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Ahead of a massive Merseyside derby, Arne Slot appeared for a sit-down to discuss the outlook at Liverpool as the season draws to a close.
Ever since the Dutchman’s debut season triumph, bringing home the Premier League title on his first attempt, the Reds have been on a downward trajectory — that’s not up for debate.
What has been a hot topic of discussion is whether Slot should be Liverpool manager next season. It’s a dilemma that’s sure to split the fanbase down the middle, but he sounds hopeful of getting at least one more bite of the apple next season.
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Photo Credit: Getty Images/Chris Brunskill/Fantasista Arne Slot on long-term Liverpool ambitions and the possibility of an exit
To kick off the interview, Slot was asked to delve further into the comments he made after being knocked out of the Champions League by PSG.
He spoke about the start of a new cycle at Liverpool, and went into more detail in Sunday’s interview with Sky Sports.
He said: “It’s never easy to be part of a transition, because it comes with emotions, but it’s also challenging and that makes it very interesting, so it’s nice to be part of this.
“I hope and I assume that if I leave and whenever that might be, people remember me for the fact that we won the league in my time over here, but that I also played a big part in creating a new cycle with very good players that are able to hopefully win just as much or even more than the ones that have already left or are going to leave us this summer.”
Photo by Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images
There’s a few ways you can read into these quotes. Earlier in the season, the mere suggestion that Slot could fall out of favour at Liverpool was met with a look of disbelief from the Dutchman. Now, he looks less assured about his future, talking about the possibility of an exit.
Say what you want about him, but Slot is definitely right about one thing. He will be remembered for his accomplishment last term above all else. If he gets his way, though, that will be just the first chapter in his Liverpool story.
The ambition of surpassing the Klopp-era side in terms of success might seem like a pipe dream now, but it is the mentality any Liverpool manager should have.
Arne Slot on exciting the Liverpool fans
It hasn’t been much fun being a Liverpool fan these past few months, and it has felt at times like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
But Slot thinks there is plenty to be optimistic about.
As he explains: “I think they are excited if they are watching the players we’ve signed already and because they’ve shown this season how special they can be.
“And I know it doesn’t work like this, but the amount of goals we’ve conceded in extra time, that will never happen again in another season. It’s impossible that it happens again. So that would lead to five, six, seven, eight, nine points more already. And then looking at all the injuries we’ve had, and I can come up with so many other things, I think that we’ve been very, very unlucky this season.
“We can easily do much better next season just by being less unlucky, and I think there’s much more to come.”
Is a fifth-place finish enough to warrant Arne Slot remaining Liverpool manager?
Credit: Shaun Brooks/CameraSport/Getty Images
If Slot really does have long-term aspirations at Anfield, he may want to change his approach in this specific area. To put this dismal season down to bad luck is an avoidance of the clear issues that have developed in this Liverpool squad.
Sure, there have been times when we should have got much more from a game, but accountability is what matters here. The job done by Slot and his players this season can be criticised just as much with ‘luck’ taken out of the equation.
Hopefully, he is right, and there is a lot more to come from his side — both in the coming weeks and next season.
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