In his distinctive column for CaughtOffside, previous Liverpool attacker Stan Collymore discusses some of football’s largest speaking points, like how football can support Sandro Tonalo conquer a gambling addiction, what the January transfer window could have in retail outlet for Kalvin Phillips and Scott Mctominay, as properly as a look forward to this weekend’s Merseyside Derby, in addition significantly far more.
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Newcastle will stand by Sandro Tonali but football will have to do more…
I’m confident Newcastle United would have been stunned when they listened to Sandro Tonali’s agent verify he has a gambling dependancy, and whilst they won’t occur out and say it, they would have felt let down but the club will glance immediately after him. They, like all golf equipment, have a accountability to search just after their workforce and which is what they’ll do. I thought Eddie Howe’s press conferences, which have definitely been dominated by inquiries about Tonali, have been managed impeccably properly.
Tonali is not the to start with participant to put up with from a crippling addiction. Even though gambling isn’t anything I have at any time suffered with, I know of a ton of players, previous and present, who do battle with it.
It’s a truly significant difficulty. The phasing out of gambling-connected front-of-shirt sponsors is a superior phase to just take, but we will need to do much more to protect addicts and also to assist avoid the future generation from turning into addicts. I feel there should be a overall ban on all gambling-similar adverts. We should really make soccer a gambling-free of charge environment this would make it possible for all those who do have a issue to enter a ‘safe space’ even though not thoroughly forbidding all those who do gamble responsibly from accomplishing a little something they love. I feel that is most likely the fairest way to take care of it, but we have to do some thing because this just cannot continue on.
Kalvin Phillips and Scott McTominay on the go?
Definitely, Tonali is now facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines just like Brentford’s Ivan Toney, and of training course, really should the inescapable happen and his selection 8 is suspended for a time period of time, Howe will need to have include.
A couple names have already been thrown close to, like Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips and Manchester United’s Scott McTominay.
I imagine both of those of these gamers, who aren’t acquiring the sport-time they will need at their existing clubs, will be on the lookout for new teams once the January transfer window opens, and although I fee both of those, I would be leaning towards Phillips if I were a manager.
He’s a quite intense midfielder, who can get forward in research of a objective when he requirements to. He also has an superb array of passing and would certainly enhance a Newcastle United staff. I’m not absolutely sure I see him at St. James’ Park while.
I noticed some stories a short while ago about Bayern Munich being intrigued in him – it would not shock me if Harry Kane is influencing his club’s transfer plan. I am sure Kane would adore to welcome an global colleague to Bavaria, and if they simply cannot get Joao Palhinha out of Fulham in January now he’s signed a new agreement, Phillips would be the great alternative. It’s undoubtedly a shift I can see materialising.
As for McTominay, it seems not likely he’ll ever become a common at Outdated Trafford under Erik 10 Hag, and he would definitely be the form of participant who could in good shape Howe’s higher-get the job done level technique, but I have a sneaky sensation David Moyes and West Ham will be again once more in the New Year for him. McTominay would thrive beneath Moyes I am absolutely sure of it – can United get a £30 million, or greater, offer you once again although? – We’ll have to see.
Jude Bellingham’s most significant exams are nonetheless to arrive. How he responds to them will outline his legacy…
Don’t get me incorrect, he’s a wonderful player, but I do not want to get too carried absent.
He’s experienced a monumental increase. Not only did Birmingham Town retire his shirt when he left as a teenager, he went to Borussia Dortmund and did very perfectly just before transferring to True Madrid and setting up excellently.
It is hard to believe he’s even now just twenty decades previous. But let us not forget… Almost everything is going nicely for him at the moment, but that won’t often be the case. He will have down intervals in his profession, whether that will come from Real Madrid not taking part in properly as a staff, or lousy luck with injuries. It’s in those people difficult moments that I want to see what Bellingham does. I want to see how he responds from a 5 or 6-week injury lay-off. That will clearly show precisely the participant he is and is able of turning into.
If he proceeds on this upward trajectory, he surely can turn into a single of, if not, the world’s ideal midfielder. At the instant, I never assume he can declare that title because he’s very very good at all the things. What I indicate by that is that he is not exceptional at one particular or two distinct disciplines. He has been scoring a large amount of targets not long ago, which is great, but can he maintain it up? – Can he become the subsequent Frank Lampard? – Only time will tell, but he surely has the potential to go on and come to be the greatest English participant of all time.
Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp get their way (all over again)…
Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have not shut up about ‘player welfare’ and how our crowded fixture listing is way too demanding on gamers, and soon after the FA verified they are scrapping third and fourth-spherical replays, it would seem both have after once again obtained their way.
Pay attention, I do not necessarily disagree with what each supervisors have stated. There is a lot more soccer than at any time becoming performed these times and footballers, despite the fact that paid out incredibly well for what they do, are nonetheless just human beings. They come to feel the mental and physical consequences of points and we shouldn’t pretend they do not.
Nonetheless, the challenge I have with Guardiola and Klopp, and other administrators who are demanding a reduction in games, is that they only ever target the English game’s heritage, and never ever Europe’s. They want much less Carabao and FA Cup game titles, but by no means less Champions League games, so is it genuinely their players’ welfare they have in brain, or do they just know what side their bread is buttered?
The day one of those people two arrives out and says ‘Right, our gamers are playing way too significantly, in addition to scrapping 3rd and fourth round cup ties, let’s do additional, let’s decrease the quantity of European competitions’ is the day I will just take them severely.
To be this season’s Premier League champions, you will have to complete better than Liverpool…
This weekend’s Premier League motion must kick off with a bang. It’s the Merseyside Derby at Anfield and, like often, I am positive it’s going to be a fantastic contest. There have not been lots of situations where the divide in good quality between Liverpool and Everton has been as significant as it is now so Sean Dyche has his perform reduce out. Of course, Liverpool are the overpowering favourites, and rightly so, but if Everton can put in a good overall performance and exhibit heart, perseverance and want, their supporters will forgive them even if they shed – the most essential issue for the Toffees is that they are tricky to defeat, and I feel they have a chance of remaining just that.
Liverpool nonetheless have a really new squad, primarily in midfield, so it is likely to be appealing to see how some of all those new names handle their to start with Merseyside Derby. I suspect they’ll arrive by way of it and continue on to have another wonderful campaign. I think if any team finishes earlier mentioned Klopp’s males, they’ll be champions. For me, Liverpool will both gain the league or they’ll finish second. I believe they’ll finish higher than Spurs and higher than Arsenal – the only group I see accomplishing far better than them around a 38-domestic recreation season is Manchester Metropolis.
