What Florian Wirtz must learn from Mohamed Salah as Liverpool's new superstar takes over
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Florian Wirtz is primed to take over from Mohamed Salah as Liverpool's go-to man after the Egyptian's departureIt almost got lost amongst the avalanche of tributes and kind words towards Mohamed Salah on Tuesday evening, but Florian Wirtz's contribution on Instagram was both short and sweet."It was a pleasure till now."But has it been?For the players of course it has, although results may suggest otherwise. Wirtz is one of very best emerging players in the world, and his exposure to Salah's dedication and professionalism, even if it will only be for one season at Liverpool, will only stand him in good stead for the rest of his career.Salah, too, will have enjoyed linking up with Wirtz, as seen in the clever one-two with the German before his picturebook, rolling back the years goal against Galatasaray last week, as well as Wirtz's most recent Reds strike in the 4-1 win over Newcastle at the end of January when he was picked out by Salah's precise pass.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE!
All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook pageIt hasn't always been this way though.It was back in October at Frankfurt when Salah, omitted from Arne Slot's starting line-up for the second successive Champions League game, passed up the opportunity to put a goal on a plate for Wirtz, then on game 12 of what would be his 22-match scoreless start to his Anfield career.To some it was just a harmless moment at the end of a 5-1 win, but it was one that stayed with Jamie Carragher."Where he really let himself down, in my eyes, was this season in Frankfurt," said the irked Sky Sports pundit shortly after Salah's infamous outburst at Leeds in December."Where there's a guy who signed for Liverpool who needs a goal more than anyone, Florian Wirtz. He's already had a briefing from the man he'd be replacing, too."Mo always tried to speak with me," said Wirtz in his 'Reds Roundtable' interview with official club channels earlier this month, as he discussed the players who helped him settle in to his new environment in the summer."He came also young to Liverpool and he tried just to speak to me and bring myself in the best position to make me feel... free you know?"And getting Wirtz playing and feeling free is, you think, going to be the key to Liverpool's post-Salah world.
A sturdier, defensive minded midfielder might help too.None of them, regardless of Isak's price tag, quite hold the status of Wirtz though, and while Salah's rise to prominence happened by sheer force of will, his had already begun before he took the road less travelled and snubbed the expected move to Bayern Munich last summer.“It was not that easy for me, for sure, because I am a German player, I play for the Germany national team,” Wirtz admitted upon joining Liverpool.“I just thought that it was the right point in my career to make the next step. I wanted to get to a club that is from the top three in the world, and in my opinion Liverpool was one of them."If Liverpool have been on that podium over the past decade then Salah's efforts have played a large role in getting them here.Now he passes the baton to Wirtz, and a new story waits to be written.