Liverpool are in talks to appoint Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp's successor; the Feyenoord boss says he is "confident" of moving to Anfield; "I like the way his team plays football," says Klopp; Jamie Carragher suggests Liverpool should have considered Thomas Tuchel
Friday 26 April 2024 22:04, UK
Jurgen Klopp has praised the quality of Arne Slot's football, adding his potential appointment is "really good" for Liverpool.
Liverpool are in talks with Feyenoord to appoint the 45-year-old, who revealed on Thursday he is "confident" of moving to Anfield.
Slot has impressed in the Netherlands, winning the Eredivisie last season and the KNVB Cup earlier this month, and looks set to replace Klopp, who is leaving at the end of the season after nine years with Liverpool.
Asked about his potential successor, Klopp admitted: "I don't know anything about it. I'm not involved in the process."
However, he added: "What I like is that, if he is the one, he wants the job. He is excited.
"I like the way his team plays football. All the things I hear about him are that he's a good guy.
"I'm looking forward for the club if he is the solution. It all sounds really good."
Liverpool have endured a difficult few weeks, exiting the Europa League to Atalanta and losing to Crystal Palace and Everton in the Premier League.
However, Klopp says the likelihood that Liverpool are unlikely to add any more silverware this season could make Slot's first season at Anfield easier, saying: "It's the best job in the world.
"It will help that we're not finishing on a high so there's space for improvement."
Sky Sports football features writer Adam Bate:
After spending 48 hours immersed in the world of Arne Slot, it is easy to convince oneself that Liverpool have identified football's next super coach. A man operating at the tactical vanguard, an expert in man management and a master of the media.
But listening to the praise from those who have worked with Slot, the mind was cast back to going through that same process not only with Ruben Amorim's admirers only recently, but also when delving into the record of Erik ten Hag prior to his arrival two years ago.
There were the stories of how he had transformed his previous teams, on and off the pitch. His open-door approach to management, his no-nonsense attitude that, given time, had led inexorably to success at Go Ahead Eagles, at Utrecht and at Ajax.
Back then, Manchester United's choice came down to Ten Hag or Mauricio Pochettino. One had just won the Dutch title, the other had just won the French title. But the key difference in how the two men were perceived boiled down to just one thing.
Pochettino had worked in the Premier League before.
One might assume this to be a strength given the work he had done at Southampton and Tottenham. Indeed, the biggest match of Ten Hag's career had been a Champions League semi-final against Pochettino's Tottenham - lost in dramatic circumstances.
But it was Pochettino who was tainted by the realities of the Premier League, an awareness that this was a coach who had already gone up against Pep Guardiola and the rest and come up just short. Ten Hag offered hope. He could be the guru, the man to change it all.
In psychology, it is known as shiny object syndrome. That concept came to mind when considering the list of candidates to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. After Xabi Alonso ruled himself out of contention, the names floated were Amorim and Slot.
While Klopp offered a positive endorsement of Slot, Jamie Carragher says Liverpool should have considered a "proven winner" such as Thomas Tuchel.
Writing in The Telegraph, Sky Sports' Carragher said: "I would have given more thorough consideration to a coach like Thomas Tuchel, who took on and beat Pep Guardiola in the ultimate test - a Champions League final.
"Tuchel followed Klopp at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund and did well. It has not worked out at Bayern Munich this season, but you only have to look at Carlo Ancelotti and Unai Emery to recognise how top coaches recover from setbacks"
The former Liverpool defender believes Tuchel's reputation may have put Liverpool off, saying: "If another English club takes Tuchel, that would convince me they will significantly improve, but my sense is Liverpool don't want a coach with a reputation for being fractious.
"I would prefer a proven winner who could be difficult to manage to a coach who might be easy to manage but still have everything to prove.
"My overriding concern is this: does Slot move to England ready to take on Guardiola for the Premier League and Champions League?"
Sky Sports News senior reporter Melissa Reddy:
Arne Slot has a strong track record of player development and outperforming his budget and resources in comparison to rivals at both AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord.
This is important when scanning the football landscape and how it is going to change.
We have seen the teeth of the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability rules, and with some clubs pushing for "anchoring" and a hard salary cap to be introduced, the importance of work on the training pitches, being able to bring through young talent, and operate well within means is going to be more pronounced.
Under Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool have been run in a healthy, sustainable way and it is sensible to recruit a manager who can continue to maximise resources.
Most of the candidates under consideration by Liverpool ticked that box, but Slot's playing approach and philosophy, which marries so well with what Klopp has implemented at the club, set him apart.
It means there is no massive tactical upheaval or adaptation. Liverpool have one vision and playing style running through all age groups, which dictates the stylistic profile they recruit for, so it is sensible to continue with that.
The leap from the Eredivisie to a team that wants to win the Premier League and be a dominant force in Europe is a huge one, but every potential successor to Klopp carries risk.
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