Liverpool FC Forum

The Daily Telegraph printed a story 2 days ago that had a couple of points that shouted at me. No one else in the media or amongst fans seemed to have picked up on them.

The story was : 'Liverpool agree deal with Feyenoord for Arne Slot' by Liverpool fanboy Chris Bascombe 
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... lot-klopp/

1. Quoting Bascombe: Arne Slot’s confirmation as the next Liverpool manager now looks a formality after Feyenoord verbally agreed a compensation package with the Anfield club. Talks have been ongoing for the past 48 hours and now executives from both clubs are understood to have struck a deal.

So LFC were told in November last year that Klopp wanted out but talks with Feyenoord on Wednesday and Thursday of this week? For nearly 6 months we sat on our ***** and did nothing about replacing Klopp? Then Pep Ljinders and the backroom announced they were leaving and we still did nothing? Unbelievable.

2. Earlier on Friday, outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp offered his backing to Slot as his appointment became an open secret.
“I like a lot about it if he is the one who wants to take the job,” said Klopp.
“I like the way his team play football, all the things I hear about him as a guy say he’s a good guy.
“I like that a lot – good guy, good coach and looking forward for the club if he is the solution. I’m more than happy, it sounds all really good.”

So Klopp doesn't know Slot, he just 'hears about him'  and '...if he wants to take the job...'  the way he (supposedly) plays football makes him 'a good guy'.
Klopp has not been involved in picking his successor, didn't suggest him or was part of the briefing or interview process.

Klopp's been sidelined. Is this Michael Edwards sticking the knife in already or...?

Seems to me to be a badly managed handover. Klopp looked so emotionally drained during his post WHU interview yesterday, I really believe him that he's on his last legs.

Mo and Klopp have been responsible for much of our success and each deserve a massive send off but after yesterday's touchline spat and Klopp being hung out to dry by the players, I suspect ech will simply want to walk out the back door and off into the sunset. So sad and unnecessary.

Interesting to note that apparently Slot will be our 'head coach' rather than 'manager'. Maybe looking a little too much into it but I have a suspect the club and Edwards in particular want a manager to be able to get on with the job with the players the recruitment team want.

Now that doesn't mean Slot won't have input however he'll have to play ball most of the time. We won't have a situation where for example the recruitment team wanted Nkunku but Klopp wanted Nunez and got his way.

In the end, I think there was a clash of ways between Klopp and Edwards when it came to recruiting and retaining players and Edwards will have no doubt wanted to bring someone who toes the party line and of course Slot will do that as he is going to land one of the biggest jobs in football and making a huge jump up.

Reg » Sun Apr 28, 2024 9:05 am wrote:The Daily Telegraph printed a story 2 days ago that had a couple of points that shouted at me. No one else in the media or amongst fans seemed to have picked up on them.

The story was : 'Liverpool agree deal with Feyenoord for Arne Slot' by Liverpool fanboy Chris Bascombe 
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... lot-klopp/

1. Quoting Bascombe: Arne Slot’s confirmation as the next Liverpool manager now looks a formality after Feyenoord verbally agreed a compensation package with the Anfield club. Talks have been ongoing for the past 48 hours and now executives from both clubs are understood to have struck a deal.

So LFC were told in November last year that Klopp wanted out but talks with Feyenoord on Wednesday and Thursday of this week? For nearly 6 months we sat on our ***** and did nothing about replacing Klopp? Then Pep Ljinders and the backroom announced they were leaving and we still did nothing? Unbelievable.

2. Earlier on Friday, outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp offered his backing to Slot as his appointment became an open secret.
“I like a lot about it if he is the one who wants to take the job,” said Klopp.
“I like the way his team play football, all the things I hear about him as a guy say he’s a good guy.
“I like that a lot – good guy, good coach and looking forward for the club if he is the solution. I’m more than happy, it sounds all really good.”

So Klopp doesn't know Slot, he just 'hears about him'  and '...if he wants to take the job...'  the way he (supposedly) plays football makes him 'a good guy'.
Klopp has not been involved in picking his successor, didn't suggest him or was part of the briefing or interview process.

Klopp's been sidelined. Is this Michael Edwards sticking the knife in already or...?

Seems to me to be a badly managed handover. Klopp looked so emotionally drained during his post WHU interview yesterday, I really believe him that he's on his last legs.

Mo and Klopp have been responsible for much of our success and each deserve a massive send off but after yesterday's touchline spat and Klopp being hung out to dry by the players, I suspect ech will simply want to walk out the back door and off into the sunset. So sad and unnecessary.

You're reading too much mate.
If I hand in my notice in work, nobody will ask my opinion on a replacement. Nothing to do with me.

Yesterday morning the media weren't talking about our game but about us tying up a deal for slot. There is no need for this to be so public now when an agreement would suffice till the season is over. I know klopp wants to go but this is bad taste imo and disrespectful.

This whole thing should never have happened this way. Klopp should not have surprised the world mid season that he would not honor the rest of his contract, the club should have been looking for a replacement behind the scenes and not allowed us to be rejected by Alonso and whoever else publicly, the whole affair is a little amateurish and these kind of issues are a result. For sure there is a lot more that is going on behind the scenes that we may never find out about unless someone writes a book in a few years.

kazza » Mon Apr 29, 2024 12:00 pm wrote:For sure there is a lot more that is going on behind the scenes that we may never find out about unless someone writes a book in a few years.

I suspect that Klopp's reason to leave, say in December'23, is closely linked to Michael Edwards being reemployed (March'24), especially when it was revealed he would replace Mike Gordon as overall in charge.

Reg » Mon Apr 29, 2024 2:37 pm wrote:

kazza » Mon Apr 29, 2024 12:00 pm wrote:For sure there is a lot more that is going on behind the scenes that we may never find out about unless someone writes a book in a few years.

I suspect that Klopp's reason to leave, say in December'23, is closely linked to Michael Edwards being reemployed (March'24), especially when it was revealed he would replace Mike Gordon as overall in charge.

It could be true. I guess we'll see soon enough if the trade Klopp for Edwards was worth it.

It probably wasn't since Edwards looks ready to take us back to mediocrity with this Slot guy.

I am totally underwhelmed by the new manager, never heard of him, he is not even lighting up the Dutch league. I hope I am wrong but just seems to me to be a Dutch version of Big Sam, Sean Dyche, Neil Warnock etc.

Boocity » Tue Apr 30, 2024 4:05 pm wrote:I am totally underwhelmed by the new manager, never heard of him, he is not even lighting up the Dutch league. I hope I am wrong but just seems to me to be a Dutch version of Big Sam, Sean Dyche, Neil Warnock etc.

Maybe in stature but not in the way he plays, he plays attacking football with less regard for defense, I don’t think you could say that about those three. What you read is his players love him and he needs full control, which he won’t get until he proves himself. Football wise he is very attacking, closer to the first year Klopp than the last years Klopp. I worry we will be like Brendan’s Liverpool that would score four but let in three.

I think it is a fantastic opportunity for him to step up as Liverpool is a young team, with world class facilities and talented players, you would think he would be busting a nut to make it work. This is a golden opportunity for him!

And from a supporter’s point of view, it is what it is and we have to be positive that he will be a success.

Dirk Kuyt: Arne Slot’s style is exactly what Liverpool supporters love to see at Anfield
By Dirk Kuyt
Apr 26, 2024
64
Dirk Kuyt is ideally placed to assess the merits of Feyenoord’s Arne Slot, the man Liverpool have identified as Jurgen Klopp’s potential successor.

A legendary figure at Feyenoord, Kuyt scored more than 100 goals across two spells at the club, and the former Liverpool forward has closely watched Slot’s three-year reign in Rotterdam. He gained a fascinating insight into Slot’s methods during a week spent behind the scenes shadowing him.

Slot has said it is “clear” he wants the Liverpool job and Kuyt, who has recently celebrated leading Beerschot to the Belgian second-division title, also knows how to succeed at Anfield.

Here, speaking to James Pearce, he explains what he learnt from Slot and why he thinks the Feyenoord manager has what it takes to fill Klopp’s shoes.

Feyenoord are my team in Holland. My son plays in the academy there so now and then myself and Arne have some contact.

It was around this time last year that he gave me the opportunity to spend a week with him, so I could watch how he goes about his job. It was a fascinating experience.

He’s a manager who likes to help younger coaches like me and it says a lot about the type of person he is that he’s willing to share his thoughts and vision so openly.

The timing was perfect as it was just before Feyenoord became Dutch champions. Watching his training sessions was so interesting in terms of the drills and how he prepares his team.

Arne loves the game and thinks about football 24/7. That passion shines through when he speaks. He’s always studying other teams and thinking about how his team can improve and evolve.

Tactically, he’s very strong. What people like most in Holland, where his reputation is so high, is that he has his own vision, his style of play.

Nowadays managers always get compared. Is it the Jurgen Klopp style? Is it the Jose Mourinho style? Is it the Pep Guardiola style?

The answer is that Slot has his own style. He doesn’t copy anyone. He knows exactly what he wants and he believes in it. It’s attractive, attacking football. He likes to play an aggressive defence, high intensity, with the game played in the opponent’s half, but it’s his way. It’s different from Klopp but a lot of the principles are the same.

What struck me about Arne was his ability to make the players believe in what he believes in. I talked to some of them when I was there and they all spoke so highly about him. They love how he organises the training sessions and how he gets his ideas across. He’s an excellent communicator and man manager.

Watching Feyenoord in recent years, you can see his signature on the team in how he wants football to be played. Everyone bought into his vision. He gets the best out of people.

The job he took on after arriving from AZ Alkmaar in 2021 wasn’t an easy one. Some questioned whether he was the right man because he hadn’t previously trained a top Dutch team, but Feyenoord finished third and reached the final of the Europa Conference League, where they lost narrowly to Jose Mourinho’s Roma.

Before his second season, he lost a lot of key players. Top scorer Luis Sinisterra was sold to Leeds United, Tyrell Malacia went to Manchester United, Marcos Senesi to Bournemouth and Fredrik Aursnes to Benfica.

Arne effectively had to build a new side. People doubted the new players who arrived and said he would need time to get things right, but he proved them wrong. Outperforming Ajax and PSV to become champions was unbelievable because nobody expected that at the start of the season.

Before this season, he lost Orkun Kokcu to Benfica but they still won the KNVB Cup (Dutch FA Cup) and will finish second behind PSV, who have a really strong squad.

The news that Liverpool had decided to go for Slot came out of the blue. I was surprised because since Jurgen said he would be leaving at the end of the season, other names had been mentioned as possible contenders.

But it makes a lot of sense. I haven’t spoken to Arne but if everything is agreed, Liverpool have made a very good choice. It’s interesting for me as a Dutchman who is both a Feyenoord and Liverpool supporter. I’m a bit excited, to be honest.

He’s ready for the next step in his career. The doubters will say, ‘But Arne Slot has never trained a foreign team’, but we know how successful Jurgen proved to be and he hadn’t coached outside his homeland before he came to Liverpool.

Louis van Gaal once said, ‘When you’re ready, you’re ready.’ It doesn’t matter what age you are or how much experience you have — it’s about your qualities.

You can’t compare Feyenoord with Liverpool but Arne is used to dealing with pressure and high expectations. When he’s been faced with difficult situations, when results didn’t work out, when he was faced with difficult questions from the media, he always stayed in control and stuck to his principles and the vision of how he wanted to play. He never gave me a negative experience.

He’s had opportunities to move to the Premier League previously but he didn’t feel like those projects were right. He’s been waiting for the right step to take.

Arne wouldn’t go anywhere unless he really believed in the project. If he says ‘yes’ then it’s because he’s convinced he can do great things in the job he’s taking on. Arne is the type of guy who would say ‘no’ to any big club if he had any doubts.

Following in the footsteps of Jurgen isn’t easy but Arne will do it his own way and give everything to make the club successful. He’s determined and driven with a lot of self-belief.

His style of play is exactly what Liverpool supporters love to see at Anfield. He’s also good with the media because he explains himself very clearly. As Feyenoord have so many foreign players, he conducts his meetings in English so there will be no issues over language.

At Feyenoord, he’s loved by the fans. They don’t want to lose him and it will be sad to see him leave — but from my perspective, if he has to go anywhere, I’m happy that it’s to Liverpool. He’s not only a very good manager, but also a very good human being.

kazza » Tue Apr 30, 2024 5:24 pm wrote:

Boocity » Tue Apr 30, 2024 4:05 pm wrote:I am totally underwhelmed by the new manager, never heard of him, he is not even lighting up the Dutch league. I hope I am wrong but just seems to me to be a Dutch version of Big Sam, Sean Dyche, Neil Warnock etc.

Maybe in stature but not in the way he plays, he plays attacking football with less regard for defense, I don’t think you could say that about those three. What you read is his players love him and he needs full control, which he won’t get until he proves himself. Football wise he is very attacking, closer to the first year Klopp than the last years Klopp. I worry we will be like Brendan’s Liverpool that would score four but let in three.

I think it is a fantastic opportunity for him to step up as Liverpool is a young team, with world class facilities and talented players, you would think he would be busting a nut to make it work. This is a golden opportunity for him!

And from a supporter’s point of view, it is what it is and we have to be positive that he will be a success.

Of course I will get behind our new manager it goes without saying. Doesn't mean I can't be dubious about the appointment, just hope it doesn't herald in another souness era.

Boocity » Wed May 01, 2024 11:15 am wrote:

kazza » Tue Apr 30, 2024 5:24 pm wrote:

Boocity » Tue Apr 30, 2024 4:05 pm wrote:I am totally underwhelmed by the new manager, never heard of him, he is not even lighting up the Dutch league. I hope I am wrong but just seems to me to be a Dutch version of Big Sam, Sean Dyche, Neil Warnock etc.

Maybe in stature but not in the way he plays, he plays attacking football with less regard for defense, I don’t think you could say that about those three. What you read is his players love him and he needs full control, which he won’t get until he proves himself. Football wise he is very attacking, closer to the first year Klopp than the last years Klopp. I worry we will be like Brendan’s Liverpool that would score four but let in three.

I think it is a fantastic opportunity for him to step up as Liverpool is a young team, with world class facilities and talented players, you would think he would be busting a nut to make it work. This is a golden opportunity for him!

And from a supporter’s point of view, it is what it is and we have to be positive that he will be a success.

Of course I will get behind our new manager it goes without saying. Doesn't mean I can't be dubious about the appointment, just hope it doesn't herald in another souness era.

I wasn’t pointing to you, it was more philosophical. We can’t do anything about it except hope he is the right one.

I see Achterberg has quit too. 15 years at the club. It's a bigger clear out than just the first team management

But why???? Slot isn't getting rid of them so why are they leaving?? I really don't get it.