Allardyce Says “Salah’s been crap” and Should Look at Himself
Liverpool’s season has drifted into uncomfortable territory and now the noise around Mohamed Salah has intensified after his public remarks about the club’s direction under Arne Slot. Former England manager Sam Allardyce has weighed in strongly, insisting the Egyptian forward crossed a line by airing frustrations so openly while still part of the dressing room.
Speaking during a recent football discussion, Allardyce made his feelings crystal clear about Salah’s criticism and the wider impact it could have on Liverpool’s stability heading into a pivotal summer.
Allardyce said: “If I were the owners, yeah, I would ban him. If you’re the owner, you go, ‘What you think you are? You’re not bigger than this football club.’”
The former Premier League manager did not stop there. He questioned Salah’s performances this season and suggested the forward should look inward before criticising the team’s direction under Slot.
“To be fair, he’s been crap, ain’t he?” Allardyce added. “For what he was and what he used to do and what he did last season to win the league. He just hadn’t done it. So, look at himself. Look at yourself how bad you’ve been.”
Those remarks have sparked fierce debate among Liverpool supporters, particularly because Salah remains one of the club’s most influential figures of the modern era.
Slot era enters difficult phase
Arne Slot arrived at Liverpool with the task of maintaining standards established during the previous era while evolving the side tactically. Early optimism around the Dutchman’s appointment has faded slightly after inconsistent performances and growing uncertainty surrounding key players.
Salah’s comments appeared to reference a desire for Liverpool to return to a more aggressive identity. He said he wanted to see Liverpool become “the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear” once again and insisted the club’s footballing identity “needs to be recovered and kept for good”.
While some supporters sympathise with that viewpoint, Allardyce believes the issue should have remained private.
“If he was staying next year, definitely not make it public,” he explained. “Go and see the managers. Talk to him what you feel, what the players feel. Speak to the ownership because ultimately what you’ve done, you’ve got enough clout to go to the ownership and speak together and be open on it. Never do it publicly because I think it disrespects the manager and it disrespects the players that are within that group.”
That criticism cuts to the heart of Liverpool’s current challenge. Slot is attempting to impose authority during a transitional period, but public criticism from senior players only magnifies tensions.
Salah future creates uncertainty
Questions over Salah’s future have hovered around Anfield for months and the latest developments have only intensified speculation. There is already growing belief that Liverpool could undergo significant changes this summer, with senior figures potentially moving on as the club reshapes the squad for Slot’s long-term project.
Allardyce suggested the timing of Salah’s comments was especially damaging given Liverpool’s recent form.
“I was at the game against Aston Villa. They were poor,” he said. “Second half Aston Villa just started to dominate them. Maybe that wee bit of fire under the belly is gone a little bit.”
He also hinted that major departures may arrive sooner rather than later.
“Salah leaves, Andy Robertson’s going to leave. I think a couple others will leave in the summer,” Allardyce claimed.
Liverpool supporters will hope those predictions do not fully materialise, but there is little doubt the squad is approaching an important crossroads.
Liverpool response under spotlight
The immediate focus now turns to how Slot handles the situation internally. Dressing room harmony is crucial during periods of transition and Allardyce believes managers must remain the dominant voice at elite clubs.
“I still believe the manager is the most important person in the football club,” he said. “Doesn’t matter how elite your players are, the manager should be the main player and to go against your manager to say something like that I think is wrong.”
There is also curiosity surrounding how supporters will react if Salah does leave. Despite criticism over his comments, his contribution to Liverpool’s success across recent years remains undeniable. Few players have delivered more iconic moments during the modern era at Anfield.
Yet football moves quickly. Slot is now under pressure to steady the atmosphere, improve performances and oversee a successful rebuild if Liverpool are to challenge consistently again at the top of English and European football.
The original source of these comments came during a wide-ranging football discussion involving Sam Allardyce and other former professionals analysing Liverpool’s current situation and Salah’s public remarks.
