Alejandro Garnacho and Florian Wirtz (Photo by Molly Darlington/Copa/Getty Images, Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
In his exclusive column for CaughtOffside, former Liverpool and England striker Stan Collymore discusses some of football’s biggest talking points, including Alejandro Garnacho’s social media posts, Liverpool’s signing of Florian Wirtz, fans’ PSR complaints, and more.
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Alejandro Garnacho knew what he was doing in shirt situation
Alejandro Garnacho in action for Manchester United
Alejandro Garnacho in action for Manchester United (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
Alejandro Garnacho knew what he was doing when he posted himself wearing an Aston Villa shirt. The optics look really bad, especially because it is a team that he could realistically sign for this summer.
In general, footballers wearing shirt of other teams is something that I do not like. I could never understand doing it, and in Garnacho’s case, it feels like he has done it as a way to get back at Man United, given that he is expected to leave. And it also comes across as a come-and-get-me plea to any clubs that could sign him.
I think these sorts of situations could even be covered in the fine print of players’ contracts, that being any action that is seen as looking to force a move or attract interest while it is in effect. It could be seen as a breach of contract, but I can’t imagine Man United will take extreme measures like that because it could come across as petty.
It’s simple for me: Garnacho was bang out of order for doing this. He’s a Man United player, and frankly, it’s disrespectful too. And the same goes for Marcus Rashford with his comments about wanting to play with Lamine Yamal – he’s basically making it known that he is desperate to join Barcelona.
Liverpool sent the wrong message with Florian Wirtz coverage
Florian Wirtz warming up ahead of Germany vs France
Florian Wirtz warming up ahead of Germany vs France (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
I counted 37 tweets on Liverpool in relation to Florian Wirtz on the day that he signed. And upon seeing that, I asked myself whether they had ever done that for Mohamed Salah, Jurgen Klopp or Arne Slot? I don’t think they have.
Liverpool’s best weapon is that they get on with business. They aren’t flashy like Man United or Real Madrid, but they are effective at winning trophies. I thought they would be slightly reserved with the Wirtz announcement, but their social media and marketing department have essentially put him under even more pressure to perform.
I can speak about this more than most considering I also held the British transfer record at one time. And this is why I think that it could also cause in-house tensions at Liverpool, with some teammates being envious of the attention that Wirtz has received from the club upon signing. And Wirtz himself probably didn’t want this to happen.
I just really don’t want Liverpool to stick Wirth’s head above the parapet for him only to have a disappointing season next season. Because he could do, it could happen. There’s no guarantees in life. Look, he might end up being the best player in the world this time next year. And it was like he’s lived up to the hype. But Liverpool’s always been about sort of the team is greater than the individual.
Ibrahima Konate can go if he is not committed to Liverpool
Ibrahima Konate in action for Liverpool
Ibrahima Konate in action for Liverpool (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Ibrahim Konate is not what Virgil van Dijk or Mohamed Salah are to Liverpool in terms of importance. If they were to lose him, it would pinch a little bit. But that’s all it would do.
I think there are better defenders around the world that Liverpool could unearth and will unearth. And if Konate doesn’t want to sign and commit to what is a very healthy Liverpool wage structure, then let him go.
Would Guehi be a like-for-like replacement? No. But the beauty with Guehi is that he comes in and he is a versatile option across the defence. And he’s also very much a player that is a very good club man. He’s going to be a solid 7/10 and play plenty of games all through the season. But I am surprised that a team like Liverpool aren’t looking at Ezri Konsa in this situation, given Aston Villa’s PSR woes.
Sheffield Wednesday shows why PSR is needed – don’t complain
PETERBOROUGH, ENGLAND – MAY 12: Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri looks on before the Sky Bet League One Play-Off Semi-Final First Leg match between Peterborough United and Sheffield Wednesday at Weston Homes Stadium on May 12, 2023 in Peterborough, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
For me, the situation with Sheffield Wednesday is why PSR exists. And that’s why I don’t think clubs have the right to complain. Because whether it’s Newcastle, whether it’s Sunderland, whether it’s Villa, whether it’s Liverpool, whether it’s Man Utd, it doesn’t matter. So many clubs are continually overspending.
PSR had to come in somewhere and there has to be some rules. And whatever rules you bring in, somebody’s going to get hurt – or the perception is somebody’s going to get hurt. And in this case, of course, it’s Aston Villa and Newcastle whose fans are complaining about Man City, Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal, Liverpool having had three decades to spend what they like.
Sheffield Wednesday is the just the latest in a long line of lessons. If you don’t take the financial side seriously enough and you don’t have a rich owner – or even if you do but they don’t know what they’re doing in this football game – it’s a black hole that can swallow you up. PSR is there to protect Manchester United, Liverpool, Villa, Newcastle and Sheffield Wednesday.
If PSR didn’t exist, it would just becomes a free-for-all. And if it becomes a free-for-all, don’t cry when some of our biggest clubs that are now in the second, third or fourth tiers of English football go out of business for good. That’s the lesson of PSR. You have to have sustainability rules across the four divisions to protect a very delicate ecosystem that is the English pyramid.
Rasmus Hojlund needs to leave Man United to save his career
Rasmus Hojlund in action for Manchester United against Bournemouth
Rasmus Hojlund in action for Manchester United against Bournemouth (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
If you’re looking at a deal whereby you’re looking at the transfer fee plus wages. Aston Villa could afford the transfer fee and wages. I mean there’s talk of £43m for Hojlund, but I don’t think anybody’s paying that.
Man United will be looking to recoup money from him, and that could involve loaning him back to several clubs in Italy. But by doing this, he would never be settled. He’s still a very young man. I really like him as a striker, I think he’s got the basic attributes. But he went to Manchester United and it’s basically completely shattered his confidence.
Rasmus Hojlund, as a young man in his early 20s, is aching for somebody to put their arm around him. This is the bit of the development process that you should have had. He should have gone to someone like Aston Villa first, scored you 25 goals and then gone to Manchester United 2/3 years down the line.
In Aston Villa’s financial position, £25m plus add-ons and a wage that would not be anywhere near breaking their high wage turnover would be favourable. I think that if Ollie Watkins were to go, they could do a lot worse than have a look at Rasmus Hojlund.
Christian Norgaard is a top signing for Arsenal
Christian Norgaard of Brentford
Christian Norgaard of Brentford (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Christian Norgaard does a very, very similar job to what Partey does. He’s not fancy, but he’s going to sit in front of the defence, win the ball back before giving to players that will maker things happen.
For £11m, it’s a bargain. He’s in London already, he’s a known quantity in terms of the league, and he fits the Arsenal player profile. I think if you’re squad building, a good specialist defensive midfield player is a must.
Arsenal need someone to do the dirty work if Partey goes, and Norgaard will do that. I think it’s a very, very good solid signing. It’s boring, it doesn’t get everybody excited, but a really good solid signing. It’s also a big step up for him, and Brentford get an half-decent fee. In essence, everyone wins.
Newcastle need to change if they are to compete with the Big 6
Eddie Howe of Newcastle United FC
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
I think it would be a good move for any player going to Newcastle at the minute. It’s a progressive club, they’ve got money, they can pay the wages. They’ve got PSR to deal with, but Eddie Howe said it’s not going to be a concern in this window.
The problem with Newcastle is the eternal problem going all the way back to someone like Andy Cole when he went to Manchester United. It’s that playing for them is like being in a goldfish bowl. And the reality is that players don’t like this, they prefer the anonymity of London.
I’m surprised it hasn’t happened already, that a club hasn’t moved its training ground to London. Newcastle may need to do something like that to compete. Because eventually, there will be players that turn them down because they want to play for Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Man United, Arsenal. They even prefer to go to Tottenham, West Ham, Chelsea because of the location.
If Joao Pedro goes to Newcastle, I think the fans will love him, and it’s a great success. But this topic is going to be one of the things that Newcastle has to address – not just in this window, but perhaps the next 10 windows.
Clubs shouldn’t complain about Club World Cup conditions
Pep Guardiola with his Manchester City players at the Club World Cup
Pep Guardiola with his Manchester City players at the Club World Cup (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
The first real World Cup where I was smitten was Spain 1982. And it was boiling. Absolutely boiling. You turned on the telly to watch the group games every day and whether it was Seville, whether it was Barcelona, whether it was Madrid, it was a Spanish hot baking summer.
The heat, I understand and I get. And you can factor in cool breaks. I’m sure that FIFA will have some sort of canopy system for the benches and lots of cooling stuff in stadiums. But the pitch argument is just ridiculous about no bounce and no this and no that. Firstly, they’ve had the best technicians, including some from England, go over and put down Wembley-like pitches everywhere. And secondly, clubs should start abiding by the spirit of the game, which was always about playing on whatever the prevailing conditions are.
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I think that FIFA should look seriously at having a little bit of water sprinkled pre-match, and then whatever the prevailing conditions are, that’s it. That way, footballers would get used to playing in different conditions. If the game’s a bit slower, they’ve got to do something else. If the pitch has got a bit of give in it, the lateral movement’s good. If it’s got zippiness, it favours tiki-taka.
As I said, I get the argument about the heat, and FIFA will deal with that. There’ll be more drinks breaks, more cold fans, maybe some roofs coming on stadiums, the ones that have got roofs on, and a bit of air conditioning for next summer’s World Cup. But the pitch debate is nonsense, and there is a sense that players are just now way too pampered.