Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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Welcome into the latest edition of ESPN FC. I'm Dan Thomas, joined by Craig Burley. Our jib operator needs some W40. Did you hear that noise? I did hear that noise, yes. I don't know if you heard that at home, but... Lots going on today. Later on in the show, we'll be discussing a story that we still don't believe.
We're trying to get to the bottom of it, whether or not it's true, involving one of the biggest footballers in the world. But we'll kick things off with another huge name, big announcement today. Mo Salah will be leaving England. Liverpool at the end of the season. For more on this, let's welcome in, shall we? Frank Leboeuf is with us, as is Beth Lindock. Beth, I want to start with you.
Did he just sign a new contract in the summer? Can you hear me? There we go. Go on, Beth.
It's that dramatic, my microphone's broken. Today was meant to be my first day of annual leave, so that was fantastic when he decided to drop that announcement. But yeah, I think as much as the timing of the announcement has maybe taken a few people by surprise, including me, I think the nature of it... It's felt inevitable for a little while, I think.
Obviously, there was that big outburst, wasn't there, in December when he came out and accused the club of throwing him under the bus amidst a poor run of form. He said his relationship had broken down with Arne Slott. And at that point, it almost felt like the situation was irretrievable.
It's credit to him, credit to Slott as well, that they were able to find a resolution to that, that he's been back in the team. He's been almost an ever-present since he came back from AFCON. But his performances, as I've said,
as of those of the rest of the team, but his particularly, when you consider how high his standards are and how fantastic he was last season, which obviously led to him signing a new two-year contract in April, his performances have been way below those standards. And I think we're maybe at a point now where you're starting to feel like father time is maybe catching him up.
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Chapter 2: Why is Mohamed Salah leaving Liverpool at the end of the season?
and some of the best and biggest performances we've seen in the modern generation. His place in the halcyon of greats at Liverpool is not in doubt. It is not. He has some of the greatest records and some of the greatest goals in the history of that football club. That is not in doubt. What is in doubt, and two things can be true, what is in doubt is his place in the current team.
What is in doubt is how many games he's going to play going forward. Certainly as a starting number 11, rather than coming off the bench. And we've already had that scenario already this season and he didn't like it. But that's where he is. This is a struggling Liverpool team. This is a struggling Mo Salah. And changes, whether it will be in personnel or in management, will have to be made.
And I think he's clever enough to have seen that. And whilst between now and the end of the season is a particularly short time, and there may be one or two hurdles for him to get over in terms of team selection, I think next year will be a completely different story. And I think he knows that. And so I think this is a smart decision.
I don't know how it's all unfolding financially all the way around. I think he's getting a free transfer. Obviously, some money saved from Liverpool's side. But in terms of the problems that the club are going to have with an unhappy player who's not playing as well and he's on huge money going forward, this sort of puts an end to that. So I think it's a win-win for both. But what he has done...
up until the start of this season, really, for this football club and what he's achieved, nobody will ever forget that because it has been tremendous. I mean, the numbers that he... When you think about him and De Bruyne being basically...
shelved at Chelsea, and both of them went on, you know, different numbers, different size, different players, both of them went on to have the careers that they had in England, just shows you what these guys are all about. Halcyon, eh? Halcyon. Do you like it? I love it. Well, don't steal it next time. Well, I don't really know what it means.
Frank?
Yeah, you know what? It's sad in a way. Because last year we had a debate about whether Liverpool should sign him or not. Will he be the same? And it was almost impossible for Liverpool to say no. And to say no, we're not going to take the risk and bet on him being as good as he was last season.
and nature and age tell us the truth and at some point you know that you're going to decline and it happens to anybody and to all of us and we have been through that and sometimes you have to know when it's time but you only know when it happens and it's sad, it's hard to accept and it's nice that Mo Salah can finally accept it and find a
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Chapter 3: What impact has Salah had on Liverpool's legacy?
I don't think he'll be sacked. But, you know, there's people... The stories will be written and... managers will be hovering around that are out of work. So, you know, that story's not going to go away, particularly if Liverpool don't make the Champions League, particularly if Liverpool finish this season in the same vein or form that they're in now. And therefore, Mo Salah can't be this...
sentimental lap of honour to the end of the season because Liverpool are not in a position to do so. So as much as he'll want to go out playing and on a high and scoring and taking Liverpool back into a better position, he's going to have to play better. Otherwise, the manager's going to have to possibly look at benching him again.
So there can't be this victory run for Mo Salah waving to the crowd as much as everybody would like that because there's too much pressure on the club to get in the Champions League. And they're obviously still in the FA Cup. There's too much in the Champions League, which they're not going to win, by the way. I mean, barring a miracle, they're not going to win the Champions League.
Holy hell, how are they going to beat PSG over two games playing the way they are? So the top four or five is the carrot, really, for Liverpool and Arne Slott. And Mo Salah will have to play well, otherwise he's going to see the end of his Liverpool career probably on the bench.
Chapter 4: How do Salah's recent performances compare to his past?
And Arne Slott can't... be faulted if that's what has to be done because he's got a job to do and his job is not to send Mo Salah off on a high his job is to get Liverpool in a better position.
Beth you know your annual leave is absolutely totaled because the ESPN FC editors are already writing you that email that says where does Mo Salah rank in the best ever Liverpool player stakes?
Well, I mean, it's very high for me. I mean, I'm 26, so in terms of my whole adult life, Mo Salah has been Liverpool Football Club. And of course, there have been phenomenal players to come before him. Steven Gerrard, Kenny Daglish, some of the best players to ever play the game. So there's a real illustrious list there. But he's right among them for me in terms of his consistency.
I mean, this season, obviously, as we've said, he hasn't been at his best, but... You know, for eight years, Niani, he's been unstoppable most weeks. He's driven Liverpool to these incredible moments, these incredible trophies. He's been, and I think more than...
that as well he's almost transcended the club and football you know he's become a bit of a cultural phenomenon everywhere that you go on Merseyside there's the people know who Mo Salah is all around the world people know who Mo Salah is and he's become the idol to so many children on Merseyside he's just totally adored here so yeah I think he's got to be right up there for me and if he could end with another trophy or two then I think yeah his standing will only increase
Frank, are you doing cow impressions? What are you doing in the background?
I was listening to Beth and I can't disagree with her, you know, because I'm part of another generation and we have seen so many fantastic, great players like Kenny Daglish, Bones, Kevin Keegan, Jan Rush, Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler. It's hard to... Yes, it's part of them, but there is a debate and there is a fight to name who is the best of the best on his side.
And well, maybe Beth knows better than us, maybe Craig or you even Dan know better than me, but you have some names that you can name and be a contest with Mo Salah.
That's why I couldn't be a journalist. Well, I couldn't be a journalist for many reasons. One, I'm not trained as a journalist, but I hate those, I hate these discussions. Are you trained for this? 20-odd years training for this. There you go. I don't like... And I know editorial like to have these comparisons and lists and rankings.
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Chapter 5: What are the potential destinations for Salah after Liverpool?
They just look at numbers and say, well...
look at these numbers, he has to be, A has to be a better player than B and a better player than C and I think, you know, everybody's different, you know, Mo Salah plays in a different position to Kennedy O'Gleish, he's in a different position to Graeme Souness and the list goes on so, what we know is, in his position, it would be hard to argue that there's been a better player and more productive player at Liverpool in his own position but in terms of
you know, being a great at a football club. I think we just leave them all there as great players.
So I suppose, Beth, the next question is who's going to replace him?
Yeah, well, that is the tough task. I mean, he's impossible to replace, really. And I think you almost saw that a little bit in terms of Liverpool's transfer strategy last summer. I know there was a lot of debate over whether Liverpool were right to bring in two strikers in Hugo Eketike and Alexander Isak. But
But what Mo Salah has done for the past nearly nine years is quite abnormal in terms of the numbers that he's managed to put up from out wide. You know, it's so rare that we see wingers generate those numbers season after season. And Liverpool have spent nearly a decade geared around him, set up to bring the best out of Mo Salah.
And I think from now on, what we might see is the team set up in a slightly different way, maybe more of an emphasis on goals being spread across the the forward line, across the team. Obviously, it's been difficult this season because Alexander Isak hasn't been involved for most of the campaign. So, you know, it's hard to say how he will flourish at Liverpool going forward.
Hugo Ekotike has made a promising start. So, it's difficult to see how he's replaced. I think whether he'd have stayed or not, I think Liverpool definitely need signings in the summer in terms of on the wings. I think that the lack of pace out wide has really hurt them this season. They really miss Liverpool
players who like Mo Salah in his prime was able to take one two three players on they just haven't had that this season so I think even if he hadn't have been leaving this summer then they would have been in the market for a winger you know I'm sure they would love somebody like a Michael Elise say it by a Munich but again in terms of the finances involved and and as Craig said Liverpool are currently sort of embroiled in a battle for Champions League qualification so you know it might be a hard sell to some top players if they can't get into that competition
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Chapter 6: What was the misdiagnosis involving Kylian Mbappe?
Another poor game for them at Goodison, or wherever it is, where they lost. Hill-Dickinson. Thank you very much, where they lost against Everton 3-0. For more on where Chelsea stand on him, James Olley has joined us. James, it's interesting that there's news that some behind-the-scenes fans weren't as impressed with Racine yet as we were hoping, kind of rumbled on last week.
What can you tell us about that?
Yeah, I mean, basically what they want to do is what they did with Maresca, which is try and judge him at the end of his second season. He's obviously come in in the middle of the campaign. He's not therefore had a pre-season or a lot of time to work with the players. He came in in a period where it was sort of games every three days and no real time to work with the group.
And I think that what they've briefed really is that they want to look at him in the summer of 2027. The problem, of course, is the short term and the results. And the fact is that the performances have been so, well, they've swung wildly. They've been quite good on occasion. They've been very poor in other games. And, you know, they can't keep a clean sheet for love nor money at the moment.
I think it's won in 14 or 15 games. And that was against Hull in the FA Cup. So, you know, and now they've obviously gone out of the Champions League. They've got, you know, they are in a real scrap now for the top five. And As far as I understand it, the expectation was that this squad was good enough, almost with whoever was in charge, to make the Champions League.
If they don't make the Champions League, that then I think places Rossini's future in a little bit of doubt.
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Chapter 7: How will Zidane's appointment affect the French national team?
The other element, of course, which could accelerate all of this is the fan reaction to him. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that the fans have never really warmed to Liam Rossini. I think there's been a bit of scepticism about him from the get-go. A lot of the fans see him as a bit of a yes-man for Bluko, somebody who won't necessarily push back.
He obviously isn't somebody who comes with the pedigree and the profile of most of the Chelsea managers of the last 20 or 30 years. So he's fighting from behind a little bit there. And if the team continues to put these poor performances
in and obviously drifts away from the Champions League places then you can sense it's going to turn quite quickly I thought it was interesting when I was at the Champions League game last week against PSG that again the fans were singing Roman Abramovich's name and that kind of tells you that there's some discontent bubbling under the surface and it's sort of not quite found its home yet some it's a bit towards the manager some it's a bit towards some of the players some of it's towards the ownership well eventually that will concentrate and you suspect that it will concentrate on Rossini more than anyone else
James, I don't think, I don't know what you or anybody else thinks about this, but I don't think it helps when the fans are listening to a manager, and this has been from day one, sort of talk and address the media in the way that he does with the sort of rhetoric that he uses and obviously the actions with the notes and there's been so many sort of
I think there's been a lot of stuff that could easily turn the dressing room not against him but almost in a mocking way when they're listening to what he's saying and when they're watching what he does in the technical area and I don't know what goes on in the training ground but when I look at some of the things that he says and does it just doesn't seem right to me
Yeah, you do get the sense that perhaps he's overcompensating a little bit for just the lack of pedigree.
He's come into a squad that has World Cup winners in it, that has players that have won titles and players who've got a huge amount of potential and young players who've been given a big contract or a long contract at a big club and expect a manager of great stature to come in and improve them. And yeah, I have to say... I mean, he got a lot of criticism when he came in.
I was at his first press conference. He came in, he made a point of shaking everybody's hand. And I thought, OK, fair enough. You know, not every manager does it. Funnily enough, Igor Tudor did it a couple of weeks later when he came in at Spurs. So, you know, it's not like it's unheard of. But just from that first action, it's always felt as though he's...
having to feel he's got to show he's worthy of this level and by that he's overcompensating with some of the things he's doing so as you say you know when he's passing a note to Garnaccio when they needed whatever it was five goals in five minutes to force extra time you sort of think well yeah you and there was a there was a an image of him when he got caught he saw himself on the big screen at Everton and he suddenly he was sat down he suddenly got up and started to point and look quite busy and thoughtful and
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Chapter 8: What challenges does Liverpool face in the upcoming season?
That was the normal following and the succession that we wanted to see with the era of Didier Deschamps. I think it's only fair to see Zizou coming. And that was, I mean, that's kind of a fairy tale and we want to see that. And it's going to be hard, especially if Didier Deschamps wins the World Cup. I mean, the task for Zizou is going to be huge. But
I think it's the wish of all French people who love football. They wanted to see that, like in the 90s, we saw Michel Platini. It didn't work with Michel Platini. It was a hard time at the time between Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille.
I want to believe that with a player that Zidane will have under his control, he will do well because I know that what he did with Real Madrid wasn't randomly done. So I'm very happy. I'm very happy that Zizou is taking over DJ Deschamps because I really think he's the right guy.
24 hours, of course, of big breaking news, big surprises in France, Jules, because Griezmann is going to MLS. Yeah, and again, we knew this was coming.
For the Zidane one, Frank is right, it was the worst tactic in football. And for Griezmann, he had a chance to go earlier. He decided to stay at Atletico until the end of the season. He could play in the Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad, his first club. That was very symbolic for him, very important.
for him, but he was always going to join Orlando then at the end of the European season, if you will. So he's very happy. It was always his dream. I remember even a long time ago, back in 2016, when we spoke about MLS back then, yeah, and he was still very much a younger player, you know, a full strength in Europe and in La Liga. But he was always saying, one day I will play there.
I want to live in the US. I want to experience that life. I want to play there. And it's finally happening now. The family is very happy. The three children are very happy. They're going to live somewhere that there's a lot of Spanish speaking and a lot of that kind of Hispanic culture, which is very good for them. And he's very, very excited.
But first, he wants to finish on a high with Atletico.
Imagine telling the kids, we're moving to Orlando.
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