Arne Slot has urged Liverpool’s players and supporters to pick up where they left off under Jurgen Klopp. He predicted a smooth transition ahead of his first season at Anfield.
The 45-year-old, who officially started work on June 1, praised his predecessor for helping usher in a “fantastic era” in the Premier League. The 2019 Champions League winner has forged a defining rivalry in European football with Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola.
Klopp stepped down from his role last season after nine years in charge, paving the way for former Feyenoord boss Slott to take up the role.
In his first interview since taking charge, he said this in a message to supporters on the club’s website: “There is a change. But we still have the same players, so hopefully the change won’t be that big.
“I still have the same fans. And it would make my life so much easier if they both did the same thing.
“We expect to see them again in the upcoming season. The same goes for players. “I will do my best to lead the team to the best of my ability,” he said.
Under Klopp, Liverpool won the Premier League title in 2020, their first title in 30 years and twice finished runners-up to Guardiola’s City.
In each of the two campaigns – 2018/19 and 2021/22 – they competed breathlessly with their rivals, picking up record points for a side that had never won the league.
Slott pointed to the “tremendous job” the German has done to restore Liverpool’s status as a regular title contender and said Klopp’s achievements meant he took charge of a team well-positioned to continue their challenge near the top of the division.
“I am now 45 years old. “I’ve been watching football for a long time and I’ve been watching a lot of football,” he said.
“There was a time when everyone was looking at Barcelona’s Xavi, (Andres) Iniesta and (Lionel) Messi. It is a rivalry with Real Madrid, which has Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I think when it ended, the new rivalry in European football was between Jurgen and Pep Guardiola. I think for everyone who loves football, it was a fantastic era where both men brought out the best in each other.
“I watched a lot of Liverpool games, and I watched a lot of City games. If you live in Europe, the Premier League is probably the best league to follow.
“He’s done a tremendous job here and as a fan I’m really happy for that. But now, as his successor, he has left Liverpool in the best way I can think of. “I’m looking forward to it because it’s such a good team,” he said.
Slott won the Eredivisie title with Feyenoord in 2022/23 – the club’s first title in the Netherlands since 2017 – and is regarded as one of the best coaches in the club’s history.
