Former Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United misfit Mido was ‘more technically gifted’ than Liverpool’s Premier League superstar and fellow Egypt international Mo Salah, ex-Zamalek coach Helmy Toulan tells ON Time Sports.
Biased or not, you still won’t find many Spurs supporters willing to throw their weight behind Toulan’s comments.
Mido, after all, scored just once in 12 Premier League games during his one and only season as a permanent member of the Spurs squad; sold to Middlesbrough for just £6 million after tumbling down Tottenham’s pecking order.
Mido also endured forgettable stints at West Ham and Wigan, while compatriot Salah has established himself not only as a bonafide Liverpool legend but as one of the most iconic footballers in the history of England’s top flight.
Can you really call Mido ‘more technical’ than Liverpool star Mo Salah?
“In terms of ability, Mido is more technically gifted,” argues Toulan, the 72-year-old recently seen at Cairo-based ENPPI SC
“But his habits never allowed him to fulfil his potential. I coached him when he was 16 and I know what he can do.
“What Mohamed Salah achieved hasn’t been done by any Egyptian player before. His incredible mentality and his smart agent (Ramy Abbas) helped him get to where he is now.”
Since signing a new long-term contract at Anfield on July 1st, Salah’s form – like that of his club as a whole – has taken a nosedive. There have been just two goals in eight league games this term.
Jurgen Klopp even hauled the former Roma winger off the pitch after another anonymous display in Sunday’s 3-2 defeat to pacesetters Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Salah was comfortably outshone by Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli in North London.
Can Salah and Liverpool find form again?
“It’s a good question!” a beleaguered Klopp said when asked why he removed his talismanic forward from the proceedings when Liverpool needed a goal in North London.
“I thought we had to defend again on a high level. And we tried to put Hendo (Jordan Henderson) on that side. Mo had an unbelievable workload and put in a real shift. And that, sometimes, is intense, so that is why we changed it.
“We still wanted to win, even though we took a striker off.”
Liverpool are enduring their worst start to a season in the Klopp era. They are tenth in the table, with just two wins from a possible nine. A Bournemouth side who lost 9-0 at Anfield only a few weeks ago are two places higher up the standings.
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