So the talented but petulant Sterling and his agent are gone from the building. We have in exchange a whopping £49 million and one less trouble. But this is not the time to sleep and gloat. Aside making sure the funds are well spent to improve the team it is time to ensure that this Sterling saga, a revised version of the Suarez saga does not rear it’s ugly head again.
Phil Coutinho is arguably one of our most influential and talented players. But he’s on a wage(reported to be £70,000 per week) lower than Skrtel and Milner receives twice as much as him. Milner is a good acquisition, but definitely not twice the talent Coutinho is. I know it’s not all down to talent, demand and supply play a great role. But in Economics when the forces of demand and supply create distortions interventions are made. That is why LFC needs to be proactive rather than reactive in Coutinho’s case.
We know Phil won’t throw tantrums and resort to sick notes and unsanctioned BBC interviews. But how many thought Raheem could do that a year ago? The point is when there is an agent like Aidy Ward in the equation the noble Phil can become the “brat” nobody wants around. It would have been a totally different situation if LFC had given Sterling a new deal on the back of 2013/14 season. Say an £80,000 a week deal for 5 years and you are sure we may not have had this situation on our hands. It has been reported that his contract had stipulations for when talks for fresh terms could be triggered. But when you have agents like Ward and when the team has a wretched season like last season, you cannot just stand and wait for the clock to keep ticking. When clubs like City are prepared to pay any amount, you cannot leave your best players on deals that see them rewarded far less than their talents and going market values dictate. You just don’t have to act; you have to act first. You are in trouble if the player and his agent make the first move. They may have scanned the environment and sounded out suitors, in which case even good deals like the £100,000 LFC was offering Raheem won’t be accepted.
A line is well and firmly drawn under the Sterling saga. Hopefully one is also drawn under the ponderous and reactive way the club went about the contract issue. Sterling is gone but there are other great talents in the club. Coutinho is one of the biggest of these talents. His goals and all round play thrilled Anfield last season. In a wretched season, he provided something worth shouting about. His performances and talent is sure to keep attracting admirers. Not too long ago Ronaldinho was playing him up as a natural fit for Barcelona. More performances like last season’s is sure to swell the number of admirers. When the admirers come and he is still sitting on a salary lower than Skrtel and wide apart from Milner’s, whiles being one of our best performers, it may not be long to add him to the list that has the names of Suarez and Sterling.
sorry, but I call BS. Coutihno just signed a brand new long term contract and is getting around £100,000 per week not £70,000. Gets your facts right before going off on one.
Point is not to allow players, their talents and influence grow beyond their wage. Coutinho was only an example it could be EMRE or any of our top talents
Thanks for the correction. A little research before the pen to paper is often a wise decision.
Do you mean to say that Sterling was worth the 150k he was demanding? There’s a reason he didn’t get what he want….he wasn’t worth it!!!!
Roy I am not suggesting he was worth 150k. Only making point of being proactive in these contract situations and acting quick in graduating wages to reflect talent influence and performance. If LFC had been proactive in offering 80,000 at end of last season and not allow an influential player to sit on wages lower than those of some flops, RS saga may not hv happened
Actually I am glad that it happened. I would much rather see the club take the £49 mil and acquire proven talent over the “potential” that Sterling provided. In the end it could all work out in LFCs favor.
I feel irritated because countinho deserve a worthy salary unwanted praise,he play fine so he need a fine salary because one day he will wake up from his slumbering and decided to leave. He can’t do the work alone so he need a quality player to assist him..
No, the lesson is not to just pay players more money. There’s always going to be another club willing to offer greater wages than are on offer at LFC.
The lesson to be learnt is that the club needs to commit to winning NOW, instead of just focusing on the future.
The article wasn’t about giving players more money. It only meant to point out that wages should reflect talent and influence to avert situations like Sterling’s
Greater wages wouldn’t have averted Sterling’s situation though – there’s always going to be more money on offer at other clubs.
All that the club can do is commit to delivering as best it can in the here and now, rather than settling and hoping that things will just come good in the future.
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I think sterling is going to city just to warm the bench for navas and silva.
Sterling is already a better player than Navas though :-/
sorry Stirling it was all about money it won’t end at city your agent will want more in a year or two do you really beleave he is looking after you ask his bank man
for me,coutinho is the best player in the squad without doubt and he is worth 180,000 m pouds per week and a vice-captain
it’s surprising how many leaders we have within the squad, worthy of the VC tittle, Sakho, Emre, Skirtel, and now Coutinho. wouldn’t mind either of em taking up the role but am leaning heavily towards Sakho, and we should have extended his contract by now goddamit! Ian, that’s Sterling all over again next season!!. . .