Renowned columnist "Jackie" points out that Salah acted unprofessionally by breaching discipline. Liverpool has reached a turning point—if he doesn't accept it, he must leave.
On 12 Dec 2025 GMT+7, "Jackie" Adisorn Puengya, a well-known columnist, commented on Mohamed Salah, Liverpool's winger, after Salah expressed dissatisfaction about being dropped to the bench for three consecutive matches, missing out on the midweek Champions League game. Jackie shared his views on the "Clear on the Sidelines" foreign football program, airing every Friday at 20:00 on all Thairath Sport online platforms.
Jackie said the issue with Salah is straightforward: he's a footballer and a team superstar with a big ego due to his clear achievements since 2017. After being benched, Salah gave interviews indirectly criticizing the club and manager. The root problem may lie in training sessions or tactical changes, which are the coach's responsibility. The coach decides who plays or not—that's his duty.
Players must train and perform well; if not, they become substitutes. But now Salah crossed the line by speaking out, which affects the team. This concerns discipline. Professionally, it's a breach of discipline. A player’s duty is to focus on training; whether the coach selects him is another matter—even if he is a superstar.
I can say Salah acted unprofessionally. When that happens, the team and Klopp must solve the issue. If Salah gets his way, others will follow suit. But I believe no one else at Liverpool would do that.
Compared to Klopp, Salah had great freedom to play attacking football without worries. Klopp designed the system to let Salah shine. As a substitute, Klopp might not use that plan. Last season was still the same team, but now with new signings, changes are inevitable. The team's future isn’t solely dependent on Salah.
Some say Salah is a scapegoat, but he isn't. It’s the coach’s way of wanting to adjust the team. That’s football’s nature, which Salah can't accept. He was always a starter. In his interview, he said he's done so much and deserves to play. If he talks to Klopp and still insists on this, a break-up is inevitable.
Simply put, Liverpool has reached a point where the team must change. Whether fans like it or not is another matter. If results and trophies meet club goals, Klopp’s efforts to change many aspects of the team will succeed. If not, he will be replaced.
Regarding Salah, if the team must change and he cannot accept it, then he must leave. His actions show he does not accept this change.
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