Arne Slot keen to build on Jurgen Klopp’s foundations at Liverpool
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New Liverpool boss Arne Slot has said that his attacking brand of football is similar to Jurgen Klopp's.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – Liverpool’s new manager Arne Slot has said that he will not rip up the foundations laid by Jurgen Klopp and will instead build upon his predecessor’s work at the Merseyside club.
The 45-year-old former Feyenoord boss was appointed as head coach in May to replace Klopp, who left the Reds after more than eight successful years in charge.
In an interview published on the Liverpool website on June 19, Slot said Klopp had left the Premier League team in a really good place.
“I think we have a lot of quality and the way they played last season was already impressive, so we are going to build from there,” said the Dutchman, who won the Eredivisie and the Dutch Cup in his time with Feyenoord.
“You want to take some people with you as well because they know who you are, they know your playing style and they can translate this to the other people in the staff.
“And if you go to a club like Liverpool, you can assume – and I already noticed that – that there are a lot of good people working here.”
Slot believes that in such a situation, the best way forward would be to merge talent from his own staff with those who have worked well under the previous regime.
“We are going to use hopefully the best of both worlds to implement a few things from us, and to use the knowledge that is inside this club already because of the nine years Jurgen and his staff worked here,” he added.
When it comes to the players, Slot also hinted that there would not be major changes to Klopp’s heavy pressing style, as his attacking brand of football is similar to the German’s.
“This is probably one of the reasons they came to me as well,” he said.
“We were all inspired by Manchester City boss (Pep) Guardiola and Klopp and I think at a big club, which I worked in at Feyenoord as well, it is probably the only style you can play – to have the ball a lot, to have a lot of energy.”
The attention in football is all on Euro 2024 in Germany right now, with the final taking place on July 14.
Following that, Liverpool will play in a pre-season game against Spanish La Liga side Real Betis on July 26. They start the new English season at promoted Ipswich Town on Aug 17.
Slot cannot wait to get started with his players and has also planned out his preparations for the campaign ahead.
“In pre-season it’s all about getting players fit and getting your game idea, your game model, into the players,” he said.
“We have quite a lot of training time with a few of them; and it depends how far players will go into the tournaments (including the Copa America) they are playing, how much time we have to work with these players.
“But like you already mentioned, the playing style will not be completely different... We have to be ready for the first game with Ipswich.” REUTERS
