GENTLE KILLER
Vogel recalls Mo trial
MO SALAH was once considered too gentle to become a global superstar.
That is the surprising revelation from the man who launched him on the road to greatness, former Basel boss Heiko Vogel. And Vogel, who offered Salah a week-long trial in 2012 after spotting him playing in a friendly, admits that on the first day he wondered whether the player had a twin brother.
“If you knew him, he is not a world star, he has such a gentle character,” said Vogel, who also coached at Bayern Munich. “It was always clear to me that he is an outstanding player but did he have the mentality? I didn’t know that exactly. Momo is a gentle killer.
“I would be lying if I said I had prophesied such a massive global career for him.”
Vogel (right) says that of the three big players he coached at Basel who went on to be stars, it was Arsenal’s Granit
Xhaka who impressed him most, above Salah and Xherdan Shaqiri.
Salah was given a trial after impressing for Egypt under-23s but Vogel said: “I wondered if the videos had been speeded up.
“He had everything – the speed, the finish, the left foot. Then he trained on the first day and everyone watched the session and we wondered if he had a twin brother. “The second day was a bit better, but not good. And then came the third day.
“It was then he destroyed everything, he was really unstoppable.
“It was absolutely extraordinary. He was so agile, so explosive. If he had the ball on his left foot, it was a goal. “After that performance everyone knew why we wanted to sign him. “The nice thing is, I met Momo last year and he has not changed.”
■ LIVERPOOL have rejected a bid from Fiorentina for 18-year-old striker Bobby Duncan. They have no intention of selling.