Topic: Mohamed Salah - Best in the World *

[ABZ Rover]

Exactly. 

We are a football institution, respected across the world.  A history that many would kill for.  To pull on a Liverpool shirt and play in front of our support is worth more than any filthy petro dollar to any player with a soul.

Yes we still have to pay what many would consider crazy salaries to our players but we need to draw a line to ensure the financial viability of the club unlike the financially doped c*nts.

[killer-heels]

Tbf expanding Anfield has cost us quite a lot, plus the new training ground. Most clubs didn't have that problem. We had to invest a lot off of the pitch.

Maybe, but dont expect us to change even after that money is paid off.

[Eeyore]

Henderson signed a 4 year contract did he not? Doubt he is returning his current levels in years 3 and 4.

Henderson wasn't asking for top 5 player wages though. Plus he plays in a position in which experience counts. Just look at Milner.

Mo relies on his pace and explosiveness. For me he has looked tired since AFCON that may well be a precursor for what he will be like in a few years time. 

[killer-heels]

Henderson wasn't asking for top 5 player wages though. Plus he plays in a position in which experience counts. Just look at Milner.

Mo relies on his pace and explosiveness. For me he has looked tired since AFCON that may well be a precursor for what he will be like in a few years time. 

There is a report that he would take a 2-year extension.

Maybe, but we thought Sadio was not going to be effective anymore.

[WillG.LFC]

The thing with Salah is he has exposed a belief that Liverpool fans had for a long time that actually, we are not at the top of the tree. For years there was this belief that consistent CL qualification and we would keep every big player and sign some as well.

The reality is, now at the top of the tree or just a branch down, this is one of the few times that we have seen that there is a level we cant get to and that we may lose a player simply because we cant afford them.

In terms of financially, Salah has outgrown us. Its hard for fans to get over that.

bit harsh, it's not other clubs that's the issue, it's that we have to compete with actual countries funding these clubs. That's literally not possible

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

Maybe, but dont expect us to change even after that money is paid off.

I think we should be grateful and thankful to this generation and this era that is coming to an end. Literally their success on the pitch, and them not demanding crazy money ( Mane on 100k a week?) made it possible for us to expand Anfield and to build a new training ground, and many other things off the pitch. We were miles behind everybody else, and in quite short period of time, now we're in top5. We've done things right and fair. I think we need 3-4 more successful years to totally establish ourselves.

[Eeyore]

I think we should be grateful and thankful to this generation and this era that is coming to an end. Literally their success on the pitch, and them not demanding crazy money ( Mane on 100k a week?) made it possible for us to expand Anfield and to build a new training ground, and many other things off the pitch. We were miles behind everybody else, and in quite short period of time, now we're in top5. We've done things right and fair. I think we need 3-4 more successful years to totally establish ourselves.

I think Klopp is the one to thank for that.

[The G in Gerrard]

Well it's also an industry that can't be compared to 99% of jobs. If this were a Hollywood actor I'd be saying the same thing though.

If I earned what Salah does in a week, I can honestly say I wouldn't care what anyone else was getting paid. Why would I? I would have more than enough to provide for my family and friends for the rest of my lifetime and theirs. There is no way I would ever notice any extra money on top of that, so what would be the purpose of the increased wages? I would like to get a raise at my current job, because if I were paid the same as the highest earner at work it would make a noticeable difference to my quality of life. There is surely no way anyone could notice the difference between £200,000 and £300,000 however. I can't get my head around it.

There is of course the argument that I'm talking from my perspective as someone struggling for money. If I had always been a footballer, like Salah, than perhaps my view of the real world would be equally as distorted as his.

It was quoted somewhere in this thread or transfer one where Manchester United players - quite a few iirc correctly eg De Gea are on better salaries than Mo. I'm not justifying his demand just understand where he's coming from. He's been as good as it gets since he's joined us up until the new year. I don't begrudge him wanting what's best for him. I just genuinely hope it's abroad he gets it and not here (if it's not with us).

[Eeyore]

I think people's disillusionment with the game for whatever the reason is manifesting onto Salah strangely.

In all walks of life people want their worth. Not sure why Salah has to be any different. If this isn't sorted by time season starts then it's inevitable he leaves on a free which will be disappointing.

There's lots of sports people that earn millions and have done for years. Just seems like football is reaching that stratosphere now in terms of wages (in some cases).

I think the main issue is that Football has always had this strange tradition of one last big pay day. Ageing players who were past their best would get a bumper deal as a kind of reward. Either from the Club they had represented or as a last hurrah.

Things have changed and with the advent of analytics the smart clubs have realised that overpaying ageing players just doesn't make sense.

We have gone from a club that signed an ageing Joe Cole to a team prepared to let Mo Salah walk. I would call that progress.

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

I think Klopp is the one to thank for that.

Oh definitely.

[Sheer Magnetism]

I have no issue with Salah wanting to leave, just that it's going to be next summer for nothing. Ideally, we would be selling him for top money this summer. That's how you manage to keep being successful, getting a player's peak years and moving him on for big money just before he starts to decline.

And from what I've seen Salah's peak years are coming near to an end. He isn't a number nine who can use his build to hold off defenders from the middle, he's always relied on his explosiveness. And that can go very quickly, especially when you've played a lot of games in your late 20s. No one anticipated Alexis Sanchez falling apart as quickly as he did but he was clearly a busted flush months before Man Utd signed him. Same with the likes of Aubameyang and Hazard.

Now I'm not saying that's necessarily the case with Salah, but I don't think anyone's expecting him to get better over the next four years. He'll be a sizeable loss but it's not Suarez in 2014, Mascherano in 2010 or Alonso in 2009. We got his peak.

[Coolie High]

I have no issue with Salah wanting to leave, just that it's going to be next summer for nothing. Ideally, we would be selling him for top money this summer. That's how you manage to keep being successful, getting a player's peak years and moving him on for big money just before he starts to decline.

And from what I've seen Salah's peak years are coming near to an end. He isn't a number nine who can use his build to hold off defenders from the middle, he's always relied on his explosiveness. And that can go very quickly, especially when you've played a lot of games in your late 20s. No one anticipated Alexis Sanchez falling apart as quickly as he did but he was clearly a busted flush months before Man Utd signed him. Same with the likes of Aubameyang and Hazard.

Now I'm not saying that's necessarily the case with Salah, but I don't think anyone's expecting him to get better over the next four years. He'll be a sizeable loss but it's not Suarez in 2014, Mascherano in 2010 or Alonso in 2009. We got his peak.

Salah had his second best season this one, how is his peak coming to an end? Do people forget he had goal drought even in his first season?

Also in regards to your point he isn’t a number 9 who can hold off defenders because he is a number 11 who does the same, he’s probably the strongest in our side pound for pound alongside Mane for that reason, plus he can pass better than everyone in our team bar Thiago and Trent.

That doesn’t strike me as a player who won’t age well, the obsession with age in our fan base was bourne partly down to circumstances and our status as a club, buying young enough where we can sell on for a big amount later on down the line, the problem is our status has changed in the last 5 years but many of the fans sentiment has not realigned with this, we just lost to a team in the CL final who fielded 6+ players over the ages of 28 yet posters want to carry on acting as if every player is done at 30+.

[Egyptian36]

I have no issue with Salah wanting to leave, just that it's going to be next summer for nothing. Ideally, we would be selling him for top money this summer. That's how you manage to keep being successful, getting a player's peak years and moving him on for big money just before he starts to decline.

And from what I've seen Salah's peak years are coming near to an end. He isn't a number nine who can use his build to hold off defenders from the middle, he's always relied on his explosiveness. And that can go very quickly, especially when you've played a lot of games in your late 20s. No one anticipated Alexis Sanchez falling apart as quickly as he did but he was clearly a busted flush months before Man Utd signed him. Same with the likes of Aubameyang and Hazard.

Now I'm not saying that's necessarily the case with Salah, but I don't think anyone's expecting him to get better over the next four years. He'll be a sizeable loss but it's not Suarez in 2014, Mascherano in 2010 or Alonso in 2009. We got his peak.

I dont know if you have noticed or not but Salah is physically a beast and his injury record is phenomenal . How is he going to lose this explosiveness you talking about

[FLRed67]

They say timing is everything.

Based on what we have seen and heard over the last few months, and the circus that is in town right now, this is definitely the right time for both Mane and Salah to leave the club.

Thanks for everything.

Bye.

[BarryCrocker]

They say timing is everything.

Based on what we have seen and heard over the last few months, and the circus that is in town right now, this is definitely the right time for both Mane and Salah to leave the club.

Thanks for everything.

Bye.

That's 39 of the 94 goals we scored this season.

[jepovic]

I think the main issue is that Football has always had this strange tradition of one last big pay day. Ageing players who were past their best would get a bumper deal as a kind of reward. Either from the Club they had represented or as a last hurrah.

Things have changed and with the advent of analytics the smart clubs have realised that overpaying ageing players just doesn't make sense.

We have gone from a club that signed an ageing Joe Cole to a team prepared to let Mo Salah walk. I would call that progress.

Players seem to stay prolific much longer these days though, due to better fitness, diets etc. Look at Lewandowski, Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic, etc. Salah has already changed his game a bit to adapt, and hes versatile enough to continue that. Robben was a similar player who did very well for years.

However, FSG and Klopp seem to be cautious about 30+ players, with the exception of the freak that is Milner. Not sure if its a good strategy, just an observation. Bayern seems quite happy to manage declining stars, by contrast

[rob1966]

bit harsh, it's not other clubs that's the issue, it's that we have to compete with actual countries funding these clubs. That's literally not possible

Exactly. The City owner has a personal wealth of £18 billion, he can spend a billion and not notice it, never mind the Saudis who dwarf the UAE in wealth

[Linudden]

You have to count it in terms of money/return. Is it cheaper or more expensive to find a suitable replacement when you've committed £80 million in base salaries (which will rise to above £100 million in bonuses) over four years. The problem there is that someone like Saka would come close to this in the transfer fee and sign on alone. With the commercial revenue Salah provides it might actually make more business sense signing him up. Inflation and football revenue is what it is and right now 400 k is what 200 k used to be ten years ago. The club earns enough money to keep him with ease so long as there are no attendance restrictions. It's just a question of willingness and a financial calculus at this point.

I'm of the opinion that keeping Salah at 400 k/week is a better deal than letting him go on a free. Especially with Mané gone. He's still going to earn less than a franchise quarterback in the wage-capped NFL. Also a lot less than Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in a sport where the car is 80 % of the performance. It's also a way to show appreciation for what he did for the club in these five years. That being said, he's still a very greedy person who should check his privilige, but that applies to most footballers.

With a new contract there's also the possibility to recoup all of the extra money spent next summer if another club is interested in paying 70 mil for his services.

[rocco]

Mo relies on his pace and explosiveness. For me he has looked tired since AFCON that may well be a precursor for what he will be like in a few years time. 

It’s 100% a precursor , my worry is has it arrived already .

[Red-Soldier]

I have no issue with Salah wanting to leave, just that it's going to be next summer for nothing. Ideally, we would be selling him for top money this summer. That's how you manage to keep being successful, getting a player's peak years and moving him on for big money just before he starts to decline.

This is it for me too.  I'm miffed we wont be getting any cash for him!

[JackWard33]

It’s 100% a precursor , my worry is has it arrived already .

Would be a pretty big coincidence if his physical decline from age coincided with him being massively over played in the middle of a season
If he was off a notch in the second half of the season fatigue from the minutes he’s was asked to play seems a pretty clear reason

His underlying performance was pretty consistent though and he’s just put up his best season on those numbers since his first at the club so hard to see any decline yet

[S]

Salah was poor after AFCON, most probably because he’s been playing a stupid amount of games.

The overreaction to his dip in form is quite something though. Go and rewatch his goals from earlier this season. Or if you’re short on time just watch the one against City. Nobody else can do that.

[Red-Soldier]

It’s 100% a precursor , my worry is has it arrived already .

His was shattered after AFCON.  He was in the form of his life before then.

[On Axis]

Maybe Mo would benefit from a move to a central position like Mane.

[jepovic]

Salah was poor after AFCON, most probably because he’s been playing a stupid amount of games.

The overreaction to his dip in form is quite something though. Go and rewatch his goals from earlier this season. Or if you’re short on time just watch the one against City. Nobody else can do that.

Hardly any pace goals anymore. Just skill. He will age well. His pressing will drop, which might worry Klopp.

[Paisley79]

I agree with my fellow old duffers in this thread. The money is disgusting to those of us in the real world but trying to put that aside for the moment...

I wouldn't necessarily begrudge Mo a move to Madrid, Barca, Munich, Juvenyus, AC Milan, even PSG. I think he'll find though, that, in purely footballing terms, a move away would not benefit him  - Klopp's system suits him perfectly & that may not be the case elsewhere. But if he was to move to Man City (and they're the only real Premiership option), that's a real kick in the crotch. Even if, like me, you stopped investing any personal emotion in the players themselves a long, long time ago.

[Mighty_Red]

We clearly cant.

The point being made is that, yes we could pay have whatever he wants just like Utd do, but it will be to the detriment of the team. Every other non state club could jump in pay an insane wage, but they'll make it up elsewhere by paying others less.

Losing players in their 30s cos of money is not the worst position to be in. Remember when we lost star players in their prime?

[FLRed67]

That's 39 of the 94 goals we scored this season.

And there's nobody else who plays football who can score goals?

Or there are, but they are not interested in playing for LFC?

Or they are, but it will cost more than a total of 800,000 a week, or whatever it is the club is currently being asked to pay?

Or it won't, but it means having to write new songs, just when you'd finally learned the lyrics to the old one?

You can spend all day rationalizing why you need to keep what you have. I think they call it the "endowment effect".

At some point, as women tell me, just before they block my number, ask their friends to call me one last time to tell me to "stay the fuck away from her",  and have a restraining order issued:

"you just have to move on"

[farawayred]

Remember lads, it’s not all about the money…

[ScubaSteve]

Remember lads, it’s not all about the money…

We need this on a banner at the end of every season to remind the players of that. A salary cap could save football although a little too late for that now

[Waterpistol]

Pay him what the market dictates. He's a special talent, looks after himself, and 5 sub rule will benefit his career through managing his minutes into his 30s. He still has another 4 years at the top. It will be very disappointing if we don't sort this, especially when the wage increase could be covered by shifting some of the dead wood.

[JP!]

Whatever happens I hope the whole thing isn't a sideshow all season. Although with that dick of an agent I have a feeling it may be.

[markedasred]

It was quoted somewhere in this thread or transfer one where Manchester United players - quite a few iirc correctly eg De Gea are on better salaries than Mo. I'm not justifying his demand just understand where he's coming from. He's been as good as it gets since he's joined us up until the new year. I don't begrudge him wanting what's best for him. I just genuinely hope it's abroad he gets it and not here (if it's not with us).

My autistic son uses an argument like this to not pay us any rent. The mistakes of others (MUFC in this case) does not mean we should employ their business model to award wages recklessly. I think it is a fine balance though between being responsible and borderline denying we are one of the biggest clubs in the world with our unofficial wage cap. Or has Salah been getting a fair old wedge with his bonuses, but wants the same money or a bit more guaranteed without him needing to perform?.

[Mister Flip Flop]

Pay him what the market dictates. He's a special talent, looks after himself, and 5 sub rule will benefit his career through managing his minutes into his 30s. He still has another 4 years at the top. It will be very disappointing if we don't sort this, especially when the wage increase could be covered by shifting some of the dead wood.

No thanks, we've a wage structure and i hope we stick to it. Fenway have my full support over this.

[rob1966]

Pay him what the market dictates. He's a special talent, looks after himself, and 5 sub rule will benefit his career through managing his minutes into his 30s. He still has another 4 years at the top. It will be very disappointing if we don't sort this, especially when the wage increase could be covered by shifting some of the dead wood.

Not a chance. We've a team of special talents, best keeper in the world, best CB, best RB, once we rip up the wage structure for one player, every agent will be wanting new contracts.

The market isn't being dictated by football clubs, it's being dictated by countries. PSG cannot afford €5 million a month for Mbappe, they need Qatar itself to pay them, City cannot afford their wage bill, Abu Dhabi itself pays the wages out of their own money

[Waterpistol]

No thanks, we've a wage structure and i hope we stick to it. Fenway have my full support over this.

Once upon a time we broke whatever the structure was to give the top earners now what they are on.

Football changes. £1M a week would be insane and a complete no-no, but offering him what lesser players make at United etc? Reasonable and paid for by the wages saved in moving Ox/Origi etc on.

[Waterpistol]

Not a chance. We've a team of special talents, best keeper in the world, best CB, best RB, once we rip up the wage structure for one player, every agent will be wanting new contracts.

The market isn't being dictated by football clubs, it's being dictated by countries. PSG cannot afford €5 million a month for Mbappe, they need Qatar itself to pay them, City cannot afford their wage bill, Abu Dhabi itself pays the wages out of their own money

See my post above. Salah isn't asking for 7 figures a week. Salah is the star in this team, when any other player contributes like he does then they have an argument for getting what he earns. It's the same at all clubs.

[Mighty_Red]

Just to remind you all that we have one of the highest wage bills in Europe, only a handful of clubs spend more. This is not 2012 where we cut our wage bill down to the bone.

The point is that the wages are spread around the entire playing squad and coaching staff so whilst we do not pay insane wages to individuals, we pay enough to keep the majority happy which wasn't the case before. Think it's pretty fair, and a lot better for team spirit.

Suggestions that we get rid of 'deadwood' to pay for Salah is nonsense, as today you lose Origi and Ox to keep Mo, then you get rid of Naby to keep Mane and before long your squad is too small to cope and you're even more reliant on older players who could fall off a cliff at any time.

[Waterpistol]

Just to remind you all that we have one of the highest wage bills in Europe, only a handful of clubs spend more. This is not 2012 where we cut our wage bill down to the bone.

The point is that the wages are spread around the entire playing squad and coaching staff so whilst we do not pay insane wages to individuals, we pay enough to keep the majority happy which wasn't the case before. Think it's pretty fair, and a lot better for team spirit.

Suggestions that we get rid of 'deadwood' to pay for Salah is nonsense, as today you lose Origi and Ox to keep Mo, then you get rid of Naby to keep Mane and before long your squad is too small to cope and you're even more reliant on older players who could fall off a cliff at any time.

I strongly agree with this bit, do you think we should have renewed Henderson until 2025? Should Milner get a new deal? I was/am against both for the same reason you state there. Salah is the best premier league player of his generation, allowances should be made for him. I hope we can keep him till he's 34 like City did with Aguero.

[JackWard33]

No thanks, we've a wage structure and i hope we stick to it. Fenway have my full support over this.

The wage structure is sort of made up though (5 years ago we’d never paid a player over 150k a week then we gave Salah 200k a week plus bonuses… we’d never given a longer term contract to an older player - then we did for Henderson) and the owners can do what they like and have a lot of financial flexibility at the moment

I think Salah will leave on a free but I don’t think it’s totally certain
We can’t pay Salahs ‘market rate’ so it’s always depended on a compromise but there are clear reasons why we’d make an exception in his case - it would clearly be a one off. If it’s true he only wants 2 more years that changes my pervious opinion somewhat and I do think a deal can be done (especially with mane resolved)
Clearly if he wants 4 years at 20 million a year it’s not happening here but if he’ll compromise it’s possible