Curtis Jones says Mohamed Salah apologised to his Liverpool team-mates for his controversial interview earlier this month.
Jones reveals Salah has apologised to Liverpool squad
- Salah comments post-Leeds made Jones “angry”
- “Nobody has blamed anybody” for poor season
- Liverpool is a “family” and “families argue and fight”
Liverpool had just drawn 3-3 away to Leeds United to continue their miserable first half of the season, and Salah’s comments felt extremely ill-advised and poorly timed.
He was rightly criticised for what he said and the timing of it, with Reds legend Jamie Carragher branding him a “disgrace” during a seven-minute rant on Monday Night Football.
Carragher’s words kind of turned the public tide in Salah’s favour, and it’s supposedly water under the bridge as the Egyptian featured in Liverpool‘s next league match against Brighton, seven days after his post-Leeds outburst.
Salah has now gone to represent Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, but he is still the talk of Anfield.
Head coach Arne Slot discussed Salah in his pre-match press conference on Friday, and in an interview on Friday, Reds midfielder Jones has revealed that the 33-year-old apologised to his team-mates for his comments after the Leeds match on December 6.
Salah made me ‘angry’, but Liverpool is a family – Curtis Jones
Jones, who says the Liverpool squad is united behind Salah, told Sky Sports: “Mo is his own man and he can say his own stuff. He apologised to us and was like, ‘If I’ve affected anybody or made you feel any sort of way, I apologise’. That’s the man that he is.
“I can only speak from me knowing Mo and how he is with us and how he acted on that. He was positive as well. He was the exact same Mo, he had a big smile on his face and everybody was exactly the same with him. I guess it’s just part of wanting to be a winner, and I don’t think he will be the last.
“When there’s been any sort of anger from us, including myself, it’s always been from a good place. In the moment, it might not have come out in the right way, but it’s never been to affect the team, the staff, the manager, anybody like that. We’re past that now and we’re gelling well as a team, playing well and starting to win games.
“When I’ve spoken to lads at different teams and I see how our team is to theirs, here is more of a family thing and families argue and fight, but they always stick as one. That little blip showed that the family is the most important thing.
“I say that with obviously the fans and the stuff with Mo that it hasn’t affected us in any sort of way. It affected our minds in needing to win, but nobody has blamed anybody and I think that’s the important thing.”
Jones continued: “I’m a Scouser, I know how much it means to the city and fans and the club and staff around here. It’s probably the first time I’ve been in a situation like this.
“There were a few reasons why I came out and spoke (after losing to PSV). I was just honest. I will say what I think, and at times it will rub [people] up the wrong way.
“Anybody who knows me knows I hate to lose, whether it’s card games, training games, it doesn’t matter. Now, because I’m in the first team and I’m a Scouser, I’ve supported the team from a kid, I’m playing as a player, but as a fan at the same time. I know how much it affects the fans, it affects me the exact same way. I’ve got that extra on me that we cannot lose.
“I was angry but it was a shock at the same time. It was positive to see how the lads all acted. They didn’t blame Mo, didn’t blame the manager, didn’t blame each other or anything like that. It was just taking it on ourselves.
“I was talking about the lads having to run more, fight more and compete. I wasn’t just saying them, it’s me as well. That’s what you’re starting to see now and that’s why I feel like the whole thing is changing.”
Mo Salah’s Liverpool future still remains uncertain
It looks like everyone at Liverpool is ready to move on, but rumours about Salah’s long-term future continue to circulate.
Clubs in Saudi Arabia are prepared to go all out on signing Salah in January, having failed with a £100million bid in the 2023 summer transfer window.
If Liverpool intend to sell Salah next month, they’ve played a blinder to keep his transfer value from plummeting. If Saudi clubs want him, there’s little chance of agreeing a cut-price deal now.
But it remains to be seen what will happen regarding the Egyptian’s future, while Liverpool prepare to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday.
FAQ
- What did Mohamed Salah apologize for?
- He apologized for comments made in a controversial interview regarding feeling mistreated by the club.
- How did Curtis Jones react to Salah’s comments?
- He expressed that the comments made him “angry” but stated that the team is united behind Salah.
- What impact did Salah’s comments have on the team?
- Jones indicated that despite the controversy, it did not lead to blame within the team and showed their strong bond.
- What is Salah’s current status with Liverpool?
- Salah is currently representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations while still being a key figure at Liverpool.
- Are there any rumors about Salah’s future?
- Yes, there are rumors about his potential transfer to clubs in Saudi Arabia in the upcoming transfer window.
- What did Jamie Carragher say about Salah?
- Carragher criticized Salah during a segment on Monday Night Football, labeling his comments a “disgrace.”
- How has the Liverpool team responded to the situation?
- The team has reportedly come together, focusing on teamwork and aiming to improve their season performance.