Liverpool's players have been encouraged to consider a visit to the local pub as a potential remedy to revive their faltering season.
A campaign that is rapidly deteriorating took another damaging blow on Wednesday when the Reds suffered a 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League. Slot's players have now lost nine of their previous 12 fixtures, marking the club's poorest run of results in seven decades. The Dutchman is now facing immense pressure to reverse the decline.
As Slot seeks answers to Liverpool's ongoing difficulties, Jurgen Klinsmann, who previously held discussions with former Liverpool owner Tom Hicks regarding the possibility of replacing Rafa Benitez at Anfield, suggests that a pub visit for squad bonding could prove beneficial in restoring momentum.
Speaking to ESPN, he said: “It is a difficult task for any manager when you are in a negative spiral and tasked to turn it around.
"Do you look deep into your roster, look deep into your individual players, and try to figure out why they are not performing at their usual level? There are different ways. Some coaches do more training on the pitch, maybe they overwork them.
"Some coaches do less and say, 'Let's go out to the pub, have a couple of beers and get the spirit back!'
Mohamed Salah looking dejected during Liverpool's Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield
Mohamed Salah looking dejected during Liverpool's Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield (Image: Getty Images)
"It's a mental problem, a mental block that leads to the fact they lose the one-v-one battles, they are always a step too late getting into the challenges, and are not convinced of finishing things off. Maybe they are thinking we overdid it on big transfers in the summer, and we have too many so-called future stars on our roster because, at the end of the day, only 11 can play.
"You have three, four, five, six guys who are used to playing, and they are not happy. When things go well, everything is quiet, everyone is all right, and nobody says a bad word.
"But when things go wrong, behind the scenes, people talk to each other, players talk to each other, and you have to stop the negative spiral. I'm sure he will try to do everything he can to stop it, and then you can only come back with wins.
"They need a far more physical approach than they did recently. They need to fight first, then play wonderful football."
The ex-Germany striker and manager's views were echoed by former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley, who said: "I’m being serious now. People might think it was something done 20 or 30 years ago, and it certainly was, but sometimes it’s more than dragging players on the training field and slogging them to death.
"Sometimes it’s as simple as that camaraderie. I know people laugh about it, but sometimes players need that.
"There’s a pressure, and you need everyone to be together. Sometimes it’s not double sessions on the training field, sometimes it is going for something for a few beers, chilling and chatting about how you’re going to get those relationships again.
"What they’re doing at the moment is not working, and if you don’t have the bonding and camaraderie, you’re screwed from the start."