‘Helped me through tough times’ – Ex-Liverpool teammate issues firm backing of ‘role model’ Salah
A former Liverpool teammate of Mo Salah has spoken out strongly in defence of the Egyptian’s character.
The 33-year-old has dominated headlines over the past week after his impassioned outburst following the Reds’ draw at Leeds, the third successive Premier League game in which he was omitted from the starting XI.
Our number 11 has come in for criticism from many in the media since his incendiary comments last Saturday, with Jamie Carragher labelling it a ‘disgrace‘ and Tim Sherwood saying on Sky Sports that the winger was ‘bang out of order’.
Quansah passionately defends ‘role model’ Salah
Jarell Quansah spent two seasons as a Liverpool teammate of Salah before departing for Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, and speaking ahead of his team’s Champions League clash against Newcastle on Wednesday, the defender issued a glowing character reference of the Egyptian.
The 22-year-old said (via Mail Sport): “I can only speak on when I was there and what I saw from Mo – a great role model, a great character around the dressing room who obviously had an unbelievable season and helped us win the [Premier League].
“From what I’ve seen, it’s nothing but positive. He’s helped me through tough times, he’s definitely done that. I can’t speak from the outside. I’m just sort of a Liverpool fan and looking like everyone else.”
It was notable that, when asked about Arne Slot in the same press conference, Quansah flatly replied: “I don’t need to speak about my relationships with other managers.”
Can Salah and Slot make amends?
At liberty to speak more candidly now that he’s no longer at Liverpool, the former Reds defender seems to be clearly behind Salah after last weekend’s tempestuous events.
In Slot’s first game in charge of LFC in August 2024, the centre-back was substituted at half-time against Ipswich, and he started only once more in the Premier League before the title was mathematically clinched against Tottenham Hotspur in late April (Transfermarkt).
It’d duly appear that there’s no great love lost between the Leverkusen defender and the LFC head coach, so it comes as no surprise to us that he seems to be very much on the winger’s side in this particular episode.
While Salah was wrong to air his grievances in public last week and open an almighty can of worms, Quansah’s testimony shows what it’s like for young players to have an influential figure like the Egyptian as a teammate to help them along their journey in elite football.
The door would appear to be open for the 33-year-old to remain at Liverpool if he’s willing to make amends. Let’s hope that he and Slot can mend their differences and that we’ll once again have the best version of the winger to call upon at Anfield.
You can watch Slot’s full post-Inter Milan press conference below, via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:
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