Philippe Coutinho's World Cup dream alive at Anfield
Exclusive Interview: Liverpool’s 21-year-old Brazilian hopes Merseyside derby could be the catalyst to take him to the World Cup.
Philipe Coutinho can picture himself standing on the sidelines under the imposing shadow of Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium, anxiously awaiting the call to action.
He is eleven years old, having followed his older brothers to their daily football game in their home district of Rocha, hoping they’ll allow him to join their kickabout.
Ten years on, there are similar feelings of being on the outside hoping to be summoned towards Rio’s football cathedral for this summer’s World Cup.
This time, Coutinho must conjure the tricks that have earned him the nickname ‘The Magician’ in the Liverpool dressing room (Daniel Sturridge calls him David Blaine), to capture the attention of Brazil’s manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.
As we meet five days before the Merseyside derby, it is put to Coutinho he should not be at Melwood, Liverpool’s training ground, during an international break.
He ought to be in Toronto with the Brazil team ahead of their latest World Cup warm-up (with Chile).
“I will go to Rio to support Brazil even if I’m not in the squad,” says Coutinho.
“The English season will be over, I’m a Brazilian who loves my country, so of course I will be following and supporting the side as much as any fan.
“I still think there is plenty of time for me to try and be part of the team. It’s always going to be difficult because there are a lot of players who play in my position who have been given their chance and are playing very well, but there is a lot of football to be played before the World Cup, so you just have to try to impress for your club until then. My main focus has to be on Liverpool and then see if anything develops.
“I have no idea if anyone is watching me from the Brazil national team but the best way to have a chance is to do well for Liverpool.”
Coutinho’s cause was not helped when his shoulder gave way under a heavy challenge from Swansea’s Ashley Williams four games into this season.
Liverpool boasted a 100 per cent record and held the lead in Wales when Coutinho departed. Many felt the fluency, creativity and balance of Brendan Rodgers’s side exited with him during his spell out, even if results have remained consistent enough to ensure a victory at Goodison Park could return the club to the top of the Premier League.
On his first start since his surgery, Liverpool created 32 goalscoring opportunities in their stroll against Fulham, more than any side this season.
As the Merseyside club’s analytical American owner John W Henry might say, you do the math.
“I would not agree the team was not playing so well when I was not there,” Coutinho protests.
“When I was not playing, the team still won and was playing very well. What I would say is this; the manager gives me complete freedom to play to link the play between midfield and the striker. He does not limit me to a particular area of field or a position, his instruction to me is to move around and work in different positions that are best for the team.
“My focus in the training sessions is always about movement to create openings and opportunities. When you don’t have the ball, you still need the discipline, to know where you should be, who you should be marking, but when we have the ball it is important to be able to move around. That only comes with practice and I’m pleased people like my style of football.”
Coutinho’s football education began at the team he supported, Vasco Da Gama.
“The moment I arrived at Vasco I realised I could become a professional footballer,” he said.
“Until then I would just play with friends. It was always football for me, every day. No other sports. It was always the passion of my family.
“My father loves the game and my two brothers are older than me – they are not professional footballers – but they loved playing football and were always playing with their friends. We lived just near the Maracana and I’d go off with them hoping they’d let me join in with the game. Sometimes, they’d let me and that was where everything started for me.
But after I joined Vasco – at the age of around 11 – I knew I had to live my life in a certain way to make it to the top. I have many managers who have helped me since then, but one of my first was a coach called Zeica. Sadly he has passed away now. He was very important for me between the ages of 11 until 14.
“When I arrived at Vasco I didn’t know where my best position was. I’d play as a striker or even a defender, but he was the one who told me to play centrally – the number ten – and directed me to be a better player.
“Most of the top players from Brazil think about moving to a top European club at some point in the future, and I was no different, even at that young age.
"We all want to be part of the Champions League and competing for the major trophies, so Europe is the target point. When the chance came I took it. I was playing for the Brazil youth team and we travelled to Europe a lot, so that’s when Inter Milan saw me and became interested.”
Coutinho’s swift departure from Inter has looked more curious with each Liverpool performance.
The head scratching epidemic began after his first few appearances, the question lingering as to how Liverpool were able to sign him for just £8.5 million. Even if the Italians were in financial difficulties and had to sell, it doesn’t explain how Liverpool secured a deal relatively unchallenged.
“Jose Mourinho was the manager when I was preparing to join them, but he left before I moved to Italy,” said Coutinho.
“It was a difficult period, strangely, because they had won the national championship five times and just won the Champions League but the club was preparing for change. Rafa Benítez had just become the manager and he was prepared to give me opportunities straight away as a younger player, but there were good players there who won a lot at the club – really good players – and things were not settled and it turned out not so good.
“I had a good relationship with Rafa, he was always very considerate towards me and gave me a lot of confidence. He cared a lot about all the younger players at Inter. I didn’t have a chance to speak to him about Liverpool before I came here – I would have liked to – but I believe he spoke well of me to people who know the club, which I thank him for.
“Sometimes you can be a good player at a good club and for some reason it just does not work out.
“There is no explanation for it. Then you move to another club and it fits perfectly straight away and you feel comfortable.
“I had some chances at Inter, but after a few years – certainly by the time Liverpool were interested – I was not getting many chances. As a footballer all you ever want is the chance to play, and show people how well you can play. I knew at Liverpool I would get that opportunity so I didn’t think twice. You look at a club and you see a top European team, with top players and top ambitions to win every major trophy, even if it will take time. I didn’t even have to think about the decision.”
Southampton were the main competitors for Coutinho’s signature a year ago. Mauricio Pochettino worked with Coutinho when he was loaned by Inter to Espanyol. Neither are surprised by each others’ swift success in England.
“Coutinho can become like Messi or Ronaldinho,” the Southampton manager has said.
Coutinho laughs.
“I heard this when he said at the time, but it’s a bit of long shot,” he says.
“My priority is to win trophies and be part of Liverpool’s history, then I will be happy if people say I’ve been a great player, but there is a lot of work to do before that.
“We all need to win trophies here before we can start talking about how good we are as players.
“But it’s always important to hear this from a manager you consider has played a significant part of your career.
“The last time I spoke to Pochettino was just before I joined Liverpool (when he tried to sign him). I know from my time working with him he is a very impressive person.
“It is no surprise to me at all to see Southampton have started the season so well. He is extremely dedicated to training, making his players work very hard. If there is something not correct in training, he will push to make it 100 per cent correct.”
Coutinho’s derby record at Vasco de Gama and Inter was mixed, and although he believes the passion and intensity of the occasion on Merseyside is comparable to Brazil and Italy, he believes suggestions such games in England lack the same technical proficiency as abroad are exaggerated.
“People said to me before the first derby to expect a very physical game, but really there was a lot of football played, the teams trying to play on the floor,” he said.
“There was not a lot more physical contact between the sides. With the game so quick, players move fast and passing quickly now, maybe it’s not so easy to have these types of physical games. I ‘m sure there will be a lot of tackles, but maybe this is why you don’t see these games so much.
“Before I joined Vasco I’d go as a fan but the derbies are the same wherever you play, whether it’s in Brazil, Italy or England. There is a special atmosphere around the game and nobody wants to lose, but as a player you can only think of winning, not the fear of losing.”
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