The Mailbox thinks Liverpool fans need to stop thinking they can sign ‘the absolute best players in the world’. Plus, Chelsea selling Mateo Kovacic would be a ‘mistake’, England, Declan Rice, sportswashing and more.
Send your thoughts to theeditor@football365.com…
Gullible Liverpool fanbase
This is a genuine question but I’m sure it’ll trigger some. When did Liverpool fans start genuinely believing that they should be signing the absolute best players in the world in competition with the absolute best clubs in the world? Is it a case of fully buying into the click bait media? It doesn’t surprise me that the media push stories about Haaland, Mbappe and Bellingham to Liverpool because they’re pandering to one of the largest fan bases. It does surprise me that the fan base is so gullible. Haaland and Bellingham were never going to join Liverpool. Mbappe is never, ever, going to join Liverpool. These are the toppest of the top top players, if not in ability then in marketing draw. Marketing is a two way street, for those players to maintain their marketability they need to be at the most elite clubs that are guaranteed to win. Despite some outstanding trophies in the past 30 years, Liverpool are not at that level any more.
To say that Messi’s value is incalculable is falling into the trap that these superstars tempt you with. Has Messi left Barcelona a better club since he left? A club that signs players that it can’t afford to register to actually play. A club that’s finding new ways to have a hamburger today. Messi has a value, it’s the combined winnings and sales that he alone brings in that wouldn’t have been achieved if he wasn’t there. Anything above that (and there’s a LOT above that) is your money thrown away on a vanity project.
The key to happiness is to manage the gap between your expectations and reality. There’s a world for Barcelona, Real, PSG and City and there’s the world for the rest of us. That’s reality and the sooner you come to terms with that the sooner you stop annoying yourself in the shower.
SC, Belfast
Mistake
Selling our top players to our opponents is a mistake.
And no , not talking about Mount.
Selling Kovacic , who to me is our best player to City and Havertz who is our second best to Arsenal is a massive.. massive mistake.
If anything we should build around these two players.
We are probably cornered due to our big squad. I would rather loan some young guns and rid team of few others but Havertz and Kovacic should not be sold.
B CFC (Cash in on Mount , Cucurella , Koulibali , Chalobah, Lukaku)
A decade is a long time…
I for one am glad that Jude Bellingham has got his opportunity, at his age, to anchor midfield for unarguably the most successful European football club of all time. I think it is amazing for him as a man and as a player. A lad who comes across well in interviews, and is as good on the pitch.
However I see a lot of people talking about him being there for a decade. And although I don’t disagree that he is great, I don’t think that will be happening. For all the hype etc, Jude is at Real, a club that treated Anelka, Danilo, and Drenthe like sh*t, hell, look at how they treated Hierro, Raul and Iker Casillas near the end. The club is ruthless, so as much as he might be a fixture, he could very easily be in the Newcastle or Man United midfield in 2 years time if he has a poor debut.
John Matrix AFC
Summary from last night
Trent is good at passing. He is awful at everything else.
Eg. Supporting defenders, wanting the ball, defending, pressing, heading
Honestly, what I saw was another Alex Nyarko. Looks like he didn’t care, didn’t want the ball and just ambled around to pick up his cheque
What a surprise, he plays 3 good passes and he’s the new messiah.
This is why f365 and the mailbox know absolutely nothing about football. You know better than klopp? I think tonight proved beyond all doubt that:
Trent is a good passer
That is it
Fat Man
A few thoughts…
Dear MC,
I have a few thoughts I fancied sharing with you on this lovely Friday.
Firstly, the Declan Rice deal would clearly be lovely but isn’t the end of the world if it doesn’t happen. There are very good alternatives out there. I actually think he will come though as it feels as if both player and club want the deal. Why would another club try and take him when he has declared how much he wants to play for Arsenal? Unless of course I’m jumping on snippets and have imagined him saying this. Which is feasible.
Secondly, Havertz is a very good player and could be ideal for us. He isn’t a centre forward and needs to play more centrally, like Xhaka. I think it’s him who Arteta sees him as replacing. With the right coaching I think there is a very good player in there. Something I actually said on this very mailbox about Xhaka a few years ago.
Third thought I have had is regarding Kane. It would be absolutely wonderfully hilarious if no one actually comes in for him, which seems the case right now. The price he’s been quoted for is mental. Yes he’s good but he should’ve been allowed to leave two years ago for that sort of price. Someone will probably go for him eventually but I expect it to be feeling quite disappointing for everyone involved. That’s my hunch at least.
JazGooner (just nice to be back in the conversation with the higher tier players)
Sportswashing…
To James (NUFC),
Fair question on sportswashing. If you think you and I are the target.
We are part of the target of it, but also the other target is the elite, and relevance within that. Hosting the World Cup brings way more relevance to Qatar. Owning a very successful club makes you more interesting as a prospective business partner. It’s gets you connections and relationships you wouldn’t have had otherwise.
I’d bet owning PSG means their owners have more contact now with the French government than before.
It’s not us who they really care about, but the rich and powerful. And I bet it does work to some extent with them.
Nishul Saperia (Would like all state owned club ownership banned)
It was interesting to read the mail from James (NUFC) questioning whether sportswashing actually ever works because he seems to have completely missed the fact that he is living proof that it does, in fact, work.
The following sentence says it all:
“I went to Qatar for the World Cup (I know, but I love football too much..) and the takeaway from pretty much everyone I spoke to out there was how they wouldn’t be coming back, and the idea of going there on holiday seemed mad.”
You were clearly aware of all the negative stories about Qatar, yet that didn’t stop you because you “love football too much”.
You say you wouldn’t go there on holiday, despite the fact that you did go there on holiday because you “love football too much”.
You say everyone you spoke to out there wouldn’t be going back but that doesn’t change the fact that they went there in the first because they “love football too much”.
You don’t have to go back, you’ve done what they wanted you to do. You went there and in doing so justified the World Cup being awarded to them.
You’ve shown that some people will ignore all the evidence in front of their faces just because they “love football too much”.
You’ve shown FIFA that people will travel to Saudi Arabia or China or any other country controlled by an authoritarian regime because they’re willing to overlook all the negatives because they “love football too much”.
You’re the prime example of sportswashing working.
Jerry
Mood Ranking
Although I agree with F365’s mood rank for United, I believe the reasons are all wrong. Inspite of having a decent season compared to last year, United still look like struggling in the league and CL. Leaving aside the ownership issues, United still need to invest heavily in their squad. Their only recognized striker now is injury prone 5 game a season Martial. Their top scorer Rashford is in his last year of contract and doesn’t seem to have signed one. Anotny(the Brazilian) seems to have followed the footsteps of his predecessor Greenwood. Sancho seems to follow the footsteps of Mkhitaryan. We don’t even have a first team goal keeper, with De Gea not signed a contract yet, and back up Hendo not wanting to stay. Then we have the world’s most expensive CB who isn’t 4th choice at the club. Eriksen ‘s legs are gone and we are one Casemiro red card away from playing Mcfred.
I see United needing a minimum of at least one established striker (best of luck getting that when Real, Bayern, Chelsea are also looking for one) , one keeper capable of pushing De Gea for the no.1 post and at least one CM who can play alongside either of Eriksen or Casemiro who both can’t really control the tempo of a game. ( is Frenkie De Jong still available).
This looks like a tough ask for any club, let alone one that is changing ownership.
Rahil MUFC, India (Is any other top 6 club squad so weak inspite of having so many players)
Good Old Gola
Lee,
I’ve been playing competitive soccer since I was 14 and Gaelic football since I was 10.
I’m 46 now, but I’ll be turning up at pre-season again this year and will do until my legs no longer work.
I’ve strayed `briefly a few times in those 36 years – I’m not proud of it, but I was young, foolish and living life. The occasional illicit liaison with a pair of Adidas, or a dalliance with Diadora.
But in all those years, I’ve played and continue to play the vast majority of my matches in Gola boots.
Show the classics a bit of respect!!!
(Anatoly’s email was ridiculous though)
Doug, AFC, Belfast
Dementia and heading
Sad to hear the passing of Gordon McQueen, another footballer who suffered from dementia possibly from heading . I would like to see the stats on the number of ex footballers suffering from dementia say compared to professions who don’t head a ball as part of their livelihood .One easy way to protect players now is to have them wear rugby/boxing tope padded headgear during training when they are practicing crossing or playing a practice match, any part which will involve them heading a ball that is travelling at speed.
Ken, Cork, Ireland
Chelsea to Arsenal transfers…
Hi,
Yet another Chelsearsenal transfer!
Could this be the most common route in English football?
Bit like an A10.
Mo