There have been no headline-grabbing soundbites. No bullish guarantees about beginning one other trophy-laden period at Liverpool.
However there was a lot to admire about Arne Slot’s unveiling on the membership’s Kirkby coaching floor on Friday. Assured, relaxed and real, the Dutchman comfortably handled the whole lot that got here his manner throughout almost half an hour with reporters.
No trace of trepidation at following within the footsteps of an icon in Jurgen Klopp, simply pleasure and pleasure as he talked in regards to the problem he has embraced.
Assistant Sipke Hulshoff and efficiency coach Ruben Peeters, who’ve made the transfer with him from Rotterdam’s Feyenoord, watched on from the again of a packed media room, together with Slot’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta.
The session began with Slot neatly side-stepping a reference to Klopp’s well-known ‘Regular One’ remark, a spin on Jose Mourinho’s ‘Particular One’ line when he arrived at Chelsea 11 years earlier, at his Anfield unveiling in October 2015 and an inquiry into how he would describe himself.
“I feel it’s not about what I inform you now. It’s extra particular what Jurgen did to this membership. When he arrived, he mentioned he was the ‘Regular One’ however what made him particular was the impression he left behind. Successful trophies, after all, but in addition his enjoying fashion the followers beloved. Possibly he mentioned he was the ‘Regular One’, however the followers see him in another way, perhaps not as an individual, however what he did for the membership was greater than regular.”
It was refreshing that new sporting director Richard Hughes sat alongside Slot to reply questions in regards to the managerial search and the continuing switch window.
Hughes’ predecessors have shunned the limelight and, with Slot having the job title of head coach somewhat than supervisor, it’s obtained to be a optimistic if the previous Scotland worldwide goes to have extra of a public profile at instances to elucidate the membership’s decision-making course of.
So what have been the primary speaking factors from Slot’s first massive outing with Liverpool?
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Transfers
This was by no means going to be a busy summer season for Liverpool when it comes to transfers, with fine-tuning somewhat than main adjustments required.
They’ve but to make their first signing of the Slot period, and it was telling that he repeatedly talked up the expertise already at his disposal.
“For me, it’s clear that we now have inherited a very good staff,” Slot mentioned.
“The best way I have a look at soccer, I can see from the (ongoing) Euros how necessary it’s to work every day for an extended time with a staff. In my view, you see loads of good gamers (on the match in Germany) and never all of them have the identical stage that they’ve at their golf equipment. That proves how necessary it’s to work with gamers every day and get the very best out of them. That’s one thing we’re going to do.
“The longer a staff performs collectively, if there’s a very good head coach, then usually you will notice issues enhance. I’m lucky (in) going to a membership the place not many transfers exit of the membership. At Feyenoord, it was nearly regular (that) eight, 9, 10 gamers left the membership after each season, so it’s tougher for a supervisor to get this progress. However right here I’m anticipating him (Hughes) to maintain most of our gamers, and I feel he needs that himself, and from there we are able to solely construct.”
This summer season represents a reset for Liverpool after the larger energy and management Klopp secured over his close to nine-year reign. As head coach, Slot is comfy with a “collaborative” method to transfers involving him, Hughes, proprietor Fenway Sports activities Group’s CEO of soccer Michael Edwards and different senior recruitment figures.
“For me, it’s not a change, as in Europe we work like this. At my former golf equipment, it was like this at all times,” Slot mentioned. “There usually are not many golf equipment on the planet the place one individual decides the whole lot. Will probably be a collaboration between folks. I don’t assume many sporting administrators herald gamers that the pinnacle coach doesn’t like or the opposite manner round. At a membership like this, there are a lot of extra folks than the 2 of us who can convey their opinion. That’s how I’ve labored in recent times, and it’s how I wish to work.”
Endurance is required as Hughes sees Liverpool’s switch exercise stepping up later within the window, earlier than the deadline on August 30.
“Talking industry-wide, when there are main tournaments in the summertime, naturally the eye is there. After the flurry there was (on the finish of June as golf equipment did enterprise with an eye fixed on revenue and sustainability guidelines), I feel it should settle down a bit now. That might be my prediction for July,” he mentioned.
“Then, when August begins, when there’s been extra time to work with gamers (as golf equipment full pre-season and the matches begin to matter), then opinions shall be extra set at soccer golf equipment. Then you might even see a scenario in August the place golf equipment are in a little bit of a rush to get issues achieved. I see a quiet July, after which maybe a crescendo in August. We have to enhance on the coaching pitch, in the beginning. And with the window open, we are going to at all times be opportunistic if we are able to.”
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The Klopp issue
The German is a few act to observe, however Slot spun it right into a optimistic. He’s not having to carry the membership up off their knees — the duty going through Klopp when he changed the sacked Brendan Rodgers early in that 2015-16 season.
“Large sneakers to fill, however you may as well have a look at it as inheriting a squad and a staff which has a profitable tradition,” he defined.
“One of many causes to come back right here is I do really feel we now have a very good squad. As a supervisor, you need to work at a membership with good gamers, with the chance to win one thing. The previous has proven there’s a risk for Liverpool to win some trophies. I have a look at being a successor to somebody who was profitable as preferrred, as a result of there is a chance to win one thing. I wish to work with gamers and wish to develop them however I wish to win as nicely, and at this membership there is a chance to try this.”
Slot wouldn’t disclose what he had mentioned with Klopp over the cellphone, however he clearly appreciated the German’s gesture of getting Liverpool followers to chant the newcomer’s title as he signed off at Anfield in Might: “It was particular. Coming over right here, with out even profitable a recreation but, and the followers singing my title is an efficient begin.”
What in regards to the mission of making an attempt to create the identical sort of shut bond with the supporters, and town of Liverpool, as Klopp struck up? “It would take a while to grasp the whole lot. It at all times helps to get to know town however I feel, as a supervisor, it helps much more when you win most of your video games.
“With Jurgen, it was a mix of attending to know town, attending to know the fashion of play followers like. We each just like the followers to come back into the stadium and see a staff that performs with loads of vitality. That’s the factor I’m targeted on most. If we try this in the very best manner, it should most likely give me a while as nicely. If I’ve time, then I can get to know town a bit higher. But it surely all begins with enhancing the staff.”
Being genuine is pivotal as Slot seems to be to make his mark. “It’s obtained nothing to do with who labored right here earlier than. As a supervisor, you go to mattress at night time and take into consideration what you’re going to do, what you’re going to inform the gamers: ‘How do I have to method them as people and as a staff?’. It’s not that I’ve Jurgen in thoughts and assume, ‘What would he say?’. That’s not the way in which to take a look at it.”
Contract talks
The very fact Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have entered the ultimate 12 months of their present offers in latest days is a scorching matter of debate. Unsurprisingly, there was no readability on when or if extensions shall be signed by all or any of them.
“I don’t assume it could be honest for me to speak about contractual conditions. These are personal issues between the membership and the gamers,” Hughes mentioned. “The one concern I and Arne have about these conditions, and everybody else within the squad, is whole dedication from the gamers to the trigger for subsequent season, and we’re completely satisfied that’s the case.”
It would imply his captain misses most of pre-season, however Slot needs to see Van Dijk lead their homeland to glory on the Euros. He additionally sees the type of Van Dijk’s membership and nation team-mate Cody Gakpo, who’s a robust contender for the Golden Boot because the competitors’s prime scorer, as a serious plus.
“Cody is having an excellent match,” mentioned Slot, earlier than the Netherlands face Turkey within the quarter-finals tomorrow (Saturday). “The final World Cup was superb for him as nicely. He’s been spectacular till now, and I’m hoping he’ll step up much more. I hope to see them enjoying England within the semi-finals.”
Slot refused to get drawn into the controversy over Alexander-Arnold’s finest place, with the England worldwide having shifted from right-back to midfield. “I do have my opinion about the place they’re going to play right here — however, when you don’t thoughts, I’m going to speak to them about that first and work with them first earlier than telling you.”
Slot has beforehand spoken about his large admiration for Manchester Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola. Now he shall be tasked with making an attempt to interrupt Metropolis’s dominance within the Premier League, having received 4 titles in a row and 6 of the previous seven.
“It’s one thing to stay up for, however there are a lot of good managers on this league. Pep is definitely one in every of them. English folks wish to imagine it’s the very best league on the planet and I imagine that as nicely,” Slot mentioned.
“I used to be fortunate sufficient to dwell in an period the place I might see his Barcelona staff. When Pep left, there grew to become a brand new period with the rivalry between Liverpool and Metropolis. There are lots of good groups we are going to face, beginning with Ipswich (the promoted aspect are Liverpool’s opening-weekend opponents on August 17), which on this second is a very powerful one. In the event you work on this league, everybody will get higher each season. So for us, you will need to enhance.”
Having already introduced in Hulshoff, Peeters and goalkeeping coach Fabian Otte, Slot revealed he’s shut to creating additional additions to his employees.
There was additionally a promise to make sure the pathway from the academy to the primary staff stays open: “It’s at all times good for a membership when younger gamers come via the ranks. That at all times provides vitality right into a membership, so there usually are not solely gamers introduced in from different golf equipment but in addition gamers from the academy. The younger gamers did very nicely right here final season. In the event that they proceed doing nicely, then there’s a good likelihood they’ll play.”
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Enjoying fashion
One of many key the explanation why Slot was deemed the right option to take over after an intensive search is that his model of soccer is much like Klopp’s.
“The enjoying fashion and philosophy attracted us to Arne, primarily based on subjective footballing opinion and information as nicely. In all of the metrics, Arne’s Feyenoord staff got here out rather well,” Hughes mentioned. “The best way they performed actual front-foot, attacking soccer, enjoying with intelligence and keenness — attributes we welcome right here at Liverpool. It matches very nicely with the squad we now have.
“Arne has been very profitable with this fashion of enjoying (Feyenoord received the 2022-23 Dutch title, a 12 months after making the Europa Convention League remaining, and lifted the Dutch Cup final season). It’s essentially the most engaging to observe in my view. There’s an obligation right here to seize video games by the scruff of the neck. It’s not going to be a massively totally different method to what’s been so profitable prior to now.”
Slot had turned down quite a few alternatives to depart Feyenoord, together with curiosity from Tottenham Hotspur final summer season. Nonetheless, his thoughts was rapidly made up after Hughes flew to the Netherlands to fulfill him in April.
“If somebody needs to persuade me, he ought to discuss to me about, ‘I like your enjoying fashion’, as a result of in any other case I’d have been the improper match for this membership,” he mentioned. “Richard actually knew lots. He noticed loads of video games, and that is one thing you need to hear — that they don’t solely need you as a result of perhaps you received the league final season or the cup this season, it must be greater than that. I used to be impressed by that and issues went fairly easily. I feel this enjoying fashion will result in loads of enthusiasm from the followers. Hopefully it should result in particular issues.”
Simply don’t inform Slot that he favours a 4-2-3-1 formation. He spoke about giving gamers “loads of freedom” in possession to take up “totally different positions”, however then being “actually aggressive” and organised when the staff are out of possession.
“I hoped that if folks checked out my staff, they wouldn’t say it’s 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. Generally it’s a 4-2-3-1, generally it’s 4-1-4-1, generally we do construct up with three,” he mentioned. “In the event you would have requested me, I’d say we performed 4-3-3 as an alternative of 4-2-3-1 at Feyenoord.
“I’m curious who advised you we performed 4-2-3-1? Possibly that one ought to go get his (teaching) licence or analyse a bit higher!”
This was a stable begin.
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(High photograph: John Powell/Liverpool FC through Getty Photographs)