Dutch football pundits and the wider media in the Netherlands can be even harsher than their colleagues in the UK, but Arne Slot often gets an easy ride. Even during his difficult months at Liverpool he’s had it far easier than his compatriots often did, such as Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.
The Dutch media have a soft spot for Arne, so it’s no surprise they’ve rallied behind him in the face of the Mohamed Salah drama. Any other approach was always unlikely.
It also follows the trend of Salah being blamed generally, also in the UK media. Without full knowledge of what has happened behind the scenes, there’s a widespread belief nothing justifies his media rant.
Aad de Mos, a retired manager and prominent Dutch pundit, believes Slot also has the backing of Liverpool’s most senior players. There’s been talk of a dressing room split, but De Mos thinks differently.
Dutch website SoccerNews quote him as saying: “The Liverpool dressing room is obviously a bit sick. The big boys get all the praise, but they always get the blame too. That’s a given in football.
“The big boys are internally siding with Slot. They think Salah needs to perform better. He’s walking around, he has no charisma anymore. That’s when you have to intervene. When you lose five times, you have to make a move. Nothing is bigger than the club. Slot owes it to the club.
“I’ve often kicked players out. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But if you keep losing, it’s your turn as a manager too.”
There’s a possibility that Salah’s rant has actually made Slot’s position firmer. Liverpool won’t want to look they’ve been influenced by a player.