Arne Slot has delivered a stark message to his Liverpool squad, telling them that if they fail to claim the Premier League title, it could haunt them for the rest of their lives. Despite leading the league with a comfortable 12-point advantage after the international break and only nine matches remaining, Liverpool‘s recent setbacks in the Carabao Cup and Champions League have set nerves on edge on Merseyside.
However, Slot is no advocate for a cautious approach, stressing his belief that offensive play is key whilst writing in his new book about his managerial rise. He wrote: “I know how it works. If you don’t pick up trophies as a manager or as a player, it can haunt you for decades.
“There are different ways to be remembered. Look at the Holland team in the 1974 World Cup. Everyone saw that World Cup as the tournament where Holland came out as winners. But they didn’t come home with the cup. It was about their style of play.”
Slot aspires not only for victories but also to create lasting memories: “Of course, I want to win as many games as possible – but I also want to stay in the memory of people. That is a trophy in itself, in my opinion.
“I love it when people describe me as the coach who is always thinking in an attacking style. As long as you keep attacking, you improve the chances that you will come out as a winner.
“Take as many risks with your team as you want because that will bring you more rewards than when you make choices fed by fear. I will lose games in my life in future, for sure – but never will I lose them from having a defensive mindset.”
Arsenal remain the main contenders to thwart Liverpool‘s title ambitions in Slot’s debut season after succeeding Jurgen Klopp, and they will hope to take a major step towards the trophy when they take on Everton in the Merseyside derby on 2 April.
Slot led Dutch side Feyenoord to Eredivisie glory in 2023 after building a team which could play fluidly in and out of possession, and he has enjoyed plenty of success with that tactical blueprint since touching down on Merseyside.
In his book, ‘Slotball,’ the Dutch tactician expresses admiration for the methods of Manchester City‘s Pep Guardiola. Slot said: “I have no fear when I do my team-talks these days. I am fully confident that all my attacking ideas will work out. I have no room for fear or nerves.
“I make my decisions on the basis of logic and what I see. “The only time I might feel a bit nervous is if Pep (Guardiola) was in the same room looking over my shoulder! I want my teams to play in such a dynamic way that we are really difficult for our opponents to analyse.”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk