Arne Slot has to fill Jürgen Klopp’s big shoes at Liverpool. The Feyenoord coach awaits a refreshed selection at Anfield, but also skepticism, a grumbling star player and the overwhelming British press.
Slot werd zondagavond in de Kuip uitgezwaaid door het legioen, alsof hij al op weg was naar Liverpool. De transfer is bezegeld, het wachten is op de bevestiging van beide clubs. De Britse verslaggever van Sky Sports was bij zijn bezoek aan Rotterdam onder de indruk van Slot. “This guy will be brilliant.”
Maar Liverpool-icoon Robbie Fowler kon zijn ogen nauwelijks geloven toen hij las welke trainer zijn club wil aantrekken. Arne Slot? Hij had nog nooit van hem gehoord. “Ik wist niets van hem. Ik moest hem opzoeken op Google. Ik wist niet eens dat hij een kandidaat was”, schreef Fowler onlangs in zijn column in The Mirror. Fowler is zeker niet de enige in Liverpool die sceptisch reageerde op de aanstaande transfer van Slot.
Voor de supporters is de nieuwe coach uit Bergentheim niet bepaald de grote naam van wie werd gedroomd als opvolger van de bijna heilig verklaarde Klopp. Ook oud-spelers als Jamie Carragher en Graeme Souness spraken al hun twijfels uit over de komst van Slot.
De ‘Liverpudlians’ hoopten op oud-speler Xabi Alonso, maar de succescoach van Bayer Leverkusen verkoos een langer verblijf in Duitsland boven een terugkeer op Anfield. Daarna werd Sporting CP-coach Rúben Amorim veel genoemd.
Maar tot verbazing van velen viel de keuze dus op Slot. “Het is hier het gesprek van de dag”, vertelt Paul Gorst, Liverpool-volger voor de Liverpool Echo. “De supporters maakten zich op voor de komst van Alonso, de droomkandidaat. Weinig mensen kennen Slot. Er zijn twijfels of hij de juiste man is.”
Klopp is an absolute legend at Liverpool
Slot arrives at Liverpool completely differently than Klopp nine years ago. The German had won two national titles with Borussia Dortmund and reached the Champions League final. Slot was coach of SC Cambuur (on an interim basis), AZ and Feyenoord, a much more modest resume than Klopp.
The German trainer immediately made himself popular in Liverpool with his passion. He consciously visited pubs, chatted with supporters in the city and quickly achieved success. In his first year he reached the final of the League Cup and Europa League with Liverpool. It turned out to be the start of a successful period at Anfield, with a Champions League win (2019) and a national title (2020) as highlights.
“These are big shoes to fill,” says Gorst. “In Liverpool, Klopp is on par with legends such as Kenny Dalglish, Bill Shankly and Ian Rush. The bad thing for Slot is that everyone after Klopp is seen as plan B. But of all the trainers in Europe, Slot’s style is the most similar to that of Klopp.”
Terms such as ‘Arneball’ and ‘Arnefield’ were already used in Liverpool. Former Liverpool player Erik Meijer thinks Slot can succeed. “Arne has been proving for a number of years what he can do and how good he is. He is someone who stands in the middle of life and knows exactly how to express things well. I think it fits in with what Liverpool want.”
Will grumbling Salah become a problem for Slot?
It is nice for Slot that he no longer has to clean up at Liverpool. Thirty-somethings Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino were already said goodbye last year. For them, younger players such as Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo, Wataru Endo and Alexis MacAllister returned.
More interesting is how Slot deals with the situation of Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The pair have a contract that expires in mid-2025. If they do not renew, a sale in the summer is realistic. Mohamed Salah’s contract is also expiring, but he seems to want to stay at Liverpool longer.
The main question is how the Egyptian star player will manifest himself under Slot. Salah, who normally follows Klopp’s lead, recently had an open argument with his trainer. It was indicative of the state of mind of Salah, who has lost his starting place for the first time in his Liverpool time.
At the same time, he is still the most important player of ‘The Reds’ with seventeen goals and nine assists this season. “I dare not predict whether Slot will be affected by the Salah situation,” says club watcher Gorst. “It seems clear to me that Slot wants to work with a player of Salah’s caliber. Whether he stays is one thing big decision.”
Meijer believes that Slot should at least consider changes. “Salah has taken a step back after years of scoring more than forty goals per season. Who will fill that position? Is Van Dijk still the captain for the coming years? And is Darwin Núñez the striker with whom Liverpool wants to enter the future? Those knots must be Cut the lock.”
‘Lock must make a call to Klopp’
Slot was introduced to the British press a while ago. At Feyenoord’s team hotel, the coach was met – against Dutch custom – by reporter Gary Cotterill and his camera crew from Sky Sports. It suits the direct and sometimes overwhelming style of the British media, which the winged Slot has to deal with.
“He has a good command of the English language and that is important,” says Meijer, who wore the Liverpool shirt himself between 1999 and 2001. “From moment one you have to clearly express what you want. He is just not a big name. That is the doubt you now feel a bit in England. But that can quickly change.”
Gorst advises Slot to seek advice from people who have worked at Liverpool. “And perhaps a call to Klopp can help. He can provide Slot with valuable advice.”
Because in terms of playing style, Klopp and Slot are on the same page, Meijer notes. “So it is logical that Liverpool was looking for a trainer who fits the current selection. But it is of course a huge step up for Arne. This is the European top.”
Tags: Skepticism updated selection grumbling star awaits Arnefield Football
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