It can be hard at times to appreciate greatness unfolding right in front of you, only when it’s over do you realise the gift.
A sentiment that will befall Mohamed Salah, says Jurgen Klopp.
The Egyptian has set countless records and in only 288 games has placed himself as the club’s seventh-highest goalscorer of all time, and he needs only 12 more to move into fifth place.
It can be easy to take Salah for granted and subsequently notice when his performance levels have dipped, such are his lofty standards.
It isn’t to say he does not have areas to improve, both can be true, but Klopp knows Salah’s true greatness may only be appreciated once he no longer calls Anfield home.
“He’s a Liverpool legend and that’s how it is with legends,” Klopp told Sky Sports.
“You only realise how great they were when they’re not here anymore. As long as they are here, they have outstanding games, normal games, not so good games and it’s like ‘he can do this better or this better’.
“The moment he is not here anymore, someone will look at the numbers and go ‘wow, we saw real greatness’ – that’s the truth.
“But I am his coach, we can celebrate his career when we’re both finished and reflect on how wonderful it was and it will be like this 100 percent.
“But until then, we have to work and Mo has defended as well and all of these kinds of things. Mo will miss chances and score goals, there’s no doubt about that.
“There was a record in the last game when he had to score one goal and he’s the all-time leading goalscorer in the Champions League and there was the goal.
“I like when he can get new records because he wants to have them as well.
“The contribution of Mo Salah to everything we achieved in the last few years you cannot measure. It’s immense.”
Liverpool’s No. 11 has reached double-figures for goals in every season at Anfield to date and he is only one strike away from making it six from six.
Don’t wait until it’s all over to appreciate what’s right in front of us, Salah truly is greatness personified.
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