Netherlands legend Ruud Gullit has pointed the finger at Liverpool over their transfer dealings and the recent change of head coach
Former Liverpool head coach Arne Slot
Former Liverpool head coach Arne Slot(Image: Yannick Verhoeven/Newhouse Media/MB Media/Getty Images)
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Liverpool have been told they made a mistake sacking Arne Slot and that splashing out big money on players was no guarantee of instant success.
The Reds committed a record-breaking outlay of almost £450million on new signings last summer in defence of their Premier League crown.
However, after losing 20 games in all competitions and only finishing fifth, Slot was given the axe barely 12 months after guiding Liverpool to their 20th championship.
And Dutch legend Ruud Gullit believes the Reds were far too hasty in jettisoning his compatriot and are in danger of changing the culture of the club.
"I think Liverpool have made a mistake getting rid of Arne Slot," said Gullit.
"A club like Liverpool cannot create this sacking culture, getting rid of a manager a year after he came in and won the Premier League. We see it at other clubs but now at Liverpool and it makes me question who is responsible for it.
"I’m very curious about who made that decision because someone made that call. They signed all these good players but that doesn’t mean that they can have instant success. It’s too difficult to work in that way. It doesn’t happen like that no matter who you buy.
"I was lucky as a manager. Really lucky. At Chelsea we signed Gianfranco Zola, Roberto Di Matteo and Frank Leboeuf, but that was because I knew exactly what I wanted, and I knew the players that I needed to come in. They were my spine.
"But you need to be lucky as a manager, and I was. Then again, maybe I just bought some very good players?"
Liverpool had the biggest net spend in world football in the recent transfer window and have splashed out more than £100m each on three players in capturing Alexander Isak, Bradley Barcola and Florian Wirtz.
Few expect Liverpool to challenge for major honours this season as they start to rebuild under new head coach Andoni Iraola.
And Gullit said: "If you have a lot of money it is difficult to spend it wisely. Very, very difficult. The top five clubs, most of the time, they get one out of every three signings right, and they’re the ones who are going to make it, and that is good, if you’re lucky.
"It’s not easy to buy players of a high standard, who can also make it in the Premier League because it’s a league that is played to a totally different tempo, a different way of playing. There’s so much that goes into it therefore it’s obvious that you are not going to get that instant success."
Speaking to Comeon.com, Gullit added: "Liverpool are a good example of how it is the most difficult part to buy the right players. It is really, really hard.
"Chelsea also go and buy all the best young players again and again but that doesn’t give them success either. There are so many examples of teams that buy players and success still doesn’t come.
"We have seen how to do it with Arsenal but how long did it take them? Year after year, bit by bit, but a lot of money every year."