I Saw Salah’s Talent Even When He Hardly Played At Chelsea – Lampard

Chelsea coach, Frank Lampard feels his ex team-mate Mohamed Salah has proven himself to be a maga star with te way he rediscovered himself after his disappointing time at Chelsea.

Salah came into the EPL with Liverpool with no huge reputation but he has shut his critics up by being consistent and ruthless in front of goal.

Ahead of Chelsea’s clash vs Liverpool tomorrow, Lampard has praised Salah by saying he saw the talent in him even when he hardly played at the London club.

His words, “It is hard because everyone has their own pathways,” the Chelsea manager told reporters at Cobham Training Centre. “Unfortunately for Mo, it didn’t work out here but it is great credit to him. He went to Italy and then came back and now he is a superstar.

“As for his path, it is hard to compare to what may have been. I had an overlap with him. The talent was obviously there. At the time, I think we had a lot of options in attacking areas. Number 10s, wingers and he didn’t get as many opportunities for whatever reason but yes you could see the talent was there.

“But the player that he is now or that came back to Liverpool I think you have to say huge credit is due. You don’t have to search for anything more than look at Mo himself. You have to say what professionalism and work ethic to leave a club like Chelsea is not easy.

“People then cast you aside and say you won’t make it there. He went onto be the superstar he is now. It is completely credit to Mo himself.”

“They were both in the right. They are competitive lads. I played with players that demanded balls to their feet and I shot and visa versa, I demanded a pass and they shot,”

“I think that edginess about football and that professional competition, as long as it doesn’t overstep the mark which is the job of the manager and that only happens behind the scenes, but I like it. They both want to score goals. They are hungry. They are competitive. They want to be winners.

“When they play like that, that’s the answer. If they are not playing well enough or not performing and you see that going on then as a manager, you ask more questions but these boys are really driven. I like it.

“I remember being in the dressing room with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. After I scored at Southampton, he complained that I hadn’t passed to him in the game and he said I should have passed to him in the game and in a different moment from my goal.

“He said, ‘You scored one. There you go you just want to score again and not pass to me.’ This is from a man who shot 20 times a game. That’s it! That was Jimmy, that’s what football is about, it is different personalities.

“That’s what strikers should be and have to have an element of selfishness about them. I had it as a midfield player. I wanted to be good individually and to be part of a winning team. You can’t have the perfect ambience around at all times around the squad.

“It is good for players to test each other – if you didn’t, it would be a relaxed nature in the group. I don’t know Mane but I know Salah. He is a really good lad. He is just hungry and I think that’s one of the reasons because of his elevation we spoke about as a player.”