Arne Slot admits the club are "looking at the situation" over their set-piece coach vacancy as the Liverpool boss sent a thank-you message to the departing Aaron Briggs
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 01: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Aaron Briggs and Arne Slot, head coach of Liverpool during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2 training and press conference at AXA Training Centre on October 01, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Nikki Dyer - LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Aaron Briggs with Arne Slot during a Liverpool training session in October 2024
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(Image: Nikki Dyer - LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Arne Slot admits the club are "looking at the situation" over their set-piece coach vacancy as the Liverpool boss sent a thank-you message to the departing Aaron Briggs. But Slot has stopped short of detailing further information on links to Etienne Reijnen, the Feyenoord coach who was under consideration earlier this year.
Briggs was relieved of his duties earlier this week after Liverpool conceded their 12th set-piece goal of the campaign in the 2-1 home win over Wolves on December 27. The Reds have scored just three goals from dead-ball situations themselves, leading them into the New Year with a balance of minus-nine, which would be their worst of the Premier League era.
Briggs was brought to the club as part of a new-look backroom staff in the summer of 2024 and, after spending a season with the set-piece team as part of a wider remit, he took on the duties exclusively earlier this year after the club opted against recruiting externally, which had initially been the plan.
Briggs was brought to the club as part of a new-look backroom staff in the summer of 2024 and, after spending a season with the set-piece team as part of a wider remit, he took on the duties exclusively earlier this year after the club opted against recruiting externally, which had initially been the plan.
Liverpool's inability to defend balls into the box via corners, free-kicks and long throws has been discussed at length this campaign and Briggs parted company with the club on December 30, with Slot steering clear of questions over another move for Reijnen, who he worked with in the Eredivisie.
"First of all, I want to thank him for the one-and-a-half years we worked together because he's (Briggs) been a part and a big part of us winning the league last year," Slot said.
"He's been a big help to me. He's a very good human being, a very promising, young English coach. But as things sometimes happen in January and June, both happen either way and that's what happened over here as well.
"He will definitely find a new challenge for himself because he's done a good job for us, he's a very good human being and a very promising, good English coach and should deserve to get multiple chances again.
"I think it would be a surprise to you that we never talk about players we bring in and start talking about different names in terms of coaches we could bring in.
"Of course, we are looking at the situation, what is best for us now but as long as I have no news about that, I cannot share any."
Slot also revealed that Joe Gomez is expected to be in contention for the trip to Fulham as he gets set to return to first-team training. The Dutchman, though, says Wataru Endo is still some way short of his own comeback.
Slot added: "I expect Joe to train with us (Friday) and Wata (Endo), not yet. Again, I think to say we had four players on the bench who haven't played any minutes in the Premier League and these players just keep going with so many players to go.
"If anyone was like: 'Hmm, why does he take Florian Wirtz off, for example?' Two days after the game, he felt his hamstring still too much. That's why he couldn't train and only trained yesterday.
"With all the games coming up, it was too much of a risk if you don't have so many players available with Premier League experience and, of course, Cody (Gakpo) is a good replacement to bring him in.
"There are all the things we have to take into account, players available with at least some Premier League experience for the schedule we are going in. We have already had two months of non-stop playing football and most of them, six or seven months non-stop playing football.
"So everyone stayed fit, positive, a clean sheet. If I have to take something positive, it's those two and Ibou (Ibrahima Konate) didn't get a yellow, so is not suspended."