Teixiera made it clear that he's desperate for a chance this coming season, but it isn't going to happen.
It's over for Teixeira at Anfield, he just doesn't know it yet.
Author: Jaimie K
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