Arne Slot has some enormous shoes to fill at Liverpool after taking over the coaching reins from Jurgen Klopp, but two of his compatriots seem convinced that he’s the right man for the job.
The 45-year-old has arrived at Anfield off the back of three excellent years at Feyenoord, peaking with their Eredivisie triumph last year and also taking them to a European final in 2022.
In an interview with Dutch outlet Algemeen Dagblad, former Reds midfielder Gini Wijnaldum gushed: “In Arne Slot, I think Liverpool has really acquired a great successor. The fact that they don’t all know Slot inside out in England is not a problem at all.
Follow Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE
“At the beginning of this season I trained for a few days at Feyenoord and there I saw how Slot worked. That was of a very high level, I thought it was really great. I can compare it with Klopp and Mourinho and then I say that Slot is at the same level.”
Meanwhile, ex-Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal said of Slot (via Sky Sports): “I think at the moment, he is the best technical coach from the Netherlands…I think Liverpool have made a very good choice.”
For all that he’s achieved at Feyenoord, Slot will primarily be judged in England for what he accomplishes with Liverpool, and it feels inevitable that his impact will be compared directly to his predecessor at Anfield.
Considering how special Klopp was, though, it seems unfair to the new man in charge to be viewed through the prism of the German’s achievements. The 45-year-old must be given ample time to prove his worth on Merseyside and be assessed on his own merits.
One advantage he can boast over the Reds’ last few managers is that he comes in with the club in a rude state of health, whereas others have taken the job with LFC at a low ebb and urgently needing a fresh impetus.
Wijnaldum hasn’t exactly downplayed expectations by declaring that Slot is ‘at the same level’ as his predecessor, but we can only hope that the ex-Liverpool midfielder’s billing turns out to be true.
Klopp will be sorely missed, but nonetheless we’re excited about the new era at Anfield and the man who’ll hopefully mastermind a few major trophy wins for the Reds over the coming years.
READ MORE: A history of Liverpool players at the European Championship
