LONDON: Jurgen Klopp is confident Roberto Firmino agreeing to a new five-year deal to stay at Liverpool will convince Mohamed Salah to remain a Red.
The Egyptian ace was named Football Writers’ Player of the Year yesterday to only underline the huge impact he has had since moving to Anfield last summer. His 43 goals in all competitions has seen him become on of the most sought-after players in Europe with a host of big names, Real Madrid among them, said to eager to entice him from Liverpool once the season is over.
But Klopp did not display any worry that he might lose his most-prized player when asked ahead of the Champions League semifinal against Roma. And that is all done to Firmino signing on the dotted line.
The Brazilian striker signed a new deal on Sunday and Klopp said: “I am happy to have Roberto around — he’s just a good boy in the dressing room. It’s perfect, unbelievably important news for us. Really cool.
“At the moment every player knows about our plans. He’s the first (to commit) but for sure he won’t be the last.”
While Salah has, understandably, received most of the plaudits and accolades the Liverpool march to possible Champions League glory has been far from a one-man show. Firmino and Sadio Mane have both been key to Klopp’s side impressing both in Europe and the Premier League, where they currently lie in third spot behind the two Manchester clubs.
On Firmino the German boss added: ““I heard what he said about it being an easy decision for him and I can really imagine that it was. He knows and absolutely appreciates this club. The other boys really respect him for all the work he’s doing.
“This constant discussion about whether he’s under-valued or whatever in public, this never happened for one second either in the club or in the team.
“He feels completely comfortable and is planning for the long-term here. That’s becoming rare because if you are not Barcelona or not Real Madrid then there’s usually another club somewhere you can go. It’s really good news for us. He’s absolutely a big factor in our future.”
Meanwhile, Salah’s latest personal gong was confirmed yesterday when he followed up his PFA Player of the Year award with the Football Writers’ Player of the Year Award.
The 25-year-old narrowly topped the poll of the 400-strong FWA membership ahead of Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, the margin understood to be less than 20 votes. Tottenham striker Harry Kane was third.
Between them and De Bruyne, who helped City claim the Premier League title with five games remaining, collected more than 90 percent of the journalists’ votes.
Jurgen Klopp calm over future of star man Mohamed Salah
Jurgen Klopp calm over future of star man Mohamed Salah
- Roberto Firmino has signed a new contract
- Liverpool boss hopes Salah will do the same
Teams on edge as F1 reset faces litmus test in Australia
- Formula One’s new era faces first test in Melbourne
MELBOURNE: Formula One’s new era starts at this weekend’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix, where teams will leap into the unknown and grapple with sweeping technical changes under race conditions for the first time.
F1 has simultaneously overhauled chassis and power unit regulations for the first time in decades, posing a challenge for drivers and engineers alike while raising concerns about the quality of racing.
With near-parity between electrical and combustion engines and cars running on 100 percent advanced sustainable fuel, drivers gained some insight into the changes during winter testing. But all are in the dark about how the reset will play out when going wheel-to-wheel on race-day.
“I’m certainly more comfortable now than I was a couple of months ago, with how to drive these cars and how to try and get the most out of them,” McLaren’s Oscar Piastri told reporters on Wednesday.
“But I think there’s still the saying of, ‘You don’t know what you don’t know.’”
Australian Piastri said McLaren thought they had the cars worked out two months ago, only to find they had “a whole bunch of stuff” they did not understand during winter testing.
With more power generated by electricity than last year’s engines, there is more emphasis on drivers needing to be tactical with energy deployment and regeneration.
The old drag reduction system has been replaced by a new overtake mode giving extra power for overtaking.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen described the changes as “like Formula E on steroids” and “anti-racing.”
Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali defended them and assured fans there will still be plenty of thrills.
‘Unnatural’ driving
The changes may have different effects at different circuits, leaving all teams to learn on the fly, week by week.
Piastri said Sunday’s race at Albert Park would probably showcase the more “unnatural” parts of driving.
“You know, a lot more lift and coast, a lot more kind of just driving to maximize the power unit,” he said.
“You’ve got power units that are reducing in power down the straights at different points. And there’s a lot of unknowns, a lot of challenges in there.”
The new regulations raised hopes of a more open championship and the prospect of a disruptor team emerging to force change at the top.
But pre-season testing in Bahrain hinted at a familiar top four, with Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren all performing.
Audi team principal Jonathan Wheatley said the gap between the “best and the rest” might only widen.
“I think it’s going to be a very different year in terms of the competitiveness in the sport,” he told Reuters. “We’re already seeing the gap between the fastest teams and the slowest teams, but larger than it’s been in the last few years.”
Whatever the pecking order, F1 race tracks will be more crowded with the addition of the new Cadillac team although there may be more breathing room at Albert Park given Aston Martin’s pre-season troubles.
Despite the technical guidance of Adrian Newey, who joined from Red Bull, the Honda-powered team completed few laps during winter testing and have reliability problems.
The AMR26 cars will be in Australia — something of a relief for F1 management — but may only race for a few laps before retiring.
