Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah was in tears after being substituted by Jose Mourinho during his disastrous spell at Chelsea, with midfielder John Obi Mikel recalling the incident
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John Obi Mikel appears on That Peter Crouch Podcast
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah was brought to tears by Jose Mourinho at Chelsea says John Obi Mikel
(Image: That Peter Crouch Podcast)
John Obi Mikel has shed light on a poignant episode involving Jose Mourinho and Liverpool icon Mohamed Salah during their time at Chelsea. The tough approach of 'The Special One' led to tears for the future Reds superstar.
Mourinho, known for his demanding style, has often gotten the best out of players, though it didn't quite work out for Salah at Chelsea, who left for Italy only to return to the Premier League with Liverpool and achieve greatness.
Former Nigeria international Mikel recounted an incident from May 2014, when Salah was substituted at half-time against Norwich City. This event seemed to irreparably damage the player-manager relationship.
Speaking on That Peter Crouch Podcast, Mikel initially praised Mourinho, saying: "Fantastic guy, amazing. Not just [as] a coach, but a human being as well.
"He's someone you can speak to, someone you can connect with. But [he] obviously has his ways of trying to get the best out of players.
"Sometimes did he cross the line? Of course he did. Of course, he did cross the line sometimes, the way he spoke to players. Especially younger players. But it was just that era of him trying to get the best out of players.
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"He did that with Mo Salah when he had a go at him in the dressing room, and Mo Salah started crying, and he took him off. Sometimes when you have a go at players, you just have a go and take them off!
"Or you have a go and let them go back into the game and try to correct whatever mistake it was. But sometimes he does that and tells you, 'You're not going back in.' It's a double whammy, isn't it?"
Jose Mourinho (R) gives instructions to Chelsea's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (L)
Mourinho brought Salah to tears in west London(Image: Getty Images)
Salah had a complicated task ahead of him more than a decade ago, having to play out of position in midfield, reports Football London. Things did not get better after his substitution, with Eden Hazard also struggling as the match ended 0-0.
Following that, Salah only made a few appearances for Chelsea before he was sent out on loan to Fiorentina in February 2015, where he proved rather prolific.
This was the start of the end for his first spell in England, and with an improvement in his performance, he was soon signed permanently by Roma. During his time at Stamford Bridge, Salah scored just two goals and set up three in 19 appearances.
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In 2017, after impressing in Serie A, Salah was brought to Merseyside for £34million, and the rest is history. His Chelsea numbers pale in comparison to the amazing 245 goals and 113 assists he achieved in 401 appearances for the Reds so far.
Although known for being able to quickly change his mood, Jurgen Klopp, the manager who recruited Salah, built up an amicable reputation as a head coach.
It is likely more than just a coincidence that Salah flourished under the German manager's guidance, demonstrating a cunning edge as he matured. The same could be said for new boss Arne Slot, who helped the Egyptian tally 29 goals and 18 assists in the top flight this term.