"He could’ve been more respectful" - Pundit criticises Sadio Mane on how he left Liverpool

Pundit Noel Whelan has criticised Sadio Mane for how he left Liverpool to join Bayern Munich this summer. 

When the winger was on international duty with Senegal before leaving Liverpool, he said that "60-70%" of people in his home country wanted him to leave Anfield.

Whelan thinks that Mane could've handled the situation better and not made such comments when discussing his future.

“I think he could have handled it with a little bit more respect,” he told Football Insider.

“I think Mane was away on international duty telling the Senegal people that they would get what they wanted and that was a move to Bayern Munich.

“I think he could’ve been a bit more respectful and graceful about the move at the end of his era at Liverpool.

“I think he’s been a fantastic player and left a legacy behind him at Anfield, and rightly so. I just think sometimes when you’re going about making a move, you don’t need to get involved as a player. It’s down to the two clubs to battle it out.

“That’s why you have an agent, let him get on with it and do the talking.

“I just think sometimes players need to respect the club and the manager a little bit more. And the fans as well, they deserved a little bit better in how it materialised.”

Anfield Watch Verdict

We all knew Mane was going to leave Liverpool, but the comments he made prior to doing so were strange.

However, people who were at the press conference confirmed that the quotes were misrepresented and he said it in a very sarcastic way.

Mane has no reason to disrespect Liverpool fans. He is loved by our fanbase and he will always be a part of our history.

Since leaving, there have been claims that he left Anfield because he wasn't respected by fans, but that is just wrong.

Mane is a Liverpool legend and he will always have a special place in our hearts.