Topic: Mohamed Salah - Best in the World *

[Lycan]

And there were people thinking he didn't celebrate scoring against Chelsea because he used to play for them.

[Lycan]

My favourite ever signing. Fabolous article

Not even close to mine, but i'm loving how he's playing and long may it continue.

[mc_red22]

He reminds me of Robben.

That's the one that comes to mind everytime I watch Salah play. You know exactly what he's going to do and how he's going to do it yet he finds a way every single time. I've always admired that part of Robben's game even if he is a diving fucker.

[rakey_lfc]

I thought the song debate was settled:-

We bought the lad from Roma and
He scores every game
He's Egyptian and he's brilliant and
Mohamed's his name

Mo Salah! La lala
Mo Salah! La lala

I've seen heaps of footage of LFC fans singing this, debate over?

I love this version, its my favourite and I definitely think it should be the one that sticks.

[conman]

my Italian workmate insists that he's not a goalscorer

[Wilmo]

“He’s managed something no politician has ever done, he has managed to unite the Middle East. Moroccans, Tunisians, Saudis, Kuwaitis, Emiratis, Omanis — everyone wants a Salah shirt. I have Man United fans messaging me during games saying, ‘This is so hard for me, I don’t know what to do’. With Egypt, he’s carrying the hopes of 90m. We’re having terrorist attacks every week. Economic trouble. He’s the only thing keeping Egyptians happy. Go to any coffee shop in Cairo when Liverpool are playing . . . it’s amazing. For 90 minutes he unites the nation and makes us forget all the crap we’re going through. You don’t have to worry about revolutions, about Islamic Brotherhood, Isis, any of that.

“He scores, we’re happy, we forget. And that echoes round the Middle East. Messi doesn’t unite a nation, a region, right? Ronaldo doesn’t. They don’t have the social dimension.”

Thanks for sharing the article, great read.

This bit gave me goosebumps.

[AlphaDelta]

Found this article someone posted on Reddit.

Jonathan Northcroft from The Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mohammed-salah-builds-hospitals-feeds-the-poor-boosts-egypts-economy-qtx65dkkx


Zamalek, Egypt’s “Royal Team”, were above signing Mohamed Salah. Mamdouh Abbas, their former president, sniffed “he needs lots of work” when rejecting a transfer in 2011. Salah took it well. And is not forgetful. Three weeks ago, he brought a special guest all the way to Anfield, to see him play — and, naturally, score — against Chelsea. Abbas.

Those who know Salah say he is two things: incredibly generous and quietly, wickedly humorous. Perhaps both were behind the invitation but what is sure is that Zamalek rue not having a footballer there is an argument for terming the most important in the world. Jurgen Klopp is thankful Liverpool’s scouting department “didn’t get out of our ears” about the player. “It was 100%, he is ready, he is ready,” remembers Klopp. “And that’s how it looks now.”
Salah arrived having “failed” at Chelsea in a 12-month stint from January 2014. Now he is top scorer in England and African Footballer of the Year. No outfield player has played more league minutes (1,284) for Liverpool in 2017-18 and he is the exception to Klopp’s rotation policy.

It is not the first time Salah has surprised the doubters and justified the scouts. In March 2012 he was 19 and at the modest Cairo club El Mokawloon when the Egyptian league was suspended after the Port Said stadium disaster. At the same time Basel faced a quandary. The previous month they’d agreed to sell Xherdan Shaqiri to Bayern Munich. “Shaqiri was the big star, everybody’s darling. We were under pressure to find a spectacular player and discussed targets with the scouting department,” says Basel’s ex-sporting director, Georg Heitz. “Yeah, this Egyptian’s interesting they said. Then I saw him and I was amazed.”
Basel invited Egypt’s Olympic team to play a friendly against their first XI. “Salah played 45 minutes and scored two goals. We said ‘OK.’” The doubts were about Salah settling in and nobody at the club could communicate with him. “But he was a very open person. Very humble and intelligent. After two months he spoke English fluently,” Heitz says.

Salah turned out to “be firstly a funny guy — he makes lots of friends” and Murat Yakin, then Basel’s coach, used to say any training session involving Salah and Mohamed Elneny (who joined later) was better quality because their standards and work ethic rubbed off. The pair obliterated doubts in Swiss football about the suitability of Egyptian players and Salah and Heitz still text every week. Nor is Salah’s football forgotten at St Jakob-Park. “He played winger and his best skill was cutting in from the right to score with his left, like his goal against Everton, but there was a [Europa League] game against Zenit St Petersburg where we had a red card and he played as striker, by himself, causing panic in the whole St Petersburg team,” Heitz says. “It was amazing.”

Salah was set for Liverpool when a phone call from Jose Mourinho changed his mind, Heitz reveals. Salah had scored three goals against Chelsea in four European games but, having courted him, Mourinho wouldn’t trust him “and Mohamed needs confidence, a few hugs and strokes to feel happy,” says Heitz. “Klopp is a good choice for him as manager. You can see on his face how much he is enjoying his football now.”
Salah was only 21 and a new father during his year at Chelsea. Having not been given time for his life to settle, he joined the list of adventurous players — including Kevin De Bruyne, Arjen Robben, Andre Schurrle and Rafael Van der Vaart — Mourinho at some point jettisoned. It was at Roma, whom he joined after a loan to Fiorentina, that Salah leapt to another level. Luciano Spalletti, their coach, focused Salah on attacking spaces behind defences with his lightning running, also improving his strength and finishing.

He played off Edin Dzeko, who is open about how much he misses Salah, having scored 11 goals in 21 games this season compared with 39 in 51 games last year — when Salah provided 12 assists. Having scouted about 15 wide players since their 2014 near-miss with him, Liverpool’s recruiters pushed hard for Salah again from early 2017. “We knew we would get a very offensive-minded midfielder who is a lot of games a striker and has the ability to make goals — that’s the package we wanted,” Klopp says. “We watched a lot of games [for] his physicality. I met him at one point and he looks more [sturdy]. If you watch him only on television he looks quite skinny.”

The world’s most important footballer? First meet Salah the person: humble, retiring, soulful. Favourite English word? “Love.” Favourite noise? “The sound of my daughter.” Perfect day? “Stay at home, relax, don’t talk to anyone,” he said in a club channel Q&A. He avoids interviews but speaks through actions. In his rural home region he’s building a school and paid for an ambulance service and several hospital incubation units. He runs a charity, sends clothes and goes back to feed people in Ramadan. Recently, Egypt’s government needed quick currency to prop up the Egyptian pound and he donated £210,000.

He’s a kid from a small town who played football with a kora sharab (a ball made from socks) and a good Muslim, posting selfies reading the Koran on Liverpool away trips and praying when he scores. His daughter is Makka (Mecca) and his wife, Magi, is veiled. For Arabs he is a beautiful symbol, and for Egyptians a saviour. His nerveless penalty against Congo took Egypt to their first World Cup since 1990. “Words cannot explain it: 95th minute, 100,000 fans. He’s only 25. You could feel a pin drop when he walked to the ball . . . but we knew our lives were safe in his hands,” says Marwan Ahmed, of Egypt football website KingFut. An incredible 23 of Salah’s 32 Egypt goals, came in competitive games.

Egyptians fly in to watch Salah and the club produce a replica shirt with his name in Arabic. A burgeoning podcast, Oil Field Index, serves Arabian Liverpool fans. Its host, Hatem Kadous, an engaging Egypt-born London lawyer, explains Salah’s significance. “He was offered a villa for scoring that goal against Congo — he refused, saying ‘give the same amount of money to my village’. He didn’t celebrate against Chelsea because we’d just had a terrorist attack [killing 305 at a mosque]. He’s very engaged politically and will tweet whenever there’s stuff going on, tributes and peaceful messages. In this age of Islamophobia I’m pleased he hit the ground running, that it helped fans take to him,” Kadous says.

“He’s managed something no politician has ever done, he has managed to unite the Middle East. Moroccans, Tunisians, Saudis, Kuwaitis, Emiratis, Omanis — everyone wants a Salah shirt. I have Man United fans messaging me during games saying, ‘This is so hard for me, I don’t know what to do’. With Egypt, he’s carrying the hopes of 90m. We’re having terrorist attacks every week. Economic trouble. He’s the only thing keeping Egyptians happy. Go to any coffee shop in Cairo when Liverpool are playing . . . it’s amazing. For 90 minutes he unites the nation and makes us forget all the crap we’re going through. You don’t have to worry about revolutions, about Islamic Brotherhood, Isis, any of that.
“He scores, we’re happy, we forget. And that echoes round the Middle East. Messi doesn’t unite a nation, a region, right? Ronaldo doesn’t. They don’t have the social dimension.”

Remarkable article, really enjoyable.

[Hendollama]

Found this article someone posted on Reddit.

Jonathan Northcroft from The Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mohammed-salah-builds-hospitals-feeds-the-poor-boosts-egypts-economy-qtx65dkkx


/snip

Brilliant read. Absolutely adore the man. Always have liked humble and down to earth players.
On top of that hes a funny bastard too

[the_red_pill]

my Italian workmate insists that he's not a goalscorer

He wouldn't happen to be Blue?
I swear, the other day he said something about only scoring "pace goals".

[RedSince86]

  from Joe.co.uk.

https://streamable.com/g0338

[CaptainSuarez]

To the tune of Ini Kamoze - Here comes the hotstepper;

He's a liverpool winger
(Mo Salah)
He's a great goal bringer
(Mo Salah)
He's got a hell of a pinger
(Mo Salah)
We love him like that
(Mo Salah)

Na, nah-nah-nah-nah, na na na na na na na na na na, Na-Nah-Na-Naaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl3J_AnDff4

[PIPA23]

Fantastic article, he is bigger than we think for off field matters as well. Just love the fact we signed him.

[Kelvinlfc]

Love that the two best players in the league atm are both Mourinho cast offs, what a shithouse he is.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

Mohamed 'The Egyptian Magician' Salah has done something strikers Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez couldn't manage.

On Sunday, winger Salah scored his 20th goal in only 26 games in all competitions for Liverpool in their 4-0 thrashing of Bournemouth.

That meant the £34m summer signing became the first Reds player to get 20 goals in a season before Christmas since Anfield great Ian Rush in 1986-87.

His goals have also helped Liverpool become the first team in top-flight history to have won four consecutive away games by a margin of at least three goals.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42384842

[McSquared]

Its nice to have another player with something a bit special

[Suareznumber7]

Mohamed 'The Egyptian Magician' Salah has done something strikers Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez couldn't manage.

On Sunday, winger Salah scored his 20th goal in only 26 games in all competitions for Liverpool in their 4-0 thrashing of Bournemouth.

That meant the £34m summer signing became the first Reds player to get 20 goals in a season before Christmas since Anfield great Ian Rush in 1986-87.

His goals have also helped Liverpool become the first team in top-flight history to have won four consecutive away games by a margin of at least three goals.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42384842

What a fucking bargain this transfer turned out to be.  Must easily be over a 100m player now. 

[PIPA23]

What a fucking bargain this transfer turned out to be.  Must easily be over a 100m player now. 

same age as Neymar, who has 17 goals in 19 games for PSG... so yeah, more than 200m player.

[newterp]

What a fucking bargain this transfer turned out to be.  Must easily be over a 100m player now. 

We will find out when Real come calling this summer...   

[edge]

We will find out when Real come calling this summer...   

They can't afford him.

[Samie]

We will find out when Real come calling this summer...   

Ah bit late for them to pick up on our enquiry of Marco Asensio.

[Ski]

This guy just wants us to call in love even more than we already are with him, huh?

What a guy!

[clinical]

What a fucking bargain this transfer turned out to be.  Must easily be over a 100m player now.

The king of Egypt is worth £250m. If someone is willing to pay that I'll drive him there myself. So Salah and I can tell them to fuck off together in person.

[JonnyDubb]

Saw this lovely photo Mo had on his twitter

[Pistolero]

How's the party going now Jenas?..

[Yiannis]

Reckon if Brandt had not wanted to stay at Leverkusen, we would have had both of them by now? If it was one of them then thank fuck he chose to stay there.

[So… Howard Philips]

As a matter of interest it would be interesting to see how many viable chances he's been involved in, which he hasn't converted.

He keeps on getting into goalscoring positions - it's a pity he's not more clinical.

[Dim Glas]

Reckon if Brandt had not wanted to stay at Leverkusen, we would have had both of them by now? If it was one of them then thank fuck he chose to stay there.

One plays predominantly on the left and the other on the right, so I don't think it'd make so much sense that it was one or the other.

I've always thought the interest in Brandt was seen as an opportunity to snap up a promising youngster to develop.  There is a signicant disparity in their talent level and development as players. And of cousre the latter especially isn't a surprse as Brandt is 4 years younger.

[GIPPO77]

Salah has been one of the best value for money signings in years.

[Red Beret]

A great and humble man who is scoring for fun.  We all love him and he's done something that sport is supposed to do - unite people.

And on a purely selfish note, I don't think anybody will be complaining about all the new Liverpool fans we must be getting in the Middle East. 

[Tesco tearaway]

A great and humble man who is scoring for fun.  We all love him and he's done something that sport is supposed to do - unite people.

And on a purely selfish note, I don't think anybody will be complaining about all the new Liverpool fans we must be getting in the Middle East. 

You don't give our blue cousins enough credit mate 
The Middle East is the new Norway 

[dudleyred]

I hope sky sources are the usual bollocks - just seen Liverpool making plans to allow salah to attend CAF footballer of the year in Ghana the day before we play Everton!! Oh and Mane!!

[deFacto please, you bastards]

According to the Echo we will allow both Mo and Mane to fly out to Ghana for the award ceremony, however the club is working on arranging a private jet to bring them back, they would arrive early Friday morning so they could play that nighy against the bitters

[Gnurglan]

According to the Echo we will allow both Mo and Mane to fly out to Ghana for the award ceremony, however the club is working on arranging a private jet to bring them back, they would arrive early Friday morning so they could play that nighy against the bitters

He'll run faster than the jet. Really want to see him vs Arsenal. We'll need him.

[Barneylfc∗]

I hope sky sources are the usual bollocks - just seen Liverpool making plans to allow salah to attend CAF footballer of the year in Ghana the day before we play Everton!! Oh and Mane!!

Hope they've got a Tardis handy.

[Crosby Nick]

Hope they've got a Tardis handy.

Not much different than flying back from the Canaries and heading straight into work.

[dudleyred]

Hope they've got a Tardis handy.

Maybe a reflection of the rotation we are planning for the cup

I find it astonishing we’re consudering letting them go - what’s wrong with a video link!

[rob1966]

Not much different than flying back from the Canaries and heading straight into work.

First class out, no passport checks, private jet back, they won't even feel like they are travelling.

[Crosby Nick]

First class out, no passport checks, private jet back, they won't even feel like they are travelling.

Again, much like my trip to the Canaries.

[So… Howard Philips]

Again, much like my trip to the Canaries.

And as two good Muslim lads they won't be hitting the duty free.

[Barneylfc∗]

Not much different than flying back from the Canaries and heading straight into work.

Maybe a reflection of the rotation we are planning for the cup

I find it astonishing we’re consudering letting them go - what’s wrong with a video link!

Serves me right for trying to be a funny c*nt. I skim read it and thought it was this Friday and they'd be playing against Arsenal. Forgot we played Everton in the cup. Thought you'd made the mistake and were talking about the game last week