Small, fresh faced and agile, Philippe Coutinho received the
ball near the touchline. The Brazilian shuffled in between two defenders, cut
onto his right boot before releasing a 20 yard through ball that split the
unaware Aston Villa defence for the onrushing Jordan Henderson to gratefully
finish.
It was a moment of true quality, nearly followed by another
as his South American counterpart Luis Suarez unleashed a similarly delightful
pass for his new teammate minutes later, who was inches away from putting his
own name on the score-sheet. It would’ve been his third goal in just six
appearances since joining the Merseyside giants in January.
After being left out of Inter’s plans since re-joining the
Nerazzurri in summer, Coutinho has settled in wonderfully at Liverpool and
could be the answer to the questions that would surface should the other South
American star at Anfield choose to leave.
Although the comparisons between Brendan Rodger’s 22 -goal
talisman and his Brazilian understudy are fairly moot at this point given the
contract that brought Coutinho to England probably still has wet ink, there are
definite similarities in the optimism both players have brought to a club that
has been bereft of a long term plan for some years. Like Suarez has performed
in a manner that has befitted the mythical “7” that emblazons the Uruguayan’s
back, Coutinho is the first fresh faced, exciting player to don the number 10
shirt since a certain Michael Owen tortured defences at the turn of the
century. The fact that the former Real Madrid poacher is due to retire in summer
provides context to that statement. It’s been a long time.
Signed by Inter at the request of none other than Rafa
Benitez, Coutinho was hailed as “the future” of the Italian giants by President
Massimo Moratti at the attacker’s presentation, words that ring loud and
uncomfortably in the ears of disillusioned Nerazzurri fans. Philippe was meant
to be the generation after Mourinho’s treble winners yet like most decisions
Rafael Benitez has made in his career ; they all seem to benefit Liverpool
eventually.
A pawn in the chaos that followed The Special One’s exit
from Italy, Coutinho was shipped out to Espanyol, where the benefit of
consistent starts and the more forgiving climate of Spain allowed the Brazilian
to develop, but upon his return to the peninsula, the 20 year old found himself
once again far down the pecking order.
The move to Liverpool and being part of a team that values him
as a key member has allowed the youngster to blossom, and with time take up the
mantle of talisman – should its current owner choose to ply his trade
elsewhere.
The rumours of Luis Suarez’s exit, while just that at the
moment, are worth considering nonetheless.
At the age of 26, Suarez is in the form of his life and has
between 4-5 years left at the very peak of his game, which just so happens to
be the average length of a contract that accompanies a transfer.
Although the Uruguayan has committed himself to the
“project” that Brendan Rodgers has got underway at Melwood and enjoys life in
the North of England, professional ambition will always plays a large, if not
definitive, part. Like all professional athletes, Suarez wants to win. League
titles, cups, personal awards and most that holy grail of club football; the
Champions League. If Luis thinks that there is more chance of that at Bayern
Munich, Juventus or Real Madrid then unless emotion clouds the forward’s logic,
he may well end up there this summer, or the next one. It’s not a given, but
ambition supersedes loyalty 9 times out 10. Just ask Robin Van Persie.
Players at 26 don’t want to be part of a “project” unless it involves Jose’ Mourinho, Alex Ferguson or £250,000 a week. Unless success is almost guaranteed and guaranteed quickly by that ‘project’(Mourinho, Ferguson) or the right financial lubricant is in place – players will make judgements on moves based on how immediate victories can be. They want to be the final piece to a pre-established puzzle, not building blocks to a foundation that may or may not even get off the ground. Suarez is in a project, and sooner or later he’s going to want success. History remembers winning players; only fans remember loyal ones.
However, 20 year olds are interested in projects. They make
sense in projects. Hell, their careers at this point can be viewed as projects
– predictions of growth made from a combination of Youtube videos and FIFA
games. Coutinho is aware that his best years are a couple of years away yet,
and it therefore makes perfect sense to join a team that will peak at the same
time he does.(However, in today’s game – that could mean Rodgers only has three
years before his protégé begins knocking on his door asking for silverware or a
raise.)
Either way – with Suarez or without him – Coutinho arguably
has more value to the youth centred approach at Liverpool than his teammate,
despite his older counterpart being almost the sole match winner at the Kop.
Coutinho has ten years before Liverpool have to think about a replacement (assuming
he stays that long, of course) while Suarez has four or five, all of which would
be centred around a will he leave/won’t he leave scenario if Liverpool don’t
deliver glory, a situation that has hung like a cloud over the respective clubs
of Robin Van Persie, Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo in recent years(it’s
also worth pointing out that in those three examples, they all left).
Coutinho is part of the project, part of a long term plan. Along
with Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge, Joe Allen and others – Liverpool are
not a side built to win today. They are a side being built to win tomorrow. If Luis Suarez isn’t
prepared to wait, then Liverpool are not the club for him to be at.
A player of undeniable class and this writer’s pick for
player of the season, Suarez’s exit would be a huge hole to fill for Liverpool,
and a loss for English football as a whole. However, with Coutinho and the
£25m+ Liverpool would inevitably receive to relinquish his services, the hole
is smaller than it would be, and the success of the “project” - should he leave
- would remain just as likely.
