New Liverpool manager Arne Slot has suggested that his similar style of football to Jurgen Klopp was a big reason why the club chose him to fill the German's shoes at Anfield.
Klopp left Liverpool last month after nine years in charge, leading them to the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and Club World Cup.
Slot was then officially announced as Liverpool's 'head coach' the following day.
“I think there are [similarities with Klopp] and I think that's one of the reasons why I came in,” explained Slot in his first interview with the team's media.
“They didn't want the exact same type, but I think if anything it worked [with] a certain way of playing would you like to expand this or continue this. This is probably one of the reasons that came to me.
“I think it's the style of many modern coaches right now,” added the athlete. “We were all a little motivated because of the rivalry in the middle [Manchester] City and Liverpool. We were all inspired by [Pep] Guardiola and Klopp and I think that in a big club, where I worked at Feyenoord and, maybe that's the only style you can play – to have more football, to have more energy.
“I think there is a comparison between the team I left behind and the team I will work for now. [sets of] fans like to see a team that wants to do everything to win and when things are difficult they try to do everything to change the game and I think that Liverpool have done that many times and I think that my previous team has done that. Feyenoord many times too.”
Slot said he does not mind that his title is 'head coach' rather than 'manager' because it will allow him to “fully engage in the things I would like to do”. Although he will be involved in recruitment along with new sporting director Richard Hughes, there will be “big room staff” all working through transfers.
The 45-year-old seems to feel most at home on the training pitch, which is where he expects to settle when the first season starts: “I think there is a place where you can have a big influence.”
However, there was also a side to Klopp's leadership that he wanted to emulate and successfully manage relationships with players and staff.
“I think that was one of the things, looking at it from the outside, where Jurgen was great, other than the style of play,” Slot said. “That's a challenge because I'm 100 percent sure that a lot of people who still play at this club still love him. We have to find a way for people to get used to me and get used to the new staff coming in, and the same energy in this building.”
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