Arne Slot says it was important to him that Fenway Sports Group expressed an interest in his playing style above anything else when approaching him for the role of Liverpool head coach. The Reds boss outlined that this mattered more to him than the owners’ interest in his trophy haul.
Slot won the Eredvisie title and Dutch cup during his time at Feyenoord but was most appealing to the Liverpool hierarchy due to likeness in playing style to Jurgen Klopp. The new coach has since enjoyed a dream-like start to his tenure.
Liverpool topped the Premier League going into the weekend having become outright leaders of the Champions League table thanks to Tuesday’s 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen, managed by Xabi Alonso, who at one stage had been the favourite for the Anfield hot seat himself.
The midweek result means Liverpool are currently on a 12-game unbeaten run and have lost just one of Slot’s first 16 matches in charge. Many have credited club chiefs for recruiting a coach who has managed to preside over a seamless transition from Klopp’s reign.
Slot has now opened up on one major conversation with FSG during talks this summer that resonated well with him. “For me, it was really important that they chose me because of the way I played,” he told TNT Sports.
“Not because I won the league in Holland – which probably no-one knows in England, or that we won the cup over there! But that they wanted me for my playing style.
“Every time I went to another club, that was my main thing I wanted to hear from a sports director; do you want me for the result I got, which of course are helpful as well, otherwise they are not interested in you.
“But for me, it was important that they wanted me for my playing style. And the reason, which is what I expected, why they wanted me was because I was quite similar to Jurgen.”
Slot – who admitted that he felt “at home” at Liverpool a few days into his employment – said he has not had to change much from Klopp’s time at the club given the impressive calibre of squad he was left with. “I got to inherit a team that did really well last season and so many seasons before,” he added.
“So there was not a reason to change a lot of things, just keep the things they do really well. In general I think what Jurgen’s teams like to do – and what my team like to do – is press really high.
“Sometimes it’s maybe a bit different information but the idea is the same. And we both like to score goals!”
