Following a whirlwind summer, the dust has started to settle on Liverpool's decision to fire Arne Slot, and Ruud Gullit is among those who aren't convinced by the move.
Arne Slot, head coach of Liverpool, reacts after a missed chance during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Liverpool
Liverpool has been told that firing Arne Slot was a mistake(Image: (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images))
Ruud Gullit has claimed that Liverpool made a "mistake" by firing Arne Slot, suggesting the Reds cannot build a culture around dismissing managers quickly.
It follows a whirlwind few months at Anfield, with the summer signalling the end of the 48-year-old's tenure after a challenging season across all competitions.
While Andoni Iraola has been appointed as his successor, the Spaniard is finding some familiar problems at Liverpool that his predecessor encountered, albeit without suffering defeat in any competition so far. It certainly suggests there are deeper problems within the squad and the way it has been assembled, following successive summers of heavy spending in the market.
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While it will now be Iraola's job to implement an identity while being pragmatic and getting the most out of the players at his disposal, there are naturally question marks about what could be next if the manager cannot do that task successfully.
Another change in head coach could only create a culture of firing, with Gullit suggesting that Slot's summer exit could kickstart such a thing at Liverpool.
Speaking to ComeOn, the former player and manager said: "I think Liverpool have made a mistake getting rid of Arne Slot.
"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.
Arne Slot manager / head coach of Liverpool reacts during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace
Arne Slot was dismissed by Liverpool in the summer(Image: (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images))
"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?"
In the end, Slot's time at Liverpool ended with plenty of questions. Most wondered what a third season under the manager would look like, given one amazing campaign winning the Premier League, followed by a far poorer performance in the division.
Instead, after two seasons, the Slot era at Anfield came to a close. His final record stood at 113 games in charge with 66 wins, 18 draws and 29 defeats, while his next challenge after Liverpool is yet to be decided.
It remains to be seen how Iraola's time on Merseyside will compare, but after plenty of changes on and off the pitch over recent seasons, having some stability placed behind a manager could help the club move forward again.
That will all depend on the results, however. While Liverpool won't want a firing culture for managers, as with some other clubs, results will likely dictate the direction the team takes.