Thomas Tuchel officially started in the England job on Wednesday with one of his key assets, Trent Alexander-Arnold, involved in a tug-of-war between Real Madrid and Liverpool.
Madrid's bid to sign Alexander-Arnold this month has been firmly rejected by Liverpool, but it is a story that will continue as the 26-year-old's contract expires in the summer.
Although many Reds fans are unhappy with their local hero contemplating a life away from Anfield, Liverpool's potential loss could be the country's gain. Being a member of Madrid's superstar club hasn't done Jude Bellingham any harm, has it? For Trent, Real Madrid is a great opportunity and I wouldn't blame him for taking advantage of it.
As a player and as a person it gives you the opportunity to live different life experiences.
You can tell people who have traveled the world from those who haven't. His perspective is more complete and cosmopolitan, and that also applies in football terms.
Trent had a complete apprenticeship at Liverpool, rightly receiving praise as a Premier League and Champions League winner, and earning the right to choose whether his destiny is abroad.
Fans shouldn't envy Trent Alexander-Arnold if he wants to move on – it's part of football
He has been a great servant to the club over the years and shows no signs of putting down the tools.
It's a shame that Real Madrid still has so much strength despite our impression that we have the best league and the best clubs.
If he moves, there would be a backlash from some quarters who seem to expect any local talent to spend their entire career at one club, which is ridiculous in these times.
Tuchel will not think like that. He will work with Alexander-Arnold in whatever league he is in, but will see the added value he can bring to England by playing in another country.
Most of the Spanish team that won the Euro Cup plays in La Liga, so why wouldn't you promote their development?
Real Madrid is not at its best, but it is still an iconic club. What fascinates me, and carries an element of tragedy for the Premier League, is that moving to the Bernabéu has an appeal that seems to surpass that of the big clubs in this country.
We live under the impression that we have the best league, clubs and heritage. Even so, the biggest stars continue to be attracted to Real Madrid!
British players have had mixed success abroad, but Trent seems to fit in well. He's a natural player, so his skills will transfer. Spanish teams don't tend to press as much in the final third, making it easier to maximize their brilliant passing range.
I've lived in Spain on and off for 25 years, so even though it sometimes has the reputation of being the land of envy, Madrid residents are influenced by the way foreign players present themselves.
Another Liverpudlian, Steve McManaman, learned the language, embraced the culture and won the Champions League, a huge success.
Madrid approached Alexander-Arnold on Tuesday, but Liverpool quickly rejected him.
Finding players who stay for most of their career at one club is exceptionally rare.
I understand the romanticism of the fans, but they should understand that football is a business.
David Beckham wasn't great on the field, but he exuded showbiz charm and enhanced the Madrid brand. Gareth Bale was the complete opposite. He won big trophies but didn't adapt to that lifestyle. Remember the sign 'Wales. Golf. Madrid'?
Trent will want to do it on and off the field. His friendship with Bellingham will help. With the exception of the European Championship, when he behaved like a belligerent child for reasons that should be beneath him, inhabiting a victim complex, Bellingham has shown his personality and shown himself to be a statesman for a young player.
Interviewed after a Champions League match, he spoke about Carlo Ancelotti and trying to make him happy. He showed respect for his coach and recognized the type of club he played for.
As a mature footballer, Alexander-Arnold should easily cope with the transition.
I understand why the Kop don't want to lose one of their own. They will wonder why Liverpool haven't signed him. I suspect the club's inability to do so is beyond their control. It's not like them to not monetize at least one departing star.
Fans have to be realistic. Footballers have a contract and should be as loyal as that contract. I haven't seen any signs that Alexander-Arnold was throwing away tools.
My job as a club owner was to give the players a stage and pay them for the time we agreed to. Their job was to be worth the things they were given.
But in the long run, I was always comfortable as long as the players were honest with me, ideally finding equitable solutions that achieved the best results for all parties.
Alexander-Arnold can have great success in Spain like Jude Bellingham has been
I don't condemn fans for feeling like their heroes should be with them from their first breath to their last, but that's not how it works.
The average job in England across all occupations lasts just eight years, so I really don't want the typical football theme of “it's a short career” to influence the narrative of why players leave clubs.
If you can convince a footballer to stay much longer, like John Terry at Chelsea, then fantastic. But those players are the exception, not the rule.
Amorim is showing that United's rot runs deep
Rubén Amorim seems to voluntarily expose himself to a baptism of fire. He's not going to change the way he plays. He seems eager to justify his own prediction that Manchester United will “suffer”.
I'm not suggesting you want to deliberately lose games, but there is an element of trying to figure out which players can't cope, even at the expense of results.
Maybe Amorim is being clever. By testing everyone, they can't complain that they haven't been given a chance. And he's gathered plenty of evidence to prove to his bosses that the team isn't good enough.
If United have done their due diligence and decided they have a long-term vision, Amorim needs time to put that nonsense to rest.
Manchester United must give Ruben Amorim time to get over the pain, and their rotation policy can help them separate the wheat from the chaff.
Alejandro Garnacho is an idiot who cries in the face of criticism: a dose of Roy Keane would help
United's form is awful. They are getting beaten by a mile every game. I saw them at Spurs in the Carabao Cup and they were a disaster.
As painful as it may seem, it could help Amorim's case in terms of pushing the board to make the necessary decisions. You can't blame everything on the 3-4-3. United's players are not good enough and the culture is wrong.
To give an example, Alejandro Garnacho is an idiot who starts crying if he receives criticism. Maybe the team needs a Roy Keane figure whose response is an expletive followed by: “Get a grip.”
It's always darkest before the dawn and United will have to go through this pain. Last week I wrote that Arne Slot had inherited a group of Ferraris at Anfield. Amorim is working with applauded songs left by Erik ten Hag.
United would have trouble selling some of them on webuyanycar.com.
Plymouth should not be surprised that Wayne Rooney fell short – why did they hire him?
Plymouth licks its wounds after Rooney's absurd appointment
I wasn't pleased with Wayne Rooney's dismissal from Plymouth, but I wasn't surprised either.
It always seemed to me like a date to seek autographs without any justification. Plymouth's form is diabolical and I'm not sure who would give Rooney a job now.
Believe it or not, I didn't want Rooney to fail.
However, there was no real information or reason for his appointment other than that he was Wayne Rooney. Nothing suggests that this time there would be a better conclusion than in his three previous management terms.