Arne Slot has given his first interview as Liverpool FC head coach, and we’ve picked out 5 key issues from the Dutchman now accountable for the Reds.
1. Concentrate on the coaching pitch – and constructing relationships
Requested what he will likely be focussing on and his model of teaching, Slot emphasised his need to influence issues on the coaching pitch.
“After I are available within the first days, within the first week I’m right here, I will likely be actually centered on the coaching floor,” he mentioned.
“I feel there may be the place the place you possibly can affect probably the most and you need to affect probably the most, as a result of you need to affect your gamers, widespread to [the] sport mannequin and your sport plan.
And I feel that’s the place it’s all about – to discover a manner of enjoying which fits the gamers the most effective after which alter possibly with the sport plan a bit the place we are able to win a number of issues.”
Within the interview, the similarities to former boss Jurgen Klopp are mentioned, and one actually arises from Slot’s concentrate on being a individuals individual and having robust relationships with these on the membership:
“However that’s all tactical and I feel there’s one thing else in the direction of being a head coach or a supervisor or the way in which you need to name it and that’s the relations you will have with individuals.
“The relationships I’ve with my employees but in addition the gamers, how they get together with one another and the relationships between employees and gamers – and I feel this was one of many issues, it from the skin, the place Jürgen was nice at as effectively aside from enjoying model.
“That could be a problem as a result of I’m 100 per cent certain that many people who find themselves nonetheless at this membership nonetheless love him. We have now to discover a manner that individuals get used to me and used to the brand new employees that’s coming in, and get the identical vitality on this constructing and ultimately into the stadium as effectively as a result of that’s the place it’s all about – we now have to carry out through the video games.
“However to carry out there, I feel it’s vital to have a good suggestion of how we need to play and a very good vitality throughout the staff and throughout the people who find themselves working at Liverpool.”
2. Studying from Liverpool coaching periods final season
Moreover figuring out the fundamental details of what occurred to Liverpool final season, Slot defined how he has watched again not solely matches but in addition coaching periods of the Reds – the place he noticed the “tradition” that Jurgen Klopp had created throughout the membership.
“There are two issues [why] to do that [..] to get to know extra concerning the gamers as a result of principally you see them through the video games. And also you need to know additionally what the tradition is, how they prepare and what they’re used to.
“I feel it’s all the time fascinating in case you are the successor of Jürgen Klopp and in addition Pepijn Lijnders, who does fairly a bit of labor on the coaching pitch, to see what their concepts have been on the coaching pitch.
“I mentioned this, all of us attempt to steal a bit from one another – principally that is finished by trying on the video games however if you happen to can see the way in which they prepare, that may solely allow you to.
“Let one factor be clear: the gamers will not be going to get all the identical workout routines once more – we’ll implement our personal issues. Nevertheless it’s fascinating to see what they did additionally through the week.”
3. Talking with gamers up to now
The Reds’ new head coach revealed how he has spoken with some gamers up to now, specifically captain and compatriot Virgil van Dijk:
“I’ve reached out to some of them – all of them after Jürgen left, as a result of I assumed that was actually vital to be honest to Jürgen and be honest to the gamers.
“As a result of they needed to finish the season and I don’t suppose I’d be actually blissful if my successor would have known as gamers earlier than I left the membership.
“Then I feel it’s regular to start out with the captain, which is Virgil [van Dijk], which is a straightforward one for me as a result of we might converse Dutch!
“And from there on I known as a number of others, however not a lot of them as a result of most of them are in preparation, or at this second enjoying, on the Euros, and a few others are in preparation on the Copa America.
“So I feel the easiest way is to maintain a sure distance but in addition be thinking about them as effectively. And hoping that almost all of them – particularly the Dutch! – will nonetheless be so long as potential away so they may attain the ultimate.
“Then afterwards I’ll get to fulfill them and I feel that’s a greater manner of attending to know one another than by telephone or Zoom conferences.”
4. Similarities with Feyenoord as a membership
Whereas Feyenoord is probably not a membership the scale of Liverpool, there are some similarities extra with the town and the kind of individuals and supporters, which Slot famous:
“I’ve already mentioned, there’s a number of similarities between Feyenoord and Liverpool. Each are cities alongside the river, individuals work on the docks, it’s a tough working class, followers that respect seeing the staff.
“I feel these golf equipment like Feyenoord and Liverpool, from what I noticed of it, it simply means a bit extra for the followers, it simply means a bit extra if the staff does effectively than at another locations around the globe.
“That is what I felt at Feyenoord and I’m anticipating to really feel the identical right here at Anfield as effectively.”
5. Arne’s message to followers
Pressed for a remaining message to followers, the 45-year-old had clever phrases about change:
“There’s a change however the change hopefully isn’t that huge, as a result of we nonetheless have the identical gamers, we nonetheless have the identical followers – and if the each of them are going to do the identical job, that can make my life much more straightforward!
“I’m anticipating them to point out up once more within the upcoming season, and the identical for the gamers. I’ll do every little thing inside my curiosity and energy to guide the staff in the absolute best manner.”
