Arne Slot, the future head coach of Liverpool, publicly confirmed his new role on Friday, causing a stir among fans as Jurgen Klopp prepared for his farewell game. Slot’s announcement came ahead of Feyenoord’s match against Excelsior, where he stated, “I can confirm that I will become the trainer [at Liverpool] next year.” This was the first direct acknowledgement from the 45-year-old about his upcoming position, after weeks of evading questions about his future.
While some fans were excited about the prospect of Slot taking over, others criticized him for not showing enough respect to Klopp during his final days at Liverpool. Many felt that Slot should have refrained from making any comments until the appropriate time. However, there is a simple explanation for Slot’s announcement timing – he needed to bid farewell to Feyenoord.
Although Slot’s connection with Feyenoord may not be as deep as Klopp’s with Liverpool, he has achieved success with the team, winning their first Eredivisie title in six years in the 2022/23 season and finishing in the top three for three consecutive seasons. Therefore, it is only fair for the club and its fans to honor his time at De Kuip, just as Liverpool will honor Klopp. If Slot had kept his appointment with Liverpool a secret, there would have been doubts about his final game in charge.
Additionally, Feyenoord now faces the task of finding a suitable replacement for Slot. The news broke on Friday that Robin van Persie would be leaving his position as Feyenoord U18s manager to become the head coach of SC Heerenveen. This ruled out one potential candidate for Feyenoord. Speculation about Klopp’s assistant, Pepijn Lijnders, was also put to rest earlier in the week when he accepted the Red Bull Salzburg job. Former Liverpool midfielder Nuri Sahin has been mentioned as a candidate, with the 35-year-old currently serving as an assistant manager at Dortmund.
The longer Slot kept fans in the dark about his future plans, the more uncertain Feyenoord’s situation became. Therefore, it was a logical decision for him to confirm his appointment at Liverpool. Klopp is unlikely to view Slot’s announcement as disrespectful, as he has already given his approval for the Dutchman to take over. Fans should put aside any frustration and focus on Sunday’s game at Anfield, where they will bid farewell to Klopp and look forward to the future under Slot’s leadership.