Joey Barton has indicated that Paul Coutts could, if he wanted to, join his coaching staff after all-but ruling the Bristol Rovers captain out for the rest of the season and admitting the Scot may have to consider retirement.
Coutts has missed the last three Rovers games due to a knee injury and, after undergoing an MRI scan this week, could require an operation that will more than likely end his contribution for this campaign.
With the Scot out of contract at the end of the season and due to the succession of knee and other injury issues he’s experienced, at the age of 34 and, according to Barton, having taken various painkillers daily for up to the last six years, he may have to call time on his career.
Coutts has made 61 appearances for Rovers since signing on a free transfer last summer as one of Barton's first signings for the club and was an integral and hugely influential member of the promotion campaign out of League Two.
“Couttsy is possibly going to require surgery so that might be the last time anyone sees him because it’s going to be tricky now for him to get back to full fitness,” Barton said.
“He’s got to go and see a specialist but it looks like it’s been aggravated and he’s not got great knees anyway. The initial consultation, after the MRI, with the surgeon is that this might be that one injury too far for him.
“He’s kind of approaching that stage of his career anyway, he’s kind of defied his medicals, certainly as long as he’s worked with me at Fleetwood and here - he’s defied what the reports would suggest.
“But Father Time catches up with everybody and this knee injury that he’s got is on his good knee and we haven’t had the bad knee scanned. But Couttsy will have had to be taking codeine and cocodamol, just to train and play. So you can imagine over 4, 5, 6 years of doing that, the toll it takes on your physical and mental health.
“If you’re getting an okay return on that, in terms of you’re able to give a good account of yourself on the pitch and there’s not too much swelling in the aftermath of games, that’s a price all of us, as players, certainly as you get into the latter stages, are prepared to pay.
“But there’s a threshold that’s crossed and I think Couttsy is sitting on the top of that or is about to go over it.”
Having integrated Glenn Whelan into his coaching staff for this season, albeit with the veteran Irishman making a sporadic run of appearances at times of emergency, Barton admits he could bring Coutts into that backroom team believing it’s tailor-made for his skillset and personality.
Coutts is taking his UEFA A-licence this summer with the England FA, as he increasingly focuses on that side of the game and ultimately plans for a life after football, albeit with this looming decision accelerated beyond his control.
Geography, however, from a Rovers perspective is likely to play a part in his decision with his family based in Aberdeen.
“He’s somebody who’s been captain for me, brilliant player, and I think he’ll be a great coach and a great addition to the coaching group,” Barton added. “So he has got life after football but hopefully he can get some more minutes… but it’s looking highly unlikely.
“His missus and kids are up in Aberdeen so no doubt he’ll sit with them in the summer and discuss what’s best for him.
“For me, I believe in people who have done well for me, and given everything on the pitch, if I can I would want to help them out in the start of that next journey. Whelo’s the first ex-player of mine to to do that, Couttsy has been longer with me and has been captain in Fleetwood days and a brilliant captain here. Plus, I really do think his skillset, as a person, would be well-suited to the secondary career.
“He’s been superb and I’ll always try and create an opportunity for him if I can.”
Barton also confirmed that fellow midfielder Sam Finley hasn't recovered from the illness that has rendered him unable to feature in Rovers' last two games and won't play against Portsmouth on Saturday. Defender Luca Hoole has shown signs of recovery, however, and providing he comes through training on Friday could be part of the matchday 18.
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