Topic: LFC's next manager - chat and informed speculation

[Bobinhood]

Blunt truth and a total disregard for hierarchy.

I fucking LOVE it. 


The blunt truth is nobody can follow Klopp its like following Messi ok, you just cant do it. Edwards is pretty awesome at what he does and if this guy is a very good young coach whose notable for his man management, is outperforming his pool and looks ready to go to the next level, that's what we want that's what we need thats the best we can do. Pretty useless getting your panties in a bunch about it.

[Jm55]

I’m not that arsed to be honest as he’s not manager here yet but to play the other side I think you just need to replace Rodgers saying that, how would you feel as a fan?

 “I believe that Liverpool will let me join Real Madrid as it would be a massive step for me”.

“There are negotiations ongoing between clubs, I’m here waiting… I’m happy at Liverpool but #Real would be a fantastic opportunity for me”.

Can’t see that going down well to be fair 

Honestly I wouldn’t be arsed.

The thing which would annoy me is him leaving in the first place for obvious reasons, him being honest about it at the point where it’s virtually common knowledge anyway wouldn’t bother me. I can’t see how that’s less preferable than ‘I am just focussing on the last 4 matches and will discuss my future at the end of the season’ which basically means ‘I’m leaving’ anyway.

[mattD]

Blunt truth and a total disregard for hierarchy.

I fucking LOVE it. 


The blunt truth is nobody can follow Klopp its like following Messi ok, you just cant do it. Edwards is pretty awesome at what he does and if this guy is a very good young coach whose notable for his man management, is outperforming his pool and looks ready to go to the next level, that's what we want that's what we need thats the best we can do. Pretty useless getting your panties in a bunch about it.

Couldn't put it better myself!

[Andy82lfc]

To be fair to Slot, he was level on points with Ajax when manager of AZ Alkmaar, could have won it that season but it was curtailed due to Covid and Ajax were awarded the title (I'm assuming they were ahead on GD). So let's say Slot won the title with AZ and then Feyenoord. Two titles with two different clubs. I think that would put his achievements on par with Amorim who has done it twice with one club. And you can argue that AZ are smaller than Feyenoord.

Fair enough if you think he has done just as good a job as Amorim, but not my view at all. Amorim has essentially had to battle against two Ajax's in his league, Benfica and Porto, who are financially much stronger. Ajax these last years have been awful for everyone to see.

I'm not saying there is a giant chasm between them both or anything, but Amorim for me is on a level below Alonso, Slot for me would be on a level below that along with others who I never would have thought we would be going for after Klopp in a million years.

Let's not beat around the bush here, nobody on these entire boards since January or anywhere, bar the ghost of an Octopus in Germany, would have mentioned Slot as a successor, that is between all the other names from fucking Frank to O'Neil. There is a reason for that.

Not to say for one second if he is hired he can't come here and do amazing things, of course he can and I will be backing whoever it is with the desperate hope we continue with this amazing squad we have, but it a ridiculous gamble nobody could have envisaged and one that does not sit well for a lot of people. There is a massive leap of faith in Edwards to get this right, so whoever it is I just hope the gamble pays off.

[danm77]

https://amp.theguardian.com/football/2024/apr/26/arne-slot-liverpool-feyenoord-philosophy

Arne Slot: the overachiever and ‘good guy’ who can spark a revolution
Frontrunner to take charge at Liverpool did not make a big impression as a player but has resemblances to Jürgen Klopp

Bart Vlietstra
Fri 26 Apr 2024 08.00 BST

Liverpool’s move for the Feyenoord coach, Arne Slot, has been described by Ajax fans as “the best news of the year”. Troubled Ajax have been blown away this season, losing 4-0 at home and 6-0 away against their arch-rivals.

So superior were Feyenoord in every area – tactics, intensity, power, unity, intelligence – that it could have been worse for Ajax. Only in their finishing might Feyenoord have done better.

Their growth over the past three seasons bears the signature of Slot, who came to the club in 2021. When he arrived, Feyenoord were in a situation similar to Ajax’s now: they had finished fifth (Ajax’s position), had no money or remaining prestige and had embarrassed themselves in the Europa League, losing twice to Austria’s Wolfsberger. Players were not fit, there was uncertainty about the style of play, and their captain and top scorer Steven Berghuis had left (for Ajax). In short, there was no real hope.

Slot has changed everything. In his first season, with a mix of revitalised, loaned and cheap players, Feyenoord reached the Europa Conference League final before losing narrowly to Roma.

That campaign marked the start of Orkun Kökcü’s transformation, perhaps the best example of Slot’s impact. The Turkey international had never fulfilled his talent but realised if he wanted to survive in Slot’s high-speed game he had to become fitter, better and more versatile. Kökcü lifted the Eredivisie trophy in Slot’s second season, as captain, and within a month his transfer to Benfica had earned Feyenoord a record fee of €25m plus add-ons.

This season, Feyenoord could end with more points than when taking that title and have won the KNVB Cup. Barring an improbable set of results they will finish second behind PSV and qualify again for the Champions League. They provide more players for the Netherlands (Mats Wieffer, Quinten Timber, Quilindschy Hartman, Lutsharel Geertruida) than any other club.

Slot is an overachiever who can spark a revolution. In many respects he resembles Jürgen Klopp. He is intelligent, relies on attacking football and high pressing, is didactically strong, surrounds himself with skilled assistants, brings wit into his media dealings and is searingly ambitious. His voice in transfer politics has grown at Feyenoord.

Just like Klopp, Slot did not make a big impression as a player. He was a slow, old-fashioned No 10 who played at mediocre clubs (PEC Zwolle, NAC Breda and Sparta Rotterdam).

Slot grew up in Bergentheim, a small village in the Netherlands’ so-called Bible belt. Ali Boussaboun, a former teammate at NAC, says: “I never heard him swear, never heard him say goddamn. In that self-control I could already see a coach.”

The “good guy” from the small village was toughened at NAC most notably by Henk ten Cate, a streetwise former assistant coach at Barcelona and Chelsea. “Ten Cate demanded more aggressiveness,” Boussaboun says. “Arne had to stretch his limits to the maximum at NAC and even then he did not always play.”

After Slot retired as a player in 2013, he considered studying but started a company selling captain’s armbands with his brother Jakko while working as a youth coach at PEC. The coaching grew on him, which is perhaps no coincidence. From the age of five he had spent Saturdays listening in changing rooms to how his father, Arend, a school teacher, instructed the amateur teams he coached.

Slot, a perfectionist and control freak, has built an impressive football media library of documentation and images of “interesting things”. He constantly tries to widen his horizons, even by watching games at a local basketball club.

Everybody with an interest in football who visits Slot can’t wait for the coach to open his laptop to “just briefly” show a new discovery. At which point he can easily go on for an hour or so about the places Manchester City send in the most crosses, the way teams coached by Jorge Sampaoli put pressure on their opponents or Napoli’s buildup play.

AZ gave Slot his first chance as a head coach, in 2019, and after impressive attacking wins at Feyenoord (3-0), PSV (4-0) and Ajax (2-0) comparisons were drawn to Louis van Gaal. AZ finished joint top with Ajax under Slot in the season cut short by Covid.

He has said of his philosophy: “I want as many good football players as possible in the team and I want to make them work as hard as possible. I believe that when we work to perfect our habits every day, we have more chance to cut out luck.”

That his teams are almost always a joy to watch is important to Slot. During press conferences he sometimes asks whether someone has watched Manchester City or Liverpool the day before. “There are two people who have really enriched football in recent decades, who have never disappointed me,” he said two years ago. “Those are Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola.

“Messi has everything. Guardiola’s teams always play good, dominant, well-thought-out football. Then of course you have Jürgen Klopp. Manchester City-Liverpool for me is the ultimate game.”

His idolisation of the way Guardiola lets his teams play provoked José Mourinho to such an extent that he snapped at Slot last April after Roma had beaten Feyenoord in the Europa League: “You should watch Roma instead of City or Napoli.”

Mourinho later said Slot was “a great coach” and Marco van Basten, the Dutch legend and former Netherlands and Ajax coach agrees. “I’ve spoken to him a few times and what he does and how he sees the game is very impressive,” he said on the Dutch football talkshow Rondo.

“He gets along very well with the group of players, has excellent tactical skills, can explain things well and is calm and intelligent. I think he can go to any club, even the very difficult clubs, because he is so intelligent.”

Van Basten sees no reason for Slot to fear failure. “If you get AZ and Feyenoord to play [good] football, you will also get the big clubs to play [good] football. I think it would only become easier for him because you have better players who understand what you want sooner. They are often also more stubborn players, but I think Slot is smart enough to manage that.”

[danm77]

Fair enough if you think he has done just as good a job as Amorim, but not my view at all. Amorim has essentially had to battle against two Ajax's in his league, Benfica and Porto, who are financially much stronger. Ajax these last years have been awful for everyone to see.

I'm not saying there is a giant chasm between them both or anything, but Amorim for me is on a level below Alonso, Slot for me would be on a level below that along with others who I never would have thought we would be going for after Klopp in a million years.

Let's not beat around the bush here, nobody on these entire boards since January or anywhere, bar the ghost of an Octopus in Germany, would have mentioned Slot as a successor, that is between all the other names from fucking Frank to O'Neil. There is a reason for that.

Not to say for one second if he is hired he can't come here and do amazing things, of course he can and I will be backing whoever it is with the desperate hope we continue with this amazing squad we have, but it a ridiculous gamble nobody could have envisaged and one that does not sit well for a lot of people. There is a massive leap of faith in Edwards to get this right, so whoever it is I just hope the gamble pays off.

Feyenoord are also the third team in Holland, with Ajax and PSV ahead of them. Then add in the point that he may well have won the league with AZ too, an even smaller club.

[Andy82lfc]

Feyenoord are also the third team in Holland, with Ajax and PSV ahead of them. Then add in the point that he may well have won the league with AZ too, an even smaller club.

Like I said mate, fair enough but not my view. Not a massive chasm though as mentioned.

[[new username under construction]]

I translate this as: if you're tired of running for 90+ minutes or your legs are gone, Slot may not be the coach for you.

And a different method for recovery, we might not have as many injuries

[DelTrotter]

Feyenoord are also the third team in Holland, with Ajax and PSV ahead of them. Then add in the point that he may well have won the league with AZ too, an even smaller club.

Yep, some of the stuff written is laughable. Also hilarious that Ajax being shit counts against Slot somehow but not a mention of how crap Porto currently are against Amorim.

[Coolie High]

Yep, some of the stuff written is laughable. Also hilarious that Ajax being shit counts against Slot somehow but not a mention of how crap Porto currently are against Amorim.

The same Porto that outplayed Arsenal? They’re not really comparable to Ajax.

[danm77]

The same Porto that outplayed Arsenal? They’re not really comparable to Ajax.

They are way off it in the Portuguese league though. A distant third as it stands.

[PaulKS]

To me this all feels like a bit of a living nightmare, season collapsed, Jurgen leaving becoming a reality

Who the fuck is Arne Slot

[DelTrotter]

The same Porto that outplayed Arsenal? They’re not really comparable to Ajax.

Yep, the Porto that is currently 3rd in Portugal, miles off Benfica and Sporting and in a battle not to drop any lower in the league, that one.

One game means fuck all, Fulham outplayed Arsenal. If you wanna do that then Porto are level on points with the team who got knocked out of Europe by Qarabag and miles behind the team who lost to 8th in the French league.

[A-Bomb]

Like I said mate, fair enough but not my view. Not a massive chasm though as mentioned.

I think the additional positive for Slot is that stylistically he sets his teams up similar to how Klopp has, so the group of players we have will suit him and the hope is we'll have a smoother transition.

[mrantarctica]

Whoever it is, I think they'll need to manage expectation carefully.

Jurgen's been there just shy of a decade and is one of the best managers in the modern era. Expectations are obviously massive, and even bigger still when you have a manager like Klopp.

The new manager will need to come in, manage expectation, set up a clear vision of how he wants to take the team forward. They'll need to make sure that the team has an identity and recognize that there is a  "Liverpool way" of playing but also bring in something fresh and innovative about how we approach the game. Personnel will also change, and that includes many players but also staff, so naturally results will likely dip for a season or 2. Realistically if we can make top 4 each year, then we've done well

[RedSmoke]

My Mrs is Dutch, and based on my experience with her I can confirm that the Dutch make terrible football managers.

I mean, she doesn't even understand the difference between the league and a knock out competition.

Oh fuck! We're doomed! 

[disgraced cake]

Surprised at what he said before their game last night, but then again, Dutch.

I don't have a problem with it really, I think he's done it out of respect to Feyenoord fans. Better say it as it is than just up and leave after denying any contact like Amorim has for example, or the way the rumour just lingered for a while with Alonso. He'll have put Feyenoord on alert ASAP and had probably already told the players he wanted to get off anyway.

Who knows, maybe in five years he'll tell us all he wants to go to Madrid. Suppose that'd mean he's been successful. Then again, I think the Dutch are better accepting of that 'brutal honesty'

[jillcwhomever]

Yep, the Porto that is currently 3rd in Portugal, miles off Benfica and Sporting and in a battle not to drop any lower in the league, that one.

One game means fuck all, Fulham outplayed Arsenal. If you wanna do that then Porto are level on points with the team who got knocked out of Europe by Qarabag and miles behind the team who lost to 8th in the French league.

It should also be pointed out that we lost to the BS the other night. So, it just proves any club can beat another in a certain set of circumstances. It doesn't actually prove anything at all.

[Andy82lfc]

Whoever it is, I think they'll need to manage expectation carefully.

Jurgen's been there just shy of a decade and is one of the best managers in the modern era. Expectations are obviously massive, and even bigger still when you have a manager like Klopp.

The new manager will need to come in, manage expectation, set up a clear vision of how he wants to take the team forward. They'll need to make sure that the team has an identity and recognize that there is a  "Liverpool way" of playing but also bring in something fresh and innovative about how we approach the game. Personnel will also change, and that includes many players but also staff, so naturally results will likely dip for a season or 2. Realistically if we can make top 4 each year, then we've done well

I think anyone that comes in and makes top 4 would be a very good start, and can hopefully then build from there. I think that would be the base expectation with the squad and players we have. Obviously if they miss out by a point or something it should not be dire either. 

[Andar]

Obviously just a feeling but got bad "Martin Jol meets Brendan Rodgers" vibes about this guy. Respectful tact and diplomacy is a prerequisite for such a high profile role, and unfortunately he's stereotypically Dutch in this regard.

Already acting like a competition winner (which he is, let's be honest) doesn't bode well. Seems to enjoy the fact we're having to negotiate him out of his current contract with Feyenoord via a sizeable compensation fee. Van Dijk's shrugged opinion says it all "seems like one of the better Dutch coaches at the moment", talk about damning with faint praise.

Did I miss it, or has there been anything concrete (not baseless rumours from random sources regurgitated by Samie) as to why Amorim suddenly got dumped after a month of being the obvious media-briefed preferred candidate? His achievements with Sporting do seem superior in a more competitive and diverse league, and by all accounts, was talked of as being a "great communicator". Not that I care much after this past 9 seasons if I'm honest, but this eleventh-hour pivot to Feyenoord's Arne Slot with the obligatory puff pieces that's he absolutely the right man for the job, 6 months after Klopp handed in his notice, seems somewhat straw-clutching and desperate.

Easy to say in hindsight but with a vacuum above the manager, maybe John Henry should have pulled a Billy Beane approach and made Xabi Alonso an astronomical offer in Dec/Jan, take it or leave it, rather than let it drag out for 3 months allowing Bayern's PR machine to run amok and unsettle him into a U-turn. Timing is everything, as in life.

You're being silly and far too stubborn now.  Jol achieved nothing close to what Slot has done in the Netherlands.

Initially I wasn't all too impressed but there is enough out there to gauge that he has potential.

It's a good trait to be open minded enough to shift your view.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

Like I said mate, fair enough but not my view. Not a massive chasm though as mentioned.

Financially aren't Feyenoord miles behind them two too - their top earner gets £20k a week, and Ajax and PSV squads are worth 10x and 5x  that of Feyenoord.

The gulf between 3rd and top 2 in Holland is just as big as it is in Portugal

[Andy82lfc]

Jol achieved nothing close to what Slot has done in the Netherlands.

Steve McClaren did though 

[disgraced cake]

Obviously just a feeling but got bad "Martin Jol meets Brendan Rodgers" vibes about this guy. Respectful tact and diplomacy is a prerequisite for such a high profile role, and unfortunately he's stereotypically Dutch in this regard.

Already acting like a competition winner (which he is, let's be honest) doesn't bode well. Seems to enjoy the fact we're having to negotiate him out of his current contract with Feyenoord via a sizeable compensation fee. Van Dijk's shrugged opinion says it all "seems like one of the better Dutch coaches at the moment", talk about damning with faint praise.

Did I miss it, or has there been anything concrete (not baseless rumours from random sources regurgitated by Samie) as to why Amorim suddenly got dumped after a month of being the obvious media-briefed preferred candidate? His achievements with Sporting do seem superior in a more competitive and diverse league, and by all accounts, was talked of as being a "great communicator". Not that I care much after this past 9 seasons if I'm honest, but this eleventh-hour pivot to Feyenoord's Arne Slot with the obligatory puff pieces that's he absolutely the right man for the job, 6 months after Klopp handed in his notice, seems somewhat straw-clutching and desperate.

Easy to say in hindsight but with a vacuum above the manager, maybe John Henry should have pulled a Billy Beane approach and made Xabi Alonso an astronomical offer in Dec/Jan, take it or leave it, rather than let it drag out for 3 months allowing Bayern's PR machine to run amok and unsettle him into a U-turn. Timing is everything, as in life.

Yeah, he won a competition about five days ago mate, won one last season too 

The Van Dijk quote is as pointless to analyse as what Slot said himself last night. He's not going to say he's the super duperest manager in the world even if he was. It's not done yet and there's football still to play under Klopp. He's also not just going to say he's shite either.

[jillcwhomever]

Yeah, he won a competition about five days ago mate, won one last season too 

The Van Dijk quote is as pointless to analyse as what Slot said himself last night. He's not going to say he's the super duperest manager in the world even if he was. It's not done yet and there's football still to play under Klopp. He's also not just going to say he's shite either.

In truth Virgil shouldn't be saying anything about it at all, as it's not even official. He should have his mind on finishing the season under the present manager as strongly as possible.

[Indomitable_Carp]

Had never heard of him before. Still don't realy know anything about him. But he sounds alright, and I trust our backroom staff to pick someone decent.

Kloppo was always going to be an impossible act to follow for any manager. But I'm willing to rally behind whoever comes in next.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Been reading a few things about him from the Dutch media and they are saying that he's very like Guardiola.

Fuck that having someone like that c*nt here.

[Giono]

Arsene Wenger was recruited by David Dein from Japan...He had win one league title in France with Monaco in his 1st season, but was unremarkable for years in France. But Dein new what type of manager he wanted and brought him back to Europe.


The men we pay big money to make these decisions have decided that Slot is the best fit for the club. I will be optimistic and will not prejudge because he is not flashy or well known by journos.

[Zimagic]

And a different method for recovery, we might not have as many injuries

Whoever comes in, we should be looking at this anyway.

[jillcwhomever]

Arsene Wenger was recruited by David Dein from Japan...He had win one league title in France with Monaco in his 1st season, but was unremarkable for years in France. But Dein new what type of manager he wanted and brought him back to Europe.


The men we pay big money to make these decisions have decided that Slot is the best fit for the club. I will be optimistic and will not prejudge because he is not flashy or well known by journos.

I watched a documentary on Prime on Arsene Wenger which was really good and you're right about the fact that no one knew anything about him at all, when he first arrived. This is the problem with a lot of stuff you see on places like youtube. people can make anyone seem totally fantastic, but it only tells you so much. Which is why we have no choice other than to trust the system that's in place.

[Andy82lfc]

Been reading a few things about him from the Dutch media and they are saying that he's very like Guardiola.

Fuck that having someone like that c*nt here.

He openly says he moulds himself on Pep and that there is no team in the world he would rather watch than Manchester City.

Sure he is smart enough to adapt those comments slightly if he comes though. 

Personally don't have a problem with that though, if his aim is to play football that smashes every team apart. Although I guess all managers want the same, it's whether or not they have the talent to do it.

[Andar]

Steve McClaren did though 

And that tells you the risk with judging a manager through his work at only one club.

Not the case with Slot though is it? His overperformance at AZ is equally as impressive as his work at Feyenoord. Add in his work at Cambuur too. The run in the Dutch Cup (beating Ajax along the way) with a second tier side shows his ability to overperform in a knockout competition with an underdog. That bodes well for a deep CL run under him.

Meanwhile with Amorim we only have his performance at Sporting to analyse. He started off well at Braga with a cup win but he didn't spend long enough to analyse his league performance over a long run. Massive question marks over his style of play transferring to being a success at a big club in the PL. Think it might do well at West Ham, but I truly don't believe it would have matched up to being a top 6 PL manager and contesting with City and Arsenal.

Far more substance to Slot when it comes to the portfolio and variety of his overperformance, and style of play. And I'm sure a whole lot more if you were to have a sneak peak into Edwards dossier.

[Funkster]

Enough of the whinging Manboys. He is soon to be the boss, everyone should be getting behind him now instead of nitpicking aspects of his character in a completely unreasonable fashion.

Klopp is soon to be gone, Slot might not be everyone’s first choice but fortune favours the bold. Every top coach has to step up at some point. I’ll be giving him my full backing, roll on August.

[Darren G]

The same Porto that outplayed Arsenal? They’re not really comparable to Ajax.

Liverpool have recently been outplayed by Atalanta. You can't judge a teams overall quality from 2 games. Porto have been poor overall this season.

[jillcwhomever]

He openly says he moulds himself on Pep and that there is no team in the world he would rather watch than Manchester City.

Sure he is smart enough to adapt those comments slightly if he comes though. 

Personally don't have a problem with that though, if his aim is to play football that smashes every team apart. Although I guess all managers want the same, it's whether or not they have the talent to do it.

Thing is Andy all coaches admire Guardiola, even Klopp has been nothing but respectful towards him in his time at Liverpool. As long as he sets the team up to have a proper go at City, I'll be happy. There is an amusing idea that if he did manage to beat City, can you imagine what it would to Guardiola himself? It would be quite amusing, it would be the sort of thing that would drive him insane. 

[newterp]

Probably already discussed:

1. Will the power press work over a miserably long PL season plus cup comps?

2. He's a control freak? In a good way or a Guardiola way?

[Hedley Lamarr]

Been reading a few things about him from the Dutch media and they are saying that he's very like Guardiola.

Fuck that having someone like that c*nt here.

He isn’t that similar, I’ve seen him actually smile.

[Andar]

I have to say I'm a fan of his blunt Dutch manner. A few players could do with that bluntness and hard truth. Trent in particular.

[jillcwhomever]

David Lynch
@dmlynchlfc
·
18m
Klopp asked about Arne Slot: "I like the way his team play football. All the things I hear about him, good guy. Good coach, good guy, if he's the solution then I'm more than happy. [It's the] best job in the world, best club in the world."

[Andy82lfc]

And that tells you the risk with judging a manager through his work at only one club.

I'll have you know Steve also won the league cup with Middlesbrough and took them to a Uefa cup final, insane really, actually the more I write that he sounds way more qualified, anyone reckon he'd come here. 

[Nick110581]

Been reading a few things about him from the Dutch media and they are saying that he's very like Guardiola.

Fuck that having someone like that c*nt here.

It’s good you formed your own opinion.