Salah Could Have Stayed — If Liverpool Handled It Better

5 May

There’s a growing feeling around Liverpool FC that Mohamed Salah’s departure was always coming — no matter who was in charge.

Whether it was Arne Slot, Xabi Alonso, or even Jürgen Klopp, the argument is that the timing was inevitable.

But not everyone agrees.

The “inevitable decline” argument

There’s a clear case being made that this season showed the signs.

  • Physical drop-off
  • Pace not what it once was
  • Reduced attacking output
  • Less influence in games

For some, it’s simple:

👉 Father Time has caught up

And once that happens, it doesn’t matter who the manager is — the trajectory is set.

From that perspective, Salah leaving now or next summer was always on the cards.

But is it that straightforward?

Personally, I’m not fully convinced.

Yes, there may have been signs of decline — but great players don’t just fall off a cliff overnight.

And that’s where the manager comes into it.

Could a different manager have got more out of him?

This is the other side of the argument — and one I lean towards.

Under a different setup, Salah might have:

  • Been used more effectively
  • Been protected physically
  • Played in a system that maximised his strengths

Managers like Jürgen Klopp, for example, built systems around players like him.

So the question becomes:

👉 Was this decline inevitable… or poorly managed?

Off the pitch matters too

It’s not just about what happens on the pitch.

There’s also a feeling that Salah hasn’t been fully happy with:

  • The direction of the club
  • What he’s seeing behind the scenes
  • The overall environment

And that can play a huge role in a player’s decision to move on.

My view

I understand the argument that his time was coming.

But I don’t think it was as inevitable as some make out.

Personally, I think:
👉 Salah could have stayed
👉 A different manager might have got more out of him
👉 The situation around him hasn’t helped

Final thought

Sometimes in football, exits feel inevitable.

But sometimes, they’re the result of a combination of factors — form, management, environment, and timing.

With Mohamed Salah, it feels like a bit of both.

And that’s why this debate isn’t going away any time soon.

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Jamie (The Kopite View)

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