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Liverpool told what Arne Slot will do differently to Jürgen Klopp by man who knows him best

Arne Slot gives his players instructions from the touchline during Feyenoord's game against Excelsior
-Credit: (Image: Getty Images)


Arne Slot’s former assistant at Feyenoord has told Liverpool what it can expect at Anfield next season. The Dutchman is expected to take a different approach with fans to Jürgen Klopp.

Slot has now been confirmed as the German’s successor, and will officially take over as head coach on June 1. He faces a busy summer ahead as he and new sporting director Richard Hughes look to put their stamp on the Reds.

Slot will arrive at Anfield following a successful spell in charge of Feyenoord. The 45-year-old won the Eredivisie title last season before adding the KNVB Cup this year.

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And he was selected by FSG’s CEO of football Michael Edwards in part due to his similar playing style to what Liverpool has become accustomed to under Klopp. There is something Slot will do differently though.

Former assistant Marino Pursic, who worked alongside Slot for five years before leaving to take the job at Shakhtar Donetsk, knows the Dutchman better than anyone. Giving an insight to The Telegraph as to what fans can expect, it seems supporters might have to get used to a different approach on the sidelines.

“You will not see him running to the stands and jumping and that kind of thing,” Pusic said. “He’s switched on, very much focused on the details.

“He has a lot of deep thoughts about the game, about the development of the game and is an amazing coach — he showed that already in Holland, but not only in Holland, also in the games we played in the Europa League and the Champions League and also in the Conference League.

“It doesn’t mean if you’re not running in front of the stands that you’re not passionate enough; it’s not a good comparison. Nobody’s the same. Every person, every coach is unique in his own way.

“Arne is calmer, he has of course a lot of passion for the game and he always has nice interactions with the people. He has a lot of feeling for good atmospheres in stadiums and appreciates the fans a lot. He finds it very important to cherish the club and the team.”

Pusic added: “I think, following football all over the world, that Liverpool did a great job by signing him. I think it fits perfectly to Liverpool.

“General philosophies are always changing or adapting to circumstances. But in general, his philosophy is a dominant way of playing. What does that mean exactly? It means the proper build-up from the back, finding the right spaces, getting good players in good positions to exploit their talents and qualities, with a lot of intensity, pressing.

“Of course, Klopp also played with a lot of energy, a lot of aggression… good football. So, in that way I think the people on Anfield Road will for sure see good football. What you can expect is of course professionalism, 100 per cent.

“He’s a great person. I don’t believe a good coach can be a bad person. He takes care of his environment, of his players. He’s a dedicated coach, working very hard 24/7.”

Liverpool.com says: Moving on from Klopp will naturally take some getting used to, but by the sounds of it, we should be seeing some similarities on the pitch with Slot. He might be different in his approach on the sidelines, but as long as he carries on Klopp’s good work, fans won’t be too bothered about what he does.