Is Summer 2024 a Good Time to Sell Up in Renfrewshire?
May 24, 2024Whats on this weekend May 24th
May 24, 2024
When Jurgen Klopp shockingly announced that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the 2023-24 Premier League season after nine years at Anfield, the rumour mill naturally went into overdrive over who would be replacing the German in the dugout.
The first, and arguably most obvious name, on everyone’s lips was Xabi Alonso. Pundits and fans alike were quick to highlight the sensational work the former Liverpool midfielder has done with Bayer Leverkusen over the last couple of seasons.
The football betting UK markets reacted by slashing Alonso to be the odds-on favourite for the position. However, in the process of securing Leverkusen’s first-ever Bundesliga title, the Spaniard distanced himself from the role by confirming that he would be staying put at the BayArena.
That blew the market wide open, and Ruben Amorim emerged as the most likely candidate to replace Klopp. The 39-year-old has made a name for himself as one of the most exciting young managers in the sport, winning the Primeira Liga twice with Sporting Lisbon.
However, while there were reports that he was top of Liverpool’s wish list and even speculation by some in the media that the deal was done and dusted, there has been another twist in the tale, as Arne Slot has been confirmed as Klopp’s successor.
Avid Premier League fans will remember that Slot was heavily linked with the Tottenham Hotspur job last summer. The Dutchman was even in a similar position to where he is in regards to the Liverpool position, with outlets claiming the move was all but done, only for Slot to walk away.
This time though, it does seem incredibly likely that Slot will be managing in the Premier League as Liverpool boss next season. But those who are unfamiliar with the Feyenoord boss will be keen to find out more about Slot and what he can bring to Anfield.
Slot’s playing career lasted for almost 20 years, representing the likes of FC Zwolle and Sparta Rotterdam as he spent all of his playing career in his homeland, but it was as a manager that he gained a reputation.
The 45-year-old’s first senior coaching position was at Cambuur in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football, and he guided the side to a third-place finish in the league while also reaching the semi-finals of the KNVB Cup for the first time in the club’s history.
Slot was quickly snapped up by AZ to work as an assistant to John van den Brom, and he worked as his understudy for a couple of seasons before taking over as head coach for the 2019-20 season.
His first campaign was marred by the pandemic, but AZ reached the round of 32 of the Europa League and finished second to Ajax on goal difference in the Eredivisie, which was cancelled midway through, and no trophy was presented.
Slot was sacked by AZ in December 2020 and it was announced by Feyenoord 10 days later that he would be taking over at De Kuip from the start of the 2021-22 season.
Slot’s arrival marked a new era of success at Feyenoord. In his first season, the club reached the final of the inaugural Europa Conference League, ultimately losing to Roma, while finishing third in the Eredivisie as Slot was named the Manager of the Year.
The following season saw Feyenoord progress to the quarter-finals of the Europa League, where they were once again beaten by Roma, but they enjoyed domestic success by securing their first Eredivisie title since 2017.
This year, Roma were once again a thorn in the side of Feyenoord in Europe, as the Italians knocked them out of the Europa League. Domestically, Feyenoord have relinquished their league title to PSV, but they did win the KNVB Cup for the 14 time.
Replacing a figure like Klopp is no small task, as the German was both successful and loved by the fans at Anfield. But Slot has qualities that resonate deeply with the ethos at Liverpool, like playing attacking-minded football, developing a team, and a hunger for success. That is sure to be enough to keep Liverpool as favourites in the EPL betting.
