This is what discussion leader Michel van Egmond asks in the latest episode of the podcast Kieft Jansen Egmond Gijp. “The bad thing is that Slot is the only one to victimize him,” says analyst René van der Gijp. “If you take out three or four at the same time, he might still understand. But now he is the only one taken out of a team that is not running well.”
Mohamed Salah alone in gym as Liverpool are in Italy for Champions League
“And if you have been that good, and I think he is still good, they will of course become completely insane in Egypt,” says Wim Kieft about the status of Salah in his homeland. “Especially because there is never anyone in Egypt who is good at anything. But as Slot you cannot continue to field him if he is not profitable.”
‘It’s better to let Virgil van Dijk talk to Salah, there’s no point in talking to Slot anymore’
Rob Jansen adds: “And the problem is of course that Liverpool’s purchases are not doing so well yet. I believe they have brought in 500 million euros worth of players (including… Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Alexander Isak in Florian Wirtzed.) that are not yet yielding very well.” Van der Gijp does not see things going well between trainer and star player any time soon. “You can do better now Virgil van Dijk and getting two or three other key players at Liverpool to talk to Salah. With Slot it no longer makes sense.”
Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk thank the Liverpool crowd, which is not being spoiled at the moment. © Getty Images
Van Egmond also wonders what Quinten Timber can best do now. “He should certainly not leave during the winter break,” is Jansen’s opinion. “Because there is a World Cup coming up. At a new club we have to wait and see whether he will play enough.” For Timber’s teammate Sem Steijn the podcast members don’t see things too rosy Feyenoord. “He is not good enough,” says Kieft. “Giving him the captaincy was not a smart decision either,” says Jansen. “Timber, Steijn and Luciano Valente in one midfield is a bit too much of a good thing,” is also Van der Gijp’s opinion.
‘Luciano Valente shows every week that he belongs in the Dutch national team’
Ajax has to do without Wout Weghorst for the rest of this calendar year and the striker of the Amsterdam team is also not left undiscussed after his early, forced substitution against Fortuna Sittard. “That boy (Fortuna defender Shawn Adewoyeed.) was somewhat crude. But Weghorst himself is sometimes a bit rude,” said Kieft. “And if Weghorst thinks it is a red card, then it should be a red card. He acted to the fourth official as if the greatest injustice had been done to him in twenty years.”
The men could better live with the reaction of Max Verstappen, who missed out on the world title in Formula 1 on Sunday. “He is a good loser,” says Van Egmond. “I think he is the best driver of all time,” adds Van der Gijp. “He races around that track at 340 and in the meantime looks calmly Charles Leclerc drives. He’s really crazy.” Kieft: “I also think that he doesn’t need anything that is being shouted in his ear during such a race. He hears people telling him where he should pay attention to his tires and then thinks ‘I know that too’.”
The draw for next summer’s World Cup mainly made the men laugh. “What Gianni Infantino was doing there hit everything,” says Jansen. “Even Donald Trump was upset by it.” Van Egmond: “But FIFA produces these kinds of people, right? We have before too Sepp Blatter had.” Jansen: “Yes, Blatter is now saying that this is going too far, while the man himself is corrupt. And Infantino laughs a lot, who thinks he decides everything. But I’ve never been able to catch him doing anything sensible.”
‘We will have a lot of fun with Dick Advocaat at the World Cup’
Van Egmond enjoyed it Dick Lawyerwho immediately saw his Curaçao linked to the strong Germany. “The tension splashed from Dick’s face, we are going to have a lot of fun with that next summer.” Van der Gijp laughs: “Yes, it’s nice that the whole island was turned upside down when they qualified for the World Cup. But now you have to explain to those people that they actually have no interest in that tournament at all.”
Watch or listen to the entire Kieft Jansen Egmond Gijp podcast below
