It was an emotional day when Jurgen Klopp left Liverpool in May, but he injected some positivity into the post-match proceedings as he sang Arne Slot’s name on the pitch at Anfield. As Klopp put his faith in Slot, the Dutchman was unaware and enjoying a farewell party in Rotterdam after his final Feyenoord match.
Liverpool’s head coach told Men in Blazers: “I didn’t see it live because we were having our last game at Feyenoord at that moment and I think I was at a party at that moment but text messages came in, people came to me showing what he did.
“Jurgen is so so popular among the fans and about the staff here at this AXA Training Ground because of how successful he was but definitely also because of the person he was.”
With Liverpool supporters full of anxiety over what life might be like after Klopp’s departure, the German’s show of trust in his successor helped ease the crowd’s worries. Slot appreciated the gesture but had a question for Klopp about his creative process, saying: “To do this for your successor, that is never done before. It might happen now once or twice in the future but I don’t expect it to happen a lot, so it says a lot about him that he did this.
“I should ask him once if he came up with it at that particular moment or he thought about this weeks before because to come up with Jurgen Klopp la la la, then Arne Slot la la la, that is quite creative. I will ask him if he came up with it in the last moment or thought about this weeks before!”
The chant is to the tune of Opus’ Live Is Life, which Liverpool fans used to serenade Klopp with.
Arne Slot had no hesitation when taking over from Jurgen Klopp. Though Klopp gave Slot somewhat of a head start with a strong squad and a show of confidence in the Dutchman, it would have been easy for the new head coach to experience a tumultuous start. We know now he has adapted to life on Merseyside brilliantly, winning nine of his first 10 matches.
Back in July, Slot was asked if replacing Klopp was something he had to mull over before taking the job, to which he replied: “No, not at all actually. You can look at it both ways, you can look at it that yeah, they are big shoes to fill, but you can also look at it that you inherited a squad and a team that has a winning culture.
“And one of the reasons to come here, and there are always more reasons for this, is that I do feel we have a really good team, a real good squad. As a manager, you want to work at a club where there are good players with the opportunity to win something. The past has shown that there is a possibility for Liverpool to win some trophies.
“You can look at it in a way of being the successor of someone who is really successful, but I look at it in a way that is ideal because there is an opportunity to win something. I like to work with players, I like to develop them, but I like to win as well. There’s an opportunity at this club to win.
“Not everything will go perfectly in Slot’s first years at Liverpool, but if he can keep winning consistently along the way, Liverpool will remain in the hunt for silverware and that’s what matters.
