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. Give attention to the coaching pitch – and constructing relationships
Requested what he shall be focussing on and his type of teaching, Slot emphasised his want to impression issues on the coaching pitch.
“Once I are available within the first days, within the first week I’m right here, I shall be actually centered on the coaching floor,” he mentioned.
“I feel there may be the place the place you’ll be able to affect essentially the most and it’s a must to affect essentially the most, as a result of it’s a must to affect your gamers, frequent to [the] sport mannequin and your sport plan.
And I feel that’s the place it’s all about – to discover a approach of taking part in which fits the gamers the most effective after which alter perhaps with the sport plan a bit the place we will win a couple of issues.”
Within the interview, the similarities to former boss Jurgen Klopp are mentioned, and one definitely arises from Slot’s deal with 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 wish to name it and that’s the relations you’ve gotten with individuals.
“The relationships I’ve with my workers but additionally the gamers, how they get together with one another and the relationships between workers and gamers – and I feel this was one of many issues, taking a look at it from the surface, the place Jürgen was nice at as nicely aside from taking part in type.
“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 approach that folks get used to me and used to the brand new workers that’s coming in, and get the identical power on this constructing and finally into the stadium as nicely as a result of that’s the place it’s all about – we’ve got to carry out throughout the video games.
“However to carry out there, I feel it’s necessary to have a good suggestion of how we wish to play and a great power throughout the workforce and throughout the people who find themselves working at Liverpool.”
2. Studying from Liverpool coaching classes final season
Apart from realizing the essential info of what occurred to Liverpool final season, Slot defined how he has watched again not solely matches but additionally coaching classes 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 largely you see them throughout the video games. And also you wish to know additionally what the tradition is, how they practice and what they’re used to.
“I feel it’s at all times attention-grabbing if you’re the successor of Jürgen Klopp and likewise 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 – largely that is executed by wanting on the video games however in case you can see the way in which they practice, that may solely provide help to.
“Let one factor be clear: the gamers are usually not going to get all the identical workouts once more – we’ll implement our personal issues. Nevertheless it’s attention-grabbing to see what they did additionally throughout the week.”
3. Talking with gamers to date
The Reds’ new head coach revealed how he has spoken with some gamers to date, particularly 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 necessary to be truthful to Jürgen and be truthful to the gamers.
“As a result of they needed to finish the season and I don’t assume I might be actually completely satisfied if my successor would have referred to as gamers earlier than I left the membership.
“Then I feel it’s regular to begin 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 referred to as a couple of others, however not a lot of them as a result of most of them are in preparation, or at this second taking part in, on the Euros, and a few others are in preparation on the Copa America.
“So I feel one of the best ways is to maintain a sure distance but additionally be curious about them as nicely. And hoping that the majority 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 approach of attending to know one another than by cellphone 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 town and the kind of individuals and supporters, which Slot famous:
“I’ve already mentioned, there’s a couple 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 recognize seeing the workforce.
“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 workforce does nicely 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 nicely.”
5. Arne’s message to followers
Pressed for a last message to followers, the 45-year-old had sensible 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 may 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 the whole lot inside my curiosity and energy to steer the workforce in the absolute best approach.”
