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Ahead of this afternoon’s Champions League Final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, Steven Gerrard has given his thoughts on the dismissal of Arne Slot from Liverpool.
It was an announcement that effected everyone connected to Liverpool Football Club but the club have moved quickly to find his successor.
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There is no time for sentiment amidst the cruel reality of football and Andoni Iraola has seemingly already been lined up to take over at Anfield.
Iraola announced he was departing Bournemouth earlier this season and guided the Cherries to European football for the first time in their history after acheiving a sixth placed finish.
He now looks set to further develop his managerial portfolio by switching to Merseyside and linking up with the likes of Richard Hughes and Milos Kerkez who he shared moments with at Bournemouth.
Speaking for TNT Sports ahead of the conclusion of European football’s most prestigious competition, Steven Gerrard had this to say on the news about Arne Slot earlier today:
“Not surprised. Gutted for Arne Slot because in his first year, he had done an incredible job. Taking the reins from Jurgen Klopp, that was a tough task and big shoes to fill, and he had done it seamlessly.”
“It’s very difficult to win the Premier League, and I know that more than most, so for him to deliver that in year one cannot be forgotten, so I think he will go down in the history books and be remembered forever.”
“Having said that, in the last ten games of last season and the majority of this season, we have not looked like Liverpool. The style…it has been difficult to watch at times. It looks disjointed, broken, and when I got the news, of course, your initial reaction is surprise and shock, but when you analyse it properly, it’s probably the right time in my opinion.”
He then went on to discuss who will replace Arne Slot at Liverpool:
“Well, look, I think we’ve all been around the game long enough to know how the ‘process’ works, and I would be very surprised if they made that decision and all of a sudden thought ‘well, who are we going to appoint next?’”
“Liverpool don’t work like that. Liverpool are an organised machine, up top, they have been for a long time. I think it is the right time because it is the end of the season. A new guy will get a pre-season, he will get that chance to recruit players.”
“As a manager going in, it is the best time to go in, to reset everyone and get everyone moving forward in the right direction. I’d be extremely surprised if the people above Slot who make the big decisions at Liverpool all of a sudden started from three or four hours ago looking for a successor.”
A proud supporter of the Reds during his playing career and ever since he hung up his boots, Steven Gerrard will simply be wanting what is best for the club as Liverpool now move into a new era.
💬 “I wasn’t surprised… We haven’t looked like Liverpool – it’s been difficult to watch at times.”
Steven Gerrard speaks on the Arne Slot sacking 👔
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 30, 2026