Amid the ongoing guessing game as to who’ll be Liverpool’s next manager, Arne Slot has emerged as a contender to take over from Jurgen Klopp.
The odds on the Feyenoord boss replacing the 56-year-old have have shortened considerably in recent days (Daily Express), while Dean Jones has said that the Dutchman will ‘inevitably’ end up in the Premier League (GIVEMESPORT).
The 45-year-old has now been given a glowing reference by a legend of Dutch football in Marco van Basten, who told the Rondo show on Ziggo Sport (via Voetbal Zone): “I think Slot is really good. I hope he stays in the Netherlands longer, because it is an enrichment for Dutch football.
“He can really go anywhere: Bayern Munich, Liverpool… I’m really convinced of that. I hope he stays in the Netherlands, but I am convinced he can do it anywhere. I’ve spoken to him a few times, and he handles the players very well. Of course, he is also very well versed tactically.
“I can explain his ideas well; he is calm and intelligent. As far as I am concerned, he is a top trainer. I really think he can go to any club, even difficult clubs. He is very smart in his choice of words.”
Van Basten has a reputation for offering some unforgiving views as a pundit, having torn into the likes of Matthijs de Ligt and even Virgil van Dijk in recent years, so it’s apparent that he doesn’t dish out praise lightly.
That adds to the credence of the endorsement that he’s given to Slot, and perhaps the takeaway observation from the ex-AC Milan icon’s comments is the Feyenoord coach’s diplomacy in terms of managing players.
That ability to bring the squad with him bodes well if the 45-year-old is to replace Klopp, who created an enviable sense of unity at Liverpool; and contrasts starkly with the likes of Jose Mourinho, whose presence at our win over Fulham on Sunday has triggered outlandish speculation about him possibly being in contention for the Anfield job.
In addition to winning the Eredivisie with the Rotterdam club, Slot has also performed well on the continental stage, taking his team to the Europa Conference League final two years ago and the Europa League quarter-finals last season.
If he’s to become the Reds’ next manager, he’d be expected to take us deep into the Champions League as well as competing for domestic supremacy.
That’s no easy feat, but Van Basten’s glowing evaluation might yet strike a chord with Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes when it comes to the most crucial hiring decision that Liverpool have faced in many a year.
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