IAN LADYMAN: If Mohamed Salah leaves Liverpool for Spain, I don’t blame him
One of the successes of the modern Manchester City was to keep hold of Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Vincent Kompany for so long.
The trio were fundamental to City’s decade of success while simultaneously being courted by top European clubs.
Liverpool now face a similar situation with Mo Salah.
Star striker Mohamed Salah has dropped a hint that he could leave Liverpool to move to Spain
Salah’s exit would be a huge blow for Liverpool and Premier League title winner Jurgen Klopp
One of the world’s very top players, Salah is 28 years old, so we can say with confidence that these are likely to be his best years.
Salah gave an interview to the Spanish newspaper AS the day after Liverpool beat Tottenham last week and it was published over the weekend.
In it, he was asked about a possible move to Real Madrid or Barcelona, and said he did not know what would happen in the future, adding that ‘everything is in Liverpool’s hands’.
A something-and-nothing answer, some would say. But others would look at the context of the interview and begin to wonder.
Some important background here is that Salah doesn’t do interviews. Well, hardly ever.
At Liverpool, the media team joke fondly about Salah’s habit of refusing all requests with a great big, endearing smile.
Salah rarely conducts interviews but has now spoken to outlets sympathetic to Spanish sides
Since his arrival from Roma three-and-a-half years ago, he has spoken to the English written media on just two occasions and both times it was in a group setting after a significant moment or achievement.
This is entirely his prerogative. He is not the only player to take this approach — coincidentally, Aguero is another — and no athlete should be criticised for wishing to be private.
But now Salah has decided to talk — to a Spanish outlet known to be particularly sympathetic to Real Madrid.
In doing so, Salah and those who represent him would have known the question about his future would come up. But he did the interview anyway. So, yes, we do wonder what this is all about and so, doubtless, will people at Liverpool.
The more pertinent question is what they do about it.
Salah showed his brilliance by scoring two superb goals in the closing stages at Crystal Palace
Money is a possibility. Salah has two-and-a-half years left on his contract. Liverpool could offer him a new one. Whatever was on it, he would arguably be worth it.
But even that may not be enough. It was not enough for former Liverpool stars Luis Suarez or Raheem Sterling or Philippe Coutinho.
They all moved on simply because they felt their careers and personal interests would be best served elsewhere and at some stage it may be that Salah does the same.
There is a strong argument that he has everything he needs at Liverpool. Money, medals, happiness and the chance to win more in a team who continue to evolve under a coach who has the ability to improve him yet further as a player.
Rampant Liverpool were at their flying best as they registered a 7-0 demolition at Selhurst Park
These are the arguments that persuaded the City trio to stick around when telephone calls were arriving from Spain and, indeed, London.
However, sometimes that is not enough. Sometimes a player just wants to play and live somewhere else and experience the thrill of playing for another historic club before the candle burns out on a short career.
And if that does happen with Salah — if he does decide to go — then we should keep two things in mind.
Salah’s sumptuous second goal was the pick as he came on to score two exquisite late strikes
Firstly, it will not signal the end of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. The club is now sufficiently resourced and organised to prosper without any one player. Secondly, we should not blame Salah.
He is not a Liverpudlian and, as such, any feelings of loyalty or emotional attachment will only run so deep. He is an international gun for hire — one of the best there is.
So if he goes at some stage, we should not ask why and should not boo him on his return. We should just say thank you.
What he has already given us is more than enough.
Uefa should put Russia plan on red alert
Along with France and Germany, Russia are on a uefa shortlist to host the European Championship if coronavirus prevents it going ahead throughout the continent next summer as planned.
This is Russia, guilty of systematic and state-sponsored doping across all sports. If uefa have anything about them at all, they will put a red pen through Russia’s name immediately.
Forest farce is an insult to proud history
Nottingham Forest once achieved special things and in doing so stood for something. Forest, with their lovely stadium by the Trent, showed you didn’t have to come from London, Manchester, Milan, Liverpool, Munich or Madrid to win in Europe.
Now Forest are a mess and it’s not hard to understand why.
Since they were bought by the Greek shipping magnate Evangelos Marinakis in summer 2017, Forest have bought or signed on loan 70 players.
This summer alone, after narrowly missing out on the Championship play-offs, they recruited 14. On Saturday at Millwall, only three of them were in the team.
They used to talk about having fans on the board at Forest. They should have done it. Maybe they could have done something to stop the betrayal of a great club’s history.
Nottingham Forest have become a mess and have signed 70 players since the summer of 2017
Crunch time for Grealish
Jack Grealish has retained the Aston Villa captaincy despite being convicted of two driving offences and there is nothing wrong with that. The 25-year-old deserves the opportunity to move on from his mistakes.
But CCTV footage of him crashing his car while breaking lockdown rules back in March makes for grim viewing and the time for maturity really is now for Grealish.
Does he want to become a seriously influential and successful international footballer over the next five years? Or merely remain a very good one?
We are about to find out.
