It has only been a few months, but Arne Slot has already stamped his authority on Merseyside as Liverpool’s new head coach.
Following nine glorious years of Jurgen Klopp, the Reds said goodbye to the man who led them to the top of the Premier League and made them champions of Europe again.
Now, a Dutchman is in charge, and he has big shoes to fill.
Ultimately, actions speak louder than words and it is rare for a manager to come in and have instant success.
But pre-season has been positive and there is renewed hope and optimism that Liverpool can remain in the fight at the top, despite the significant change in coaching staff.
Ultimately, actions speak louder than words and it is rare for a manager to come in and have instant success.
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📰 Table Of Contents
What does history say?
In the Premier League’s modern era, we have said goodbye to some real legends.
Klopp, Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger are the notable head coaches who remained at a single club for a long period.
We know how successful they were, but how did their successors do and is it a good or bad omen for Slot?
David Moyes took over at Old Trafford, signing a six-year deal in Manchester and receiving the full blessing from Ferguson.
But things went downhill very quickly.
It was simply impossible for him to emulate what his fellow Scotsman achieved at the Theatre of Dreams and he was sacked less than 10 months into the job.
Liverpool fans have always been more patient with their managers and need to ensure they do not fall into the same trap United did with Moyes.
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Despite an era of Pep Guardiola’s dominance, Klopp could always compete alongside the champions, but that might not be the case for Slot.
Additionally, things never really worked out for Unai Emery at Arsenal.
He took the reins from Wenger in 2018, ending 22 years as Gunners boss for the Frenchman.
Emery had proven himself at Sevilla, winning the Europa League in three consecutive seasons before winning Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain.
And the first campaign at the Emirates was not bad. He guided Arsenal to fifth in the Premier League and got them to the Europa League final.
But 18 months in he was gone due to a poor run of results that caused the dressing room to lose faith in the Spaniard.
The senior players inside Liverpool will know that change does not come overnight and while there will be a limit to their patience, most are wise enough and experienced enough to admit that it may take a few years to get back to their best.
Dutch delight
Dutch managers do not have the best record in the Premier League.
As it stands, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has the best win percentage of any who have tried their trade in England.
He sits on 54%, one point higher than Guus Hiddink and three clear of Louis van Gaal.
Of the nine Dutchmen who have managed in England’s top flight, none have ever stayed too long.
Only Ronald Koeman, Ruud Gullit, and Martin Jol were in charge of over 100 matches, with the latter outlasting anyone else by a significant amount, taking charge of 202 games.
The pattern has always been that it has been difficult for these men to add any of their influence to the English game, but that is the task that faces slot.
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While Klopp played in a similar way – with aggressive pressing and high intensity all over the pitch, the former Feyenoord manager prefers a more possession-based approach.
Whether he can copy that over to his Liverpool squad is another question, but one thing he must have is charisma.
Klopp was adored by fans for his outlandish personality and throw-away comments, but his moments on camera were always backed up on the pitch.
For someone like Ten Hag, two domestic trophies in three years is perceived as success at Manchester United, but it is not guaranteed it would be the same at Anfield.
However, with the help of fellow countrymen Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo, there is no reason why Slot cannot form an instant bond with his new environment.
Projects take time
Liverpool have a pattern of being patient with their managers.
Klopp did fine to start with but did not start seeing real success until he had been in charge for two seasons.
And if you look at the other projects, particularly in the Premier League, there is a similar pattern.
Guardiola’s City were far from what they are now in his first campaign, as were Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
But with time and backing from the board – particularly in the transfer market – things can change very quickly.
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City went from Champions League hopefuls to four-time consecutive Premier League winners.
Arsenal went from consecutive finishes outside of the top six to challenging for the title.
Slot already has plenty of dangerous weapons at his disposal, including Mohammed Salah, so it is not like he is even starting from scratch.
If his players can fully embrace their new manager bounce, Liverpool may surprise some people this season.
Prediction
Slot, like so many other Dutch coaches, has proved himself outside of the Premier League.
The tough work starts now though and it will be a season of highs and lows for the 45-year-old.
Expectations may not be to win the Premier League, but challenging for the top four will still be a minimum.
A cup run would also go down well, so do not be surprised to see the Reds compete in the domestic competitions as well as the Champions League.
