Liverpool lifted the Premier League trophy in front of their fans this weekend for the first time in 35 years.
The Reds have been incredible this season, and to say this was an unexpected title tilt would be an understatement.
This time last year, the Merseyside club were headed into a period of uncertainty, Jurgen Klopp was leaving and Arne Slot was arriving.
Slot had his doubters before he took the Liverpool job, and after a quiet summer transfer window, questions were asked.
However, Slot has since earned tons of praise, and Liverpool have won the title at a canter.
Speaking on the Official Liverpool Podcast, Robbie Fowler has been discussing Slot’s debut year at Liverpool, and he admits the Dutchman has proven him completely wrong.
Photo by Marco Steinbrenner/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Photo by Marco Steinbrenner/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Arne Slot has proven Robbie Fowler wrong
Fowler spoke about Slot’s incredible first year in charge at Liverpool.
The pundit was very honest about the fact he was unsure on Slot when he first arrived, but he says he’s proven him wrong, labelling his coaching performance this season as ‘incredible’.
“Yeah, I’ll be honest with, you, I was one of them, when the manager came, I didn’t know much about him, I hadn’t followed the Dutch league, you look back at what he’s achieved, and you think ‘wow, it’s impressive’. He came in and all the work Jurgen did, that doesn’t go underestimated, but Arne comes in his first year, he’s been incredible, Jason alluded to it there, everyone stood up to be counted when it’s mattered,” Fowler said.
What Robbie Fowler said when Arne Slot was hired
Fowler says that he wasn’t sure on Slot when he was first hired by Liverpool, and he’s been very honest here.
Indeed, Fowler wrote a column for The Mirror when Slot first arrived at Anfield, and, at the time, he was very unsure, writing:
‘I’ll be honest, I hadn’t a clue Slot was even in the conversation among the power brokers who run Liverpool.’
‘He wasn’t someone who jumped out at me as a candidate. In fact, I knew nothing about Slot at all or the way he plays and, probably like many people, I dived into Google to check him out.’
‘He’s done OK at Feyenoord the last couple of seasons, but only time will tell if he can take Liverpool to greater heights than Klopp managed. That will be a tall order, but the more pressing problem for Liverpool is getting some stability back into players feeling the effects of Jurgen’s imminent departure. They’ve had nearly nine years of Klopp at Liverpool and suddenly everything is about to change.’
Fowler isn’t alone in underestimating Slot, that’s for sure, but the fact that this appointment has gone so well is a testament to how smartly Liverpool are run as a club and a sign of what can happen when you have the right people making the right decisions.
As a whole, Liverpool’s higher-ups deserve huge credit for just how incredible this season has been under Slot.
Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images