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

[Caston]

^ it’s all signed mate 

[the_red_pill]

^ it’s all signed mate 

Ahh thanks mate! I don't read the official anymore- not for a long time, so that's news!
They even have a rumour mill on there!

[Mighty_Red]

My main concern is how good they are in getting us out of a rut- quickly.
It comes down to tactics as well, BUT another major factor is instilling belief and cohesion, I think.

I don't want us to experience the new-manager-bounce... then fall into medicority, and struggle to get out of that. And if we do come out of something like that... how quickly after 1 or 2 results don't go our way- can we get back to a winning run, etc..

Yup, look at Spurs - they were everyones darling 6 months ago, now they are dropping.

Far better to have inconsistent results early on and progress through the year, at least we would be able to see his methods working and the direction of travel.

[jepovic]

As I've already posted, Klopp said in the "I'm leaving" video that it was sitting down at the last summer camp, discussing this summers signings, that made him realise he wouldn't be here for it.

This also makes the complaints about Klopp announcing his leaving early so absurd. LFC is a huge organization that needs to plan years in advance, and there's no way you can keep such a big change in a small circle for any longer time. The only way would have been for Klopp to keep it to himself until right about now, but that would have put the club and his coworkers in a very tough situation.

[the_red_pill]

Stop blowing nonsense out yer arse. He's said no such thing...and incidentally, if we had just one midfielder with half the talent, character and leadership of Souness we'd have pissed the title this season....

I dunno mate... Mac is quite promising...

[killer-heels]

I've been looking at Feyenoord fan-content and they are all devastated- to man/woman.

Even the old guard are saying they've never seen that type of football and performances at De Kuip before, but one thing they're certain about is that he WILL deliver us the league within 2/3 seasons max- if not even sooner, and that he can sustain consistent year-on-year league performances.

Others who who are not affiliated with Feyenoord, also seem to echo those claims.

These are lofty claims, but we can only wait and see.

Yeah like most i was underwhelmed at the choice but all the fan and media reaction about him has been glowing. Couldnt hope for a better set of recommendations.

[dutchkop]

Talk is cheap. Souey was a great player and I wish we had that sort now. Very talented, but also a hard man, so nobody bullied us. Owen was a fantastic goalscorer. If Nunez had some of his composure in front of goal we’d be laughing. 

Neither man is especially accomplished in their analysis, but punditry has a bias for familiar faces, rather than insight. It is what it is.

There isn’t a manager out there who comes without risk. The available older heads are all tainted in some way. So we were looking for an up and comer. We worked a process, identified Slot, and now we will see what’s what. As fans we are fair minded and will get behind him to see what he can do.

Personally I am quietly confident. I think he will inject a bit more buzz around the place, and get the players going again. It’s not as if we have fallen far, we are about to finish third, probably. But Klopp is out of gas and it needs fresh impetus. I can;t wait to see what Slot will do with the talented squad he will inherit. He will also have the backing of the club to shape it too. Good luck to that man.

Loads of pasitives coming in from DUtch football, I think your point on Klopp is out of gas and it needs fresh impetus.

Is a great analysis.. the team is rebuilding and I think a new manager after 9 years is a great opportunity for Slot, club and team to regroup and start again.

Good luck to Arne Slot and all the new staff!

Biggest challenge for Slot & Edwards is to get Trent, Virgil and Mo to resign and extend 

[danm77]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/sport/football/article/arne-slot-liverpool-profile-feyenoord-manager-kqwb8mjrv

OWEN SLOT
My Dutch road trip to uncover the real Arne Slot
Our Chief Sports Writer goes back to the land of his ancestors to uncover the places and teams that forged Liverpool’s incoming head coach

Owen Slot, Chief Sports Writer, The Netherlands
Friday May 03 2024, 7.00am, The Times

On Sunday, at home, I am dusting off the folder that my dear, late father compiled of our family history and wondering to what extent I can get away with claiming Arne Slot as one of our own. It’s not totally inconceivable. Before the first Slot moved to London before the First World War, we were indeed a Dutch family. And I’m pretty sure I’ve got high-pressing, attacking football in my DNA too.

On Monday morning, I am checking out the last Dutch address my father could put to our name. It was an Amsterdam street that, disappointingly, no longer exists. Imagine knocking on the door and finding a house full of long-lost cousins.

Then on Monday afternoon, I am checking out my great-grandmother, who was a Snider. If you apply the Dutch spelling then you are straight into more Dutch footballing royalty. No Cruyffs in the bloodline though, at least not that we know of.

Maybe that’s pushing it, but on Tuesday morning I am on the phone to Gerrie Slot. No, I wasn’t aware of him either but until Arne came along, Gerrie was the most famous sporting Slot: a Dutch track cyclist in the 1976 Olympics (seventh in the team pursuit) and a silver-medallist in the points race in the World Championships in Italy earlier that year.

“Did you do the family name proud?” I ask and he laughs. “The moment I got on my bike, I became a different person. I was not the nicest guy, I think, for others to race against.”

Great — so there’s some killer instinct in the blood, though Gerrie’s family have also been doing some amateur genealogy and they can find neither a connection to Arne nor us lot in England.

Gerrie does explain, though, that “slot”, translated from Dutch, means either lock or castle, which I knew, or the last chapter of a book, which I didn’t. So you’ll understand henceforth when I change my byline to Owen Epilogue.

By Wednesday afternoon, my search for Arne Slot has taken me right to the source. This is Bergentheim, a tiny, tidy Dutch village on a canal just five miles from the German border. In the village library, I tell the librarian my mission and she soon has me back at her home where her husband and neighbour are unloading their Arne anecdotes.

“My son’s team used to play against Arne when they were young,” her husband says. “It was always, ‘Pa, he gets the ball and they score a goal.’ Arne’s team would always win.”

Arne, the young prodigy. Arne, the boy genius. You don’t have to go far to hear the stories because if you come from Bergentheim, you tend not to leave. His parents still live here. His father, Arend, was the headmaster of the village school. Bert, the chairman of VV Bergentheim, the football club, lived two streets from the Slots and, back in the day, played in the same team as Arend (“Great player. Fast, faster than Arne.”)

Jan, who coached Arne’s junior team 35 years ago, was a flower boy at Arend’s wedding and is still coaching now. He shows a photograph of the Arne Slot team when they were nine and ten-year-olds and says that six of those boys are still here in Bergentheim.

The village he describes comes over as a kind of Dutch nirvana. “We are not like the people from Amsterdam,” he says. Bert explains this using a metaphor that translates almost exactly to say Amsterdammers are too big for their boots.

When Bert talks about the village’s pride in Arne, he follows by explaining that in his Arne interview with a Rotterdam TV crew, he told them that the people they are really proud here of are those whose names are on the war memorial.

So Bergentheimers are balanced, humble community people. There’s only one thing that would persuade Jan to move, he says, “and that is when Arne invites me to join his coaching team in Liverpool.”

Bergentheim is the last stop on this voyage of discovery which goes from Schiphol, down to Rotterdam, right up across the 32km Afsluitdijk causeway at the top of country to get to Cambuur, where Slot cut his teeth in management, and then southeast to the pastoral peace of the home that so few leave. Slot is set to be confirmed as Liverpool manager in the coming days and wherever you go, this seems a matter of pride. Even Ajax fans are warming to him now because he soon won’t be their problem any more.

But I’m wondering: how will Arne Slot come over in England? How long will the honeymoon last? And how long until I’m being sent the predictable “Slot out” headlines: “Slot machine malfunctions”, “Slot you clot”.

He has never actually been through that kind of stress test before. He has never had a run worse than two defeats in a row. You won’t find so much as a blip in his managerial career.

Maybe the worst it got was when the notoriously prickly correspondent from De Telegraaf told him that the club’s new edition tight-fitting white shirts weren’t doing him any favours. But Slot didn’t bite. Some observers thought he subsequently shed some weight. At a later press conference, he declined the offer of some finger food, wisecracking about the issue with the shirt.

No one has seen him lose his composure. I’ve got images in my mind of Erik ten Hag, the frowning factotum, terse and tight-lipped, or Louis van Gaal, so aggressive to his critics. We don’t want a scowling Slot.

“Don’t worry,” says my mate Mikos Gouka, the Feyenoord correspondent with Algemeen Dagblad. “Ten Hag and Slot present themselves completely differently. Slot will carry people with him.”

Gouka recounts the surprise of the Scottish football writers at the length and quality of Slot’s press conference answers when Feyenoord played Celtic in the Champions League. “I once said to him, ‘Nobody else does it like that,’ and he explained, ‘It’s the only time of the week I can tell my side of the story.’ ”

This is a confidence borne from success, but also complete faith in the football he wants to play and you hear versions of this story nationwide.

In Rotterdam, I meet Jan Everse, who is credited with particular influence over Slot’s football philosophy. Everse coached him twice at PEC Zwolle, at the beginning and end of his playing career. In his first term with Everse, Slot learnt his strict rules: a ball may not be passed back to the player who gave it to you more than once and it must never rise above knee height. By the time he came back a decade later, Everse says, Slot had become an on-field coach: “He was the best player so he had time on the ball so he was already coaching players around him while he played.”

According to Jan at Bergentheim, he was already reading the game as a kid: “Sometimes he said to me, ‘Coach, can we change this? Can we move this player or that?’ And so on. He was nine years old. I never had another player like that.”

At Cambuur, I meet Henk de Jong, who gave Slot his first break as an assistant coach under him in 2016. “I had known Arne only as an opposing player,” he says. “When we play against opponents and they are special, whether we lose or win, I wait at the end and I say, ‘You are a special player.’ Arne was special.

“Then we worked together and little by little you feel: this is special too. We shared a lot of similar ideas but my thoughts were not as advanced as his; I realised quickly he was much further ahead. The way he thinks about football is so unique.”

Gouka tells of how Slot ended Marco van Basten’s managerial career at Ajax: May 2009, when Slot was a regular bench replacement player at Sparta Rotterdam, who needed end-of-season points off Ajax to avoid relegation. Slot went to Foeke Booy, the manager, and advised him to start him in the game and told him how to set up the team around him. “The next day, the coach did exactly that. Sparta won 4-0 and Van Basten resigned.”

A lot of the story, here, is about pace, or lack of it. When he played for him, Everse used to call him “Juffrouw Slot” — translated as Lady Slot — because he was a technically beautiful player who didn’t cover the hard yards and always managed to finish with a clean jersey. Another TV commentator fell more for his qualities, calling him “the Xavi of Bergentheim.”

For De Jong, though, his pace defined him both as a player and coach. “As a player, Arne was too slow. But for his career as a trainer, this was good for him because it meant that, as a player, he had always been having to think three steps ahead. That is maybe why he is special. Creative. Genius.”

All of which sounds very fabulous, though you don’t have to rewind far to hear the same praise being meted out to Ten Hag. Van Gaal was also hailed as the brains to transform United but Van Gaal plus Ruud Gullit and Guus Hiddink at Chelsea have FA Cups to their names but no Premier League titles. Ronald Koeman was sacked by Everton and Frank de Boer was record-breakingly disastrous at Crystal Palace.

This may suggest that the jump from the Dutch Eredivisie to the Premier League is too great. Everse believes his is a small nation too enamoured with its own football intellect. “We are stubborn,” he says, “and we are strongly convinced about our own qualities. We think we rule the world; players and coaches are the same. The coaches develop tactically and if they go abroad and they are not successful, they are not flexible.”

Yet there is a theory doing the rounds: the Slot exception. Everse, like so many others, believes that Slot is a cut above Ten Hag. “Arne is a better coach,” he says.

“The problems that Ten Hag had with Ronaldo,” says Bert at Bergentheim, “Arne wouldn’t have had them.” He points to his temples. “Psychology. Knowledge of people.”

Anyway, says Gouka, their achievements in winning the Eredivisie do not compare: “Ajax broke the bank for Ten Hag. Slot did it with no money at all.”

Feyenoord’s title-winning season was so impressive that Gouka wrote a book about it, Kameraden. “We saw so many matches where the first half was not so good and he changed it for the second,” he says. “For everything, Slot has a solution. He is on a completely different level to Ten Hag.”

On Monday this week, by a quirk of timing, De Jong was in Liverpool, a guest of Jürgen Klopp. He texted Slot with a picture of himself in the manager’s chair in the Anfield press conference room, saying: “I am sitting in your seat.” He laughs; he is a big-hearted man. “Arne and I are always in contact.” He loves his protégé’s success.

Then that night, he had a long dinner with Ten Hag. “He was smiling,” he says. “But I think the pressure is so big. It’s not that he is struggling with it, but I think he is protecting himself.”

Then he made an argument for the Slot exception too: “The Dutch coaches go to the biggest clubs in England and the pressure is so big that I think they go a bit inside themselves, so they don’t really show how they are. But I think Arne can handle it. I think he is different. He is more open.”

And that was enough for me. I ask De Jong if he thinks Arne will join us Slots for family Christmas. “You should ask him,” he says and guffaws. I think he has something to prove first.

[the_red_pill]

Loads of pasitives coming in from DUtch football, I think your point on Klopp is out of gas and it needs fresh impetus.

Is a great analysis.. the team is rebuilding and I think a new manager after 9 years is a great opportunity for Slot, club and team to regroup and start again.

Good luck to Arne Slot and all the new staff!

Biggest challenge for Slot & Edwards is to get Trent, Virgil and Mo to resign and extend 

+the big man between the sticks...
I'm not sure of his contract status, but if haven't already, we need to secure his signature first, IMO.

[dutchkop]

+the big man between the sticks...
I'm not sure of his contract status, but if haven't already, we need to secure his signature first, IMO.

Jun 30, 2027   - so I think that is ok. 

 I still believe Mo, Trent and Virgil extensions or if we have to, sell one of them, their replacements will be critical.     

I think having a new manager will actually be a good thing for most of the players. A new challenge and refeshing of ideas. the players are also hurting, losing so many points and not getting over the line while we have potentially another Prem league and CL championship there with these players.

[dutchkop]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/sport/football/article/arne-slot-liverpool-profile-feyenoord-manager-kqwb8mjrv

great article and some of my Ajax & Feyenoord fan mates are in agreement. He is a great asset to LFC.

Proof of the pudding is in the eating

But the lad has the right character and reputation coming in.

I also think the Michael Edwards and Hughes joining now also says a lot of the intent of the owners and also reverses a big swing that a lot of key peope were leaving the club.

Edwards thinks the LFC is the next best footballing project and is putting a big part of his (& FSG team) reputation on the line in signing Arne Slot for the  job.

[the_red_pill]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/sport/football/article/arne-slot-liverpool-profile-feyenoord-manager-kqwb8mjrv

Anyway, says Gouka, their achievements in winning the Eredivisie do not compare: “Ajax broke the bank for Ten Hag. Slot did it with no money at all.”

Feyenoord’s title-winning season was so impressive that Gouka wrote a book about it, Kameraden. “We saw so many matches where the first half was not so good and he changed it for the second,” he says. “For everything, Slot has a solution. He is on a completely different level to Ten Hag.”

I feel so relieved and optimistic reading that!
Tactically sound it seems. If he has that in his locker... then we can turn things around - either to end a bad run, or to change a game, or when injuries strike, or after a devastating loss, or to offset end-of-season fatigue for the run-in(or Jan-Feb fatigue), etc...

Look at what Kloppo managed to do this season.. this team is not yet ready, but damnit did they make a good run for it. So much of the team "replaced/renewed" and they almost did it.
That is down to Klopp's magnificent tactical brain- he managed to tune almost every game. Of course, you need to have "eyes" and data to base your tactics on for the second half, but Klopp not only had us improving... we improved MASSIVELY- above normal expectations. It was a complete turnaround.
I haven't seen that sort of tactical dominance in a verrrry long time. On a completely different planet to every coach, bar Rafa and Mourinho(twat) for me in that department.
If we think about it- not even in our heydays under Rafa did we consistently, come back scoring 2/3 goals in the second half and consistently, spiked in performance for the entire second half, and sealed "many" games in the final few minutes.
I revere that man!

...Slot did it with no money at all

Can we get this man some quarters or pennies, please!

[dutchkop]

I feel so relieved and optimistic reading that!
Tactically sound it seems. If he has that in his locker... then we can turn things around - either to end a bad run, or to change a game, or when injuries strike, or after a devastating loss, or to offset end-of-season fatigue for the run-in(or Jan-Feb fatigue), etc...

Look at what Kloppo managed to do this season.. this team is not yet ready, but damnit did they make a good run for it. So much of the team "replaced/renewed" and they almost did it.
That is down to Klopp's magnificent tactical brain- over the span of each game.Can we get this man some quarters or pennies, please!

I think there are some gems coming out.. like he was approached by Spurs last season and decided to stay at Feyenoord. He also let his assistant Marino Pusic go to Shaktar Donetsk.

Some of the kids stories of him helping the coach at 9/10 years old and how his older teenagers listened to his ideas and followed his instructions as the teams all improved under his ideas.  His Cambuur coach who gave him his first coaching assistent role in 2016, found out that Arne was ahead of him in coaching ideas...

Also Arne was too slow as a midfielder that meant that he had to think and act 2-3 moves ahead of his faster and more athletic opponents.

His problem solving, character building and improving players in all aspects and limited use of funds..

When he joined Feyenoord they had a few players that were ending their contracts (& very little sell on value) and few youth players in the and around the first team.. Now Feyenoord average age is a lot younger and most of their team is highly valued and they are selling their better players for big money.

[Mighty_Red]

This also makes the complaints about Klopp announcing his leaving early so absurd. LFC is a huge organization that needs to plan years in advance, and there's no way you can keep such a big change in a small circle for any longer time. The only way would have been for Klopp to keep it to himself until right about now, but that would have put the club and his coworkers in a very tough situation.

Was reading about this and the comparison that Ferguson left it till the end and won the title. Of course both circumstances were different and that Utd side wouldn't be able to get past this City side but the big issue which nobody in the media will mention that the late retirement and handpicked successor put them back years. Witness the clusterfuck that was their transfer window.

Hope we have avoided that but I guess we will only know in August.

[KC7]

great article and some of my Ajax & Feyenoord fan mates are in agreement. He is a great asset to LFC.

Proof of the pudding is in the eating

But the lad has the right character and reputation coming in.

I also think the Michael Edwards and Hughes joining now also says a lot of the intent of the owners and also reverses a big swing that a lot of key peope were leaving the club.

Edwards thinks the LFC is the next best footballing project and is putting a big part of his (& FSG team) reputation on the line in signing Arne Slot for the  job.

That's the first thing I looked for when I heard he had been confirmd as the front runner. I did feel dread when it was announced as I thought of all the other Dutch managers, aloof (Gullit), wooden/devoid of personality (Ten Haag, Koeman), but within minutes of hearing his interview with the fella from Sky Sports I began to get excited. He is unlike any Dutch manager I've heard. Then you dig deeper and see he is loved by his players, which really is the ultimate. Fans will love you if you have success, but it's the players who know the person best, who work with him (or her in the case of Sarina Wiegman) week in week out. The tactics are obviously important, but it's the ability to communicate with the players, getting them onboard to play for you, that's essential for a great manager.

[the_red_pill]

That's the first thing I looked for when I heard he had been confirmd as the front runner. I did feel dread when it was announced as I thought of all the other Dutch managers, aloof (Gullit), wooden/devoid of personality (Ten Haag, Koeman), but within minutes of hearing his interview with the fella from Sky Sports I began to get excited. He is unlike any Dutch manager I've heard. Then you dig deeper and see he is loved by his players, which really is the ultimate. Fans will love you if you have success, but it's the players who know the person best, who work with him (or her in the case of Sarina Wiegman) week in week out. The tactics are obviously important, but it's the ability to communicate with the players, getting them onboard to play for you, that's essential for a great manager.

Steve McClaren and Van Gaal ... those were the days!

Schteve: "We're very musch the underdogsch"... "He's reschting!"

[Andar]

Seems like he has a good sense of humour. Amusing response to Bayern rumours.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/acb5DAFWfOA

[newterp]

Will be fun to watch what develops.

I presume the Dutch media can be annoying - but I do believe the English media is 10x-100x worse - so I hope Slot is prepared for that. Including them pouncing on any phrase or word he gets wrong because English isn't his first language - when they will then twist it to say that he meant something he didn't.

Similarly - it will be good for him to come from a team that also wasn't the media darlings of his country (Ajax) to England where there is a pretty nice agenda against Liverpool.

I think alot of the make-up of where he is, where he came from, and what he achieved will help him greatly in Liverpool. 

[lionel_messias]

Michael Owen has just come out and reckons Slot will be the next David Moyes. At the other end we have Danny Murphy who is very excited and thinks he’ll slot right in. Pains me to say it, but I agree with ‘Mr. Murphy’ on this one.

Michael Owen is as thick as mince. He was a talented player, and from his upbringing and career seems to rate himself with a football intelligence that just isn't there. I'd trust him to tell me how and where to finish in the penalty box, but anything else about the game, you'd be better off asking my 11 year old.

[Samie]

https://twitter.com/SkySportsNews/status/1786401005237633063

"We haven't confirmed anything yet"

Arne Slot says his move to Liverpool has not yet been finalised.

[danm77]

The Slotter has spoken today when asked Q's about Liverpool, speaking in English. Batting them away with a smile on his face:

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/13128193/arne-slot-nothing-confirmed-yet-ill-talk-liverpool-when-its-official

[Samie]

Arne Slot on questions about Liverpool:

"I just think it's appropriate to give all the answers to these questions at the end of the season, because I'm still busy with Feyenoord here and Liverpool is also still busy with their season."

[DelTrotter]

The Slotter has spoken today when asked Q's about Liverpool, speaking in English. Batting them away with a smile on his face:

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/13128193/arne-slot-nothing-confirmed-yet-ill-talk-liverpool-when-its-official

What a guy, the smile won't last having to deal with these knobheads every week though that's for sure 

[smutchin]

Seems like he has a good sense of humour. Amusing response to Bayern rumours.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/acb5DAFWfOA

That's lovely! 

[Paul JH]

Better buckle up for next season lads, because he'll be target Number 1 for all the press in this country, Sky, TNT, rivals etc etc. We will get it from all sides, so I hope our fanbase is ready for it, and to get behind him when he needs it to and not sucumb to the TalkSport, Sky, social media absolute cuntery.

*NOTE - see Sky this week ... without fail, a pundit says something shite about Slot, this time Clinton Morrison ... 'I mean, he won the league last season, but he's not going to win it this season is he?' (as a 'is he good enough?' line of thinking). Well yeah Clinton, but he's got MORE points this season you fucking dope. 

Wasn't even challenged on it. Or corrected. If ANY of them were decent at their job ...

[rob1966]

Better buckle up for next season lads, because he'll be target Number 1 for all the press in this country, Sky, TNT, rivals etc etc. We will get it from all sides, so I hope our fanbase is ready for it, and to get behind him when he needs it to and not sucumb to the TalkSport, Sky, social media absolute cuntery.

*NOTE - see Sky this week ... without fail, a pundit says something shite about Slot, this time Clinton Morrison ... 'I mean, he won the league last season, but he's not going to win it this season is he?' (as a 'is he good enough?' line of thinking). Well yeah Clinton, but he's got MORE points this season you fucking dope. 

Wasn't even challenged on it. Or corrected. If ANY of them were decent at their job ...

These c*nts are going to see what its like when you piss Scousers off.

[mattD]

Better buckle up for next season lads, because he'll be target Number 1 for all the press in this country, Sky, TNT, rivals etc etc. We will get it from all sides, so I hope our fanbase is ready for it, and to get behind him when he needs it to and not sucumb to the TalkSport, Sky, social media absolute cuntery.

*NOTE - see Sky this week ... without fail, a pundit says something shite about Slot, this time Clinton Morrison ... 'I mean, he won the league last season, but he's not going to win it this season is he?' (as a 'is he good enough?' line of thinking). Well yeah Clinton, but he's got MORE points this season you fucking dope. 

Wasn't even challenged on it. Or corrected. If ANY of them were decent at their job ...

It's a call to arms to the fanbase. Whether they're strong enough to back him is another thing....

[smutchin]

*NOTE - see Sky this week ... without fail, a pundit says something shite about Slot, this time Clinton Morrison ... 'I mean, he won the league last season, but he's not going to win it this season is he?' (as a 'is he good enough?' line of thinking). Well yeah Clinton, but he's got MORE points this season you fucking dope. 

Wasn't even challenged on it. Or corrected. If ANY of them were decent at their job ...

Clinton Morrison though... there's another one who regularly shows that he can barely rustle up two brain cells to rub together.

Pundits and commentators these days seem more interested in the "banter" than with actually imparting any useful information for the benefit of viewers/listeners. 5 Live is terrible but TalkSport is by far the worst for this.

Saw a piece online the other day about a Dutch pundit ripping into Robbie Fowler because he openly admitted - while operating in the capacity of well-paid pundit on TV - that he had to look up who Arne Slot was because he didn't have a clue. I love Fowler but it's a fair point - it's one thing us fans not knowing who is Feyenoord's manager but if someone is being paid handsomely for their opinion, they really ought to do their fucking homework.

[SamLad]

Clinton Morrison though... there's another one who regularly shows that he can barely rustle up two brain cells to rub together.

Pundits and commentators these days seem more interested in the "banter" than with actually imparting any useful information for the benefit of viewers/listeners. 5 Live is terrible but TalkSport is by far the worst for this.

Saw a piece online the other day about a Dutch pundit ripping into Robbie Fowler because he openly admitted - while operating in the capacity of well-paid pundit on TV - that he had to look up who Arne Slot was because he didn't have a clue. I love Fowler but it's a fair point - it's one thing us fans not knowing who is Feyenoord's manager but if someone is being paid handsomely for their opinion, they really ought to do their fucking homework.

yeah but for almost all the ex-players, it's a part-time job - one they absolutely spend no time preparing for, all they need to do is babble whatever comes into their heads and they get paid.  that's it.

[Currywurst]

yeah but for almost all the ex-players, it's a part-time job - one they absolutely spend no time preparing for, all they need to do is babble whatever comes into their heads and they get paid.  that's it.

This is absolutely and manifestly true. None of them can be arsed to put even a modicum of research, or indeed thought, into what they get hugely overpaid for spouting.

[Fromola]

Better buckle up for next season lads, because he'll be target Number 1 for all the press in this country, Sky, TNT, rivals etc etc. We will get it from all sides, so I hope our fanbase is ready for it, and to get behind him when he needs it to and not sucumb to the TalkSport, Sky, social media absolute cuntery.

*NOTE - see Sky this week ... without fail, a pundit says something shite about Slot, this time Clinton Morrison ... 'I mean, he won the league last season, but he's not going to win it this season is he?' (as a 'is he good enough?' line of thinking). Well yeah Clinton, but he's got MORE points this season you fucking dope. 

Wasn't even challenged on it. Or corrected. If ANY of them were decent at their job ...

Feyenoord that have won 2 titles in the last 25 years, or 6 titles in the last 50 years, including last season. They win about one a decade. And PSV or Ajax typically win the other 9 out of 10.

[Fromola]

yeah but for almost all the ex-players, it's a part-time job - one they absolutely spend no time preparing for, all they need to do is babble whatever comes into their heads and they get paid.  that's it.

99% of ex-player pundits phone it in and are only pundits because they're not good enough to manage or coach to a high level (Robbie a prime example to be honest as well as Neville and Carragher). Some of the football journos (usually the European ones) at least know what they're talking about, but god forbid they get the main roles because 'they didn't play the game'.

[traustibm]

From The Echo:

Liverpool legend makes Jose Mourinho point over Arne Slot replacing Jurgen Klopp

„Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has explained why Jose Mourinho would have been an ideal candidate to be Jurgen Klopp's successor.”

These former players talk more shite then most armchair experts.

[Egyptian36]

From The Echo:

Liverpool legend makes Jose Mourinho point over Arne Slot replacing Jurgen Klopp

„Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has explained why Jose Mourinho would have been an ideal candidate to be Jurgen Klopp's successor.”

These former players talk more shite then most armchair experts.

It's a clickbait headline. If you actually read what he said it's different and nothing wrong with it.

[Garlic Red]

https://significancemagazine.com/how-data-decided-jurgen-klopps-replacement/

A decent pretty quick read, if anyone’s ever read some of David’s stuff there’s always a decent bit of insight. The stuff he done on putting a value on Firmino’s off ball movement a few years ago was great.

[whtwht]

99% of ex-player pundits phone it in and are only pundits because they're not good enough to manage or coach to a high level (Robbie a prime example to be honest as well as Neville and Carragher). Some of the football journos (usually the European ones) at least know what they're talking about, but god forbid they get the main roles because 'they didn't play the game'.

Spot on mate. I blame the sports media channels. Run by a bunch of meffs.

[Guz-kop]

The Slotter has spoken today when asked Q's about Liverpool, speaking in English. Batting them away with a smile on his face:

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/13128193/arne-slot-nothing-confirmed-yet-ill-talk-liverpool-when-its-official

That reporter was an absolute divvy. Agree with the above comments though. They will come for him next year. He has a bit of Jürgen about him in that he doesn't mind talking, will say what he thinks within the limits of language.

[the_red_pill]

From The Echo:

Liverpool legend makes Jose Mourinho point over Arne Slot replacing Jurgen Klopp

„Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has explained why Jose Mourinho would have been an ideal candidate to be Jurgen Klopp's successor.”

These former players talk more shite then most armchair experts.

One of them wanted us to go for Tuchel...

[Fabulous_aurelio]

The Slotter has spoken today when asked Q's about Liverpool, speaking in English. Batting them away with a smile on his face:

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/13128193/arne-slot-nothing-confirmed-yet-ill-talk-liverpool-when-its-official

Lovely video that. He seems like a great bloke and obviously over the moon about his next role.

Fucking c*nts of UK Press though. I hope they don't wear him out like they did with Jurgen.

'Do you want to be a manager or a head coach?'
Get fucked.

[smutchin]

'Do you want to be a manager or a head coach?'
Get fucked.

His answer to that question was perfect though. He's not stupid.