Sadio Mane is the humble assassin that defies description
Liverpool have a real star in Sadio Mane.
At Liverpool, there is a player that literally defies description.
Back in the 1960’s there was a commercial on the telly that came courtesy of Timex Watches. John Cameron Swayze would come in as the pitchman and he would do all sorts of mean and nasty, over the top product testing things with sledgehammers and whatnot on this Timex watch.
Then he would gaze sternly, into the camera and say…”Timex, takes a licking and keeps on ticking.” Later in the late 70’s and 80’s we would all become familiar with the ever-ready Energizer Bunny. Remember?? He was still around runnin’ around well into the new millenium.
Well Liverpool have just such a player these anecdotes describe. Indeed all Jurgen Klopp need do is wind him up and turn him loose.
No defender in England, Europe, or the whole bloody world wants to see Sadio Mane coming at them full bore ball at his feet. Not one. And he takes a licking and keeps in ticking. On and on and on, only substitution or the final whistle can bring him under reign. He strikes fear in the eyes of his opponents, and if there’s fear in their eyes lads, they’ve lost already.
Mane is the envy of every club in England, Europe, anywhere football is played. Every manager would bargain with the devil to have Super Sadio on the pitch. Liverpool are graced with a good six or seven such players at Jurgen Klopp’s disposal, besides Mane.
Mane is known widely off the pitch as a humble and unassuming man with a big compassionate heart. But come match day, when he steps over that touchline with a prayer upon his lips, he becomes a different animal entirely.
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A wingfooted assassin with a killer instinct with or without the ball, he is always looking to put pressure on a defense and invariably finds the right combination and point of attack. He never stops seeking this. Never. Like the Terminator.
He will never stop and totally, completely gives himself over to the game. Indeed, his energy, drive, and desire do not fall off on defense. Quite the contrary as a matter of fact. He feeds on defense with the verve and zeal of a hungry jackal. Only thing to sate this hunger is winning the ball back.
Is there any wonder that Jurgen Klopp loves him so? He’s a quicksilver messenger service with a huge toothy grin and the ball in the back of the net.
Since his arrival at Liverpool from Southampton, the 28 year old Senegalese superstar has eclipsed even his own wildest dreams and he’s proof positive that you just never ever give up. This is the hugely human champion and wind ‘em up dynamo that is Sadio Mane in a nutshell.
I have purposefully left out player stats, awards and such; we all already know about those. I wanted to approach Mane from a more ethereal angle; describing his love for this ‘beautiful game’ as exemplified by his complete and utter disappearance into it.
Sadio Mane, courage of a lion, heart of a champion; a true Liverpool legend in the making before our very eyes.