Liverpool FC vs. The Egyptian King: Why loyal Mo Salah was right to say what he did

Mohamed Salah has been sitting in the middle of a bright fire for a long time now. Throughout the years we've watched him grow to become one of the most legendary goal scorers in recent history, and of all time.

However, in the last 10 days that fire that once was what propelled him into worldwide recognition is now becoming an uncontrollable and dangerous temperature. It seems now that the entirety of football fans around the globe are torn in half, all over the winger's candid comments after Liverpool faced Leeds on December 6.

On one side, people are beyond angry, and on the other, lies some kind of understanding. On both sides - fans, staff, and even players, all of them affected by this in one way or the other. 

Words can change everything

On December 6, Salah was benched for the entire 90 minutes whilst Liverpool were visiting Leeds. An occurrence that's only happened three times in his 15 years as a pro footballer. 

After the match, Mohamed had accepted interviews from a few media outlets. It was during this interview that the catalyst that fanned the fire took place.

He went on to make comments about how he was being treated, saying, "I'm very, very, disappointed. The fact that I have done so much for this club, everybody can see that during the years, and especially during last season... I'm sitting on the bench, I don't know why. It seems like the club is throwing me under the bus - that's how I felt it, how I feel it."

For further context, he went on to explain, "I think that it's very clear that someone wants me to get all the blame. The club promised me in the summer for a lot of promises and nothing... So far I'm on the bench 3 games, so I can't say that they keep their promise."

It's important to understand the full scope of where he's coming from. From the tonality and his expressions from the interview, you can visibly see his disappointment. "I say that many times before, I had a good relationship with the manager and out of the sudden we don't have any relationship. I don't know why... It seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn't want me in the club."

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Salah's loyalty now falls under question for half of the people who once sang the songs of the Egyptian King. The real questions here are of the two: Who's side is right, and does this mean for the future of this star player and the historic club he's called home for the last eight years.

The interview gained the world's attention seemingly overnight. Everything from online blogs, to sports analysts, and even former players joined in on the conversation to give their two cents.

One standing constant between the two sides is that it wasn't appropriate to air out the club and his business to the world.

Understandably so, because Mohamed didn't hold back with exactly how he felt. In the interview, he mentioned calling his mother to tell her to be at Anfield Stadium when Liverpool defeated Brighton - doing so because he flew to his homeland to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations directly after, and he knows that his future at Liverpool is a gigantic question mark while he is away.

This prompted the reporters to ask him what he would do with the situation between him and the club now.

Answering honestly, he replied, "It's not acceptable for me, to be fair. I don't know why that's happening, always to me - I don't get it. I think if I'm somewhere else, that every club would protect his player. I don't know why I'm in this situation now, but again, how I see it now is like you throw Mo under the bus, because he's a problem in the team now - but I don't think I'm the problem."

His grief became a catapult for global debate. The current consensus is that you should never go against your club - and a lot of people are angry based on the negative connotations he made towards the FC - calling him selfish and almost convinced that the star winger is getting cut. The other half of this current populace sees things a little differently.

Loyalty is thicker than blood, but easily spilled

Admittedly, its easy to throw the stone when we focus on the negative words said - but that was far from the entirety of what he said in this infamous interview. "Again, this club - I've always support it, my kids will always support it - I love the club so much, and I will always do." Something Salah made sure to mention more than once throughout the conversation.

And, isn't it evident? He's stayed loyal to Liverpool for the last eight years.

Let's take a look at what that means: Within those years, he's been approached by Real Madrid, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid again, and the Saudi Pro League Al-Ittihad twice.

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Each time he didn't chase any of those opportunities and remained in Anfield. It was famously reported that Al-Ittihad had offered him 150-200 million - to which he did not go after. Not to mention the countless other additional offers that were never publicly confirmed.

That, repeated over the last eight years, can only spell loyalty - It can only spell love. 

There've been many current and former players who've had something to say about the whole ordeal.

There's only one problem, with their respect - not a lot of them are on the same caliber as Mo. In his eight years he's brought the club eight major trophies - including, but not limited to, the FA Community Shield, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, Carabao Cup - twice, FA Cup, Champions League, and the Premier League Championship - twice.

This isn't even mentioning the long list of individual accolades the winger has under his belt - 3 Premier League Golden Boots, 2 PFA Player of the year awards, 2 FWA Footballer of the year awards, the FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball, and multiple league, European, and club honors all within the span of eight years.

In his own words, "I have done so much for this club to win the respect that I want to get - And I don't have to go, every day, fighting for my position because I earned it. People will say, 'You're not bigger than'- I'm not bigger than anyone. I've just earned my position - this is football."

A situation all too familiar. We must all think back to the 2022 season when Cristiano Ronaldo had words to say to the press after him and his Manchester United team were struggling on the pitch.

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As we see it today, the media and football world were divided in two. Of course it's unbecoming of a player to critique his own team - but are you able to see the pattern?

Where does the line really draw between the drive to want your team to succeed, and the drive to become a household name - is one truly separate from the other? We must remember that in the center of each of these examples, is a just man that wants to play football - and play it at the highest level possible.

The mountain, and which way to climb

Beyond the present media fiasco, Mohamed has never publicly criticized his current or past teams. He's shown time, and time again, that he bleeds Red. As we arrive now, we find ourselves sitting on the precipice of this extremely tall mountain.

If we look down, we can see Salah on a mission for himself and his team to become legendary - standing frustrated because he feels the weight of giving everything you can being met with a stiff arm.

Nobody is above their team, that's evident, but is the team above the catalyst of their own success? Liverpool FC is undeniably a warhorse - but lest we forget that before Salah joined, the team hadn't won any championships since 1989.

That's 36 whole years of a city wanting to feel the pride that comes with your team holding that trophy above their heads.

That's not to say that Mo was the sole reason for their success - the entire squad had major roles being played - but they went from coming up empty handed for three and a half decades to winning 8 major trophies in the last 8 years the Egyptian King has worn the red cloth.

It's an unnerving sight to behold, but only time will tell what comes next. 

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