My Liverpool will not be completely different from Klopp’s

New Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said his side’s style of play will not differ too much from that made famous by Jurgen Klopp.

In his first interview since taking over at Liverpool, the 45-year-old Dutchman spoke on a range of topics, including what he will bring to the club and the help he has received from Klopp.

“We will try to work on what Jurgen left behind and we will see a lot of similar things. But, of course, I also bring my things to the table and I think that’s what is expected of me,” Slot said on the club’s official website.

“It’s my style, but I think it’s the style of a lot of modern managers at the moment: we’ve all been a bit inspired by the rivalry between City and Liverpool.

We’ve all been inspired by (Pep) Guardiola and Klopp and I think at a big club, where I’ve also worked at Feyenoord, that’s probably the only style you can play – have the ball a lot, have a lot of energy and I think that also now there are comparisons between the club I left behind and the club I will be working for now.”

Support from Klopp

Klopp enjoyed a trophy-laden nine-year stay at Anfield, which included a Premier League and UEFA Champions League title, and Slot said it was important to take as much advice as possible from the man he succeeded.

“He gave me more than just some good advice, but I think what stood out to me was that he was so happy for me and that – and I think he’s said this in the press – he’s going to be my biggest fan. now forward. because he supports Liverpool in the best possible way and you don’t see that very often.

“So it says a lot about his character, how he handled this situation.

“If someone has worked at a club for nine years (and had) so much success, you want to know everything about it from them and you also want to know things about the players – although I think it’s important to- I take my own opinion on this.

“So you can use all this information that he has because he’s done so well, not only in terms of results, but I think everyone saw in the bye, but also in the years before, how popular was.”

One of Slot’s main goals is to help Liverpool build a sustained push for the Premier League title and add to the one they won in 2020.

“We’d all like to see Liverpool a bit higher than third and that’s the challenge we face now – to build on what we’ve got.”

Winning mentality

Slot used tennis legend Novak Djokovic, who won a record 24 Grand Slam titles, as an example of having the kind of mindset his players can benefit from.

“I tried to use cycling examples or at the moment I saw Roland-Garros (French Open tennis) and I saw Djokovic win a very tough match and I think that’s one of his qualities, that he can and he. wins the game when it doesn’t go his way, he can still find a way to win it. I think those are examples you can use for the players as well.”

Slot also revealed that his new backroom staff at the club will consist of Sipke Hulshoff, Ruben Peeters and Fabian Otte.

Liverpool’s first game of the 2024/25 season is a trip to promotion Town of Ipswich in the early start on Saturday, August 17.

Before then, Liverpool will face both Arsenal and Manchester United as part of their pre-season tour of the United States.