Sad News: Liverpool’s ex-coach died today.
Ex-coach explains why Liverpool still needs Mamadou Sakho and reveals the player’s ‘outstanding’ attitude
Former Liverpool U23s manager Michael Beale believes the Reds would be in a much better position if Mamadou Sakho was still in contention.
Sakho joined Crystal Palace at the end of the January transfer window, just as the club’s fortunes improved dramatically.
Following Sakho’s debut, the Eagles won four straight games, keeping three clean sheets, with Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to Southampton being their first defeat with the centre-back on the roster.
Meanwhile, Liverpool has kept just one Premier League clean sheet since the turn of the year, with Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren, and Ragnar Klavan all struggling.
And Beale, who had Sakho in his U23s squad before joining Brazilian club Sao Paulo as assistant manager in January, believes the Reds would be better off with the former PSG captain.
“It is a shame what happened in Liverpool. “Both parties lost,” Beale told Sky Sports.
“Sakho plays for a club that I believe he is too good for.
“Everyone is looking for a left-footed central defender. If he decides to leave Liverpool, he will have plenty of offers. He is likely to move on.
“It would be unfortunate if there is no reconciliation, because I believe Liverpool still needs him. Jurgen felt he could join other players.
“If Sakho had played against Sevilla in the Europa League final, Liverpool would have won. I am certain of that.
“That would have changed the course of things at Liverpool; they would have been in the Champions League, generating more revenue and attracting better players.
“Perhaps Klopp cannot forget that. I’m not familiar with the details.”
Sakho was initially suspended after a suspected drug offense, but this was later lifted during preseason.
But Klopp moved to send Sakho home from the club’s tour of the United States, citing a series of transgressions, but Beale insisted the centre-back’s attitude was “outstanding” with the U23s.
“When he first came to us at the U23s, I didn’t really know what happened with the manager,” he said.
“I didn’t want to know, and I told him that as long as he respected me and the U23 players and staff, we wouldn’t have any issues. He went way beyond that.
“From that day on, he changed in a Portakabin. He was always on time and worked tirelessly.
“He could not have been more professional. The results of that work can now be seen at Palace.
“Although we had some good players in that group—Ben Woodburn and Trent Alexander-Arnold—he was playing in front of 1,000 people and was everyone’s target because of his fame.
“His attitude was excellent. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Sakho has stated that he would be open to rejoining Klopp’s squad next season, but this appears unlikely, with Southampton and Napoli both interested.
Mamadou Sakho & Michael Beale
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