Dutchman Arne Slot has to fill the huge gap left by Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool FC. Despite his good references, the 45-year-old coach faces a difficult task.
Like most other big European clubs, Liverpool FC has been on a promotional tour. It made appearances in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and North Carolina. Far away from home, the Reds were putting the finishing touches to a season that, regardless of the results, will be a turning point because Arne Slot, rather than Jürgen Klopp, will take his place on the coaching bench. It is a leap into the unknown after almost nine years under the charismatic German.
Last Sunday's 4-1 win over Sevilla FC was Liverpool FC's first under Slot at home on Anfield Road. Almost 60,000 fans came to watch the last public test before Liverpool's Premier League season begins next Saturday at newly promoted Ipswich. Most of the players are still the same, so the focus was mainly on the coach and his tactical approach. Slot is calmer than Klopp, recognized "The Guardian", and the game under the new coach is more focused on control than intensity.
On the whole, however, much is likely to remain similar around the Liverpool FC team. The early search for Klopp's successor was aimed at finding a coach similar to the German. Following the rejection of Xabi Alonso, the choice fell on Arne Slot back in April. He recommended himself through the attacking football he plays and his successes in his three years at Feyenoord Rotterdam.
Not a single new signing so far
Slot has a first hurdle to overcome before the start of the championship. In contrast to most of their Premier League rivals, the Reds have been extremely passive on the transfer market. To date, Liverpool FC have not signed any new players this summer.
Only defensive midfielder Martin Zubimendi has been on the shopping list so far. However, negotiations with the Real Sociedad playmaker broke down this week. Georgian keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili could now become the first slot transfer. However, the 23-year-old is to be loaned out again straight away.
Shortly before the start of the season, frustration is growing among some Liverpool fans due to the lack of transfers. The Dutchman, however, skillfully looks past this. "We are always looking for ways to strengthen the squad," said Slot after the game against Sevilla. "But that's not easy when you look at the game today. I've already said a few times: this is a really strong team."
The results of the test matches prove the 45-year-old right. Although Slot had to do without a number of regular players during the USA tour because they were still on European Championship vacation, the Reds won all three of their games. The 1:0 win against Real Betis was followed by victories against league rivals Arsenal (2:1) and Manchester United (3:0).
Feyenoord revived
Like Klopp, Slot became a successful coach after a mediocre career as a player. As a central midfielder, he spent most of his time on the pitch for FC Zwolle. After retiring, he worked his way up from junior coach and various assistant positions to head coach at Alkmaar and Feyenoord Rotterdam. In the port city, he quickly made the club, which was in a poor financial and sporting position when he took over, competitive again. In 2023, he led Feyenoord to the championship and last season to cup victory.
"We want to improve every day," is Slot's motto for the coming months in England. He has already seen a lot of positive things in the pre-season games. "But I can also compile a long list of things that still need to be improved." That is normal. Slot is a perfectionist. He has running routes rehearsed, archives tactics from various coaches on his laptop and also looks to other sports for inspiration.
Observers emphasize that Slot not only has good ideas, but can also communicate them. At Feyenoord, he ensured that some players made leaps in performance. At the beginning of July, 24-year-old Mats Wieffer was sold to Brighton for 30 million euros, having been bought from city rivals Excelsior for half a million two years previously. In the last two years, the Dutch club has raised almost 150 million euros on the transfer market.
The difficult legacy
Under difficult circumstances, Slot got Feyenoord back on track and shaped the club for three years. At first glance, the task at Liverpool is rather less tricky than in Rotterdam, after all he is taking over a well-functioning team that finished 3rd in the Premier League last season. However, there is a lot more for Slot to lose at Liverpool than at Feyenoord.
The pressure is already great at the 19-time English champions, but the huge shadow cast by Jürgen Klopp makes it even greater. How difficult it is for a coach to initiate a new beginning after the end of a successful era has been demonstrated in recent years at Arsenal and Manchester United. Unai Emery only lasted 15 months in office as the successor to Arsenal's iconic coach Arsène Wenger, while David Moyes only stayed on the Manchester United bench for nine months following Alex Ferguson's resignation despite a six-year contract.
Both teams, like Liverpool, seemed to have done everything right. Emery's style was similar to that of his predecessor, while Moyes, as a Scot and long-time Everton coach, was reminiscent of Ferguson. Football fans in England have not forgotten these bad appointments. The focus will remain on Arne Slot for a while until he becomes more than just Jürgen Klopp's successor at Liverpool.
