Coutinho: Sign or Decline?

[BOF]

I honestly don't know. It's a really interesting question with many variables. On the one hand it's Philippe Coutinho, of course you sign him. He is by a distance the most gifted player in your squad and his mere presence raises your profile and potentially helps you make that next step into the upper echelons.

On the other hand he's arguably not only in the way of our second best player (who we've already spent money on) but he has potentially sealed the fate of our most prized youngster. He will probably severely hamper our spending power in other areas by tying up wages and transfer fee in a position that doesn't need strengthening, so it could be argued that by owning him, our overall team next season is worse. Do you get your #1 choice DCM and your #1 choice CF etc etc. Which brings us to the next variable. It really depends how long Gerrard's shopping list is as to whether we can comfortable accommodate him. There's also an element of - if we don't have him then someone like Newcastle or Arsenal will. Not that you can run a club like that, but as a fan that would be horrible.

So yeah, I honestly don't know, and whichever way the club decide to go, I'll be able to accept why they did it. We're in an excellent position of - if we want him he's ours. If we don't end up with him it's because we didn't want him.

I think my decision still needs to be based on what I see in the remaining 5 games of the season too.  He hasn't been pulling up trees recently and his initial momentum seems to have stalled, making him slightly less the shiny new toy he was when he burst onto the scene for us. But if he ends the season well, he could be impossible to turn down.

So, eh, watch this space I guess. Where's the 'I honestly don't know' option  

[gwi1890]

29 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Its a World Cup year and he is on the fringe of the squad 

So by your theory Jack Grealish will be leaving City? 

[John]

2 hours ago, Zatman said:

Pretty sure Arsenal want a striker this summer as the big signing and just dont see them paying big money for Coutinho 

It will be either us or Newcastle that will sign him or back to Barcelona. Only Newcastle will try pay what he is currently on and his agent will be wanting that 

Thing is it isn't "big" money to Arsenal and I doubt wages would be a significant stumbling block to his signing for them or for Newcastle. I tend to think that we can find the transfer fee and come to an agreement on his salary too. Getting him on loan was a major coup, buying him would be even bigger.  

[Sulberto21]

Don’t be surprised if the total sum of his wages are paid through some creative accounting. But 100% sign there’s been enough signs in more than one game that our number 10 + 23 can play together effectively. 

[Zatman]

20 minutes ago, gwi1890 said:

So by your theory Jack Grealish will be leaving City? 

of course but Grealish is lucky his international manager just chooses players from the team they play for

[Adam2003]

1 hour ago, BOF said:

On the other hand he's arguably not only in the way of our second best player (who we've already spent money on) but he has potentially sealed the fate of our most prized youngster. He will probably severely hamper our spending power in other areas by tying up wages and transfer fee in a position that doesn't need strengthening, so it could be argued that by owning him, our overall team next season is worse. Do you get your #1 choice DCM and your #1 choice CF etc etc. Which brings us to the next variable. It really depends how long Gerrard's shopping list is as to whether we can comfortable accommodate him. There's also an element of - if we don't have him then someone like Newcastle or Arsenal will. Not that you can run a club like that, but as a fan that would be horrible.

This is the whole thing summed up for me. Intellectually I think it’s a bad signing - I’d rather Buendia and Chukwuemeka had been playing this season to build for the future, and as a club I don’t think it’s the right move. But, I’ve lorded it a little bit over mates that we have him (“for the banter oi oi”) so *as a fan* I kind of need him to stay

[Follyfoot]

2 minutes ago, Adam2003 said:

This is the whole thing summed up for me. Intellectually I think it’s a bad signing - I’d rather Buendia and Chukwuemeka had been playing this season to build for the future, and as a club I don’t think it’s the right move. But, I’ve lorded it a little bit over mates that we have him (“for the banter oi oi”) so *as a fan* I kind of need him to stay

So you want him to stay to maintain your position as Archbishop of Banterbury 

 

As good as a reason as any 

[BOF]

15 minutes ago, Adam2003 said:

This is the whole thing summed up for me. Intellectually I think it’s a bad signing - I’d rather Buendia and Chukwuemeka had been playing this season to build for the future, and as a club I don’t think it’s the right move. But, I’ve lorded it a little bit over mates that we have him (“for the banter oi oi”) so *as a fan* I kind of need him to stay

In other words "I've invested a lot of face into this signing"     Which is fine too. It's a big part of the game

[Mark Albrighton]

One factor we’re forgetting.

The song is pretty good. It’s going to be tough to replace it if we don’t sign him.

[Follyfoot]

7 minutes ago, Mark Albrighton said:

One factor we’re forgetting.

The song is pretty good. It’s going to be tough to replace it if we don’t sign him.

Disappointing amount of swearing in it though

[Delphinho123]

15 minutes ago, Follyfoot said:

Disappointing amount of swearing in it though

I don't see the need for any swear words, let alone 2. Really ruins the song. 

[AshVilla]

Decline.

We already have Buendia.

Rather the money be spent across the squad as a whole.

[Nicho]

Ive said a few times Im happy for him to sign however when it came to completing the sign or decline I didnt even hesitate. 

Got quality, looks immobile in large areas but still quick in small pockets.

Blocking Buendia and as @BOF potentially the blocker for Carney.  

My biggest thing is his overall contribution, we carry him when hes not at it and even in games when he does do something, we cant have that. Buendia, Ramsey, Carney, McGinn, even Luiz and Sanson can play there. He was a great signing emotionally but we didnt need him. 

If his name wasnt Coutinho and for the money being stated we wouldnt think twice. We have bigger areas to focus on. 

Decline. 

Edited May 4, 2022 by Nicho

[nick76]

29 minutes ago, Follyfoot said:

Disappointing amount of swearing in it though

That’s the best part!

[nick76]

16 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

I don't see the need for any swear words, let alone 2. Really ruins the song. 

It’s a footy song not the opera! A few swear words are great.  Love the song and the swear words, just a bit of good old working man’s banter.

[PussEKatt]

I think he is a good player,BUT compared to Emi,not good enough to fork out over 450,000 pw.

[nick76]

6 minutes ago, PussEKatt said:

I think he is a good player,BUT compared to Emi,not good enough to fork out over 450,000 pw.

Nobody is paying 450k per week, when he signs it’s likely for a third of that.

[HalfTimePost]

Too many swearwords in the chant.

..from the fanbase whose 25yr old chant has a huge second wind at 'Shit Support m'lord' 38 games a season.

...who can't help but sing My Old Man atleast 3 times a game

...whose top Premier League goalscorer was Fast as ****

[WallisFrizz]

That season ticket renewal “the journey continues” video features an awful lot of Coutinho. You could be convinced we were going to sign him, then you remember the Grealish kit announcement content from last season and that the people who create the content probably know as much as we do.

[ROTTERDAM1982]

Buendia has 3 goals in 60 gamrs in the Prem?,,,,something like that, CC is not the same kind of player PC, he is more like a Ramsey.

 

If you are happy with 8th to 14th then don't sign him, but don't complain when we don't.