Liverpool’s search for a successor to the iconic Jurgen Klopp has been a daunting task, given his transformative impact on the club. Klopp’s arrival in 2015 marked a resurgence for the Merseyside giants, who had lost their aura during the Premier League era.
Under Klopp’s leadership, Liverpool has become a dominant force in European football, winning a full set of trophies. The 2019 Champions League triumph stands as his greatest victory, while the end of Liverpool’s 30-year wait for an English league title in 2020 was a particularly emotional moment.
Klopp’s departure, announced in January 2023, stunned Liverpool supporters. The club immediately set about identifying his successor, aware of the consequences of making the wrong choice. Michael Edwards, recently appointed “chief executive of football” for Liverpool owner FSG, oversaw the process.
Liverpool sought candidates who would suit a squad assembled to play Klopp’s high-pressing tactics. They also needed to have the personality to take charge at one of the world’s biggest clubs.
After a thorough search, Liverpool zeroed in on Feyenoord manager Arne Slot. Slot had impressed in his first managerial role at AZ Alkmaar and led Feyenoord to their first Europa Conference League final in 2022. He also delivered a second league title in 24 years to Feyenoord and added the Dutch Cup this year.
While Slot’s winning pedigree with Feyenoord is impressive, his success in England is not guaranteed. Liverpool need only look at Erik ten Hag’s struggles at Manchester United to know how difficult it can be for a winning coach to adapt to a new league.
However, Slot takes over a team on the up after Klopp rebuilt his all-conquering squad over the past two years. Despite losing key players like Sadio Mane, Jordan Henderson, and Roberto Firmino, Liverpool has quickly returned to title contention and won the League Cup in February with seven players of his team in the final aged 21 or under.
While Klopp and Liverpool were hoping to end their association on a high, with another Premier League title, recent defeats at Everton and West Ham have hurt their chances. Liverpool was also eliminated in the Europa League quarterfinals by Atalanta.
Despite these setbacks, Klopp remains optimistic. “Obviously now I even help by not finishing on a high, so there is space for improvement,” he said.
The wringer awaits Slot, who has never faced the intense scrutiny of the British football press. Klopp said he liked Slot’s style of play but added that he has not been involved in the search process. “It’s not up to me to judge these things, but it all sounds really good to me,” said Klopp. “I like the way his team plays football. I don’t know him, but some people who know him say he’s a good guy. I like that a lot.”
Slot is known as a passionate leader with a fierce work ethic. He is meticulous, driven, and obsessed with hard work and attention to detail. These qualities have led to results at Feyenoord, seen as a team with physically fit players who fight for each other and often score late goals.
But for all Slot’s ability, the decision to choose him as Klopp’s successor still represents a step into the unknown for Liverpool. Before arriving in Anfield, Klopp had a history of success in elite football in addition to being an influential, cutting-edge tactician. The 45-year-old Slot, in contrast, has only had five seasons as a head coach, all of them in the Netherlands, which doesn’t house a top-five league.
The pressures of living up to Anfield’s glorious history, the challenges of dealing with both superstar players and the invasive British football press, and the cut-throat competitive depth of the Premier League: Slot has never experienced any of these individually leave alone together.
Slot has also never had to deal with a string of poor results — a testament to his qualities, but he has not been tested in the manner he now will be. So, how he reacts to adversity will only be known when he experiences it. Then there is the Kop and its special emotional charge that Klopp was able to tap into — Slot will not be expected to galvanise Liverpool fans immediately, but if he is to have any success on Merseyside, he will need to convince them fairly quickly.
Life after Klopp won’t be easy for Liverpool — but the choice of Slot certainly makes it interesting.
