We're in for another summer of change at Liverpool. Mohamed Salah is set to leave on a free transfer, and there is so much uncertainty around Arne Slot.
The Dutch coach only has a tenuous hold on his position in the dugout, and the boos that chorused around Anfield when Liverpool drew to imperilled Tottenham Hotspur in March were deeply concerning. Not only are Liverpool struggling for results, but the stale and uninspiring football they are producing has turned segments of the fanbase against the man who secured a Premier League title one year ago.
Mo Salah interview quotes - Liverpool
Slot and Salah struck an uneasy alliance after their December fallout, but now, with Europa or Conference League football a genuine possibility for the Reds next season, FSG might need to bite the bullet and make a change.
The latest on Arne Slot's Liverpool future
FSG's stance has always been that they retain the faith in Slot after a difficult year. There are indeed many mitigating factors that will come into play when deciding whether to sack Slot, but the fact remains that Liverpool have been inexcusably abject.
Should Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League, it's hard to see Slot staying in charge next season, and while Xabi Alonso is the clear frontrunner to replace him, sporting director Richard Hughes would be foolish to place all of his eggs in that basket.
The managerial market is set to swell this summer, and one coach who could be at the top of FSG's shortlist is Sebastian Hoeness, who has exceeded expectations with Stuttgart in the German Bundesliga.
Reports from earlier this month have outlined Liverpool interest in the young coach, and it's also interesting to note that Liverpool's groundwork stretches further back, having listed Hoeness as a potential Jurgen Klopp successor in 2024.
sebastian-hoeness-next-bayern-munich-manager
Hoeness, 43, plays front-footed, aggressive football, more akin to the style of Klopp's gegenpressing approach than the methodical control of Slot.
Why Liverpool should appoint Hoeness
Hoeness might be a young coach, but he's already earned his stripes in his homeland, reshaping the outfit since being appointed in April 2023.
sebastian-hoeness-stuttgart
Sebastian Hoeness for Stuttgart.
Relegation fodder when he took the reins, the German tactician finished as runner-up to Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen in 2023/24, Bayern Munich shocking the nation in finishing third.
Employing a 4-2-3-1 formation, Hoeness could emulate Klopp in leading Liverpool with an emphasis on attractive and energetic attacking football without shirking from defensive stability. Liverpool's structure under Slot's wing this season has neutered fluency and balance at the back, creating a sort of tactical ripple effect up toward the frontline.
He's young, sure, but Hoeness has already tasted silverware, winning the DFB-Pokal last year (the German equivalent of the FA Cup).
Jurgen Klopp's Silverware at Liverpool
Competition
Premier League
Champions League
FA Cup
Carabao Cup
Club World Cup
UEFA Super Cup
Community Shield
Alonso won a few trophies in Germany too, of course, but the Spaniard plays a brand of football more aligned with Slot's vision than that of Klopp, and while it worked a treat for the title-winning Reds last year, there's no question that Liverpool have struggled to break teams down and play entertaining football this season.
In fact, Hoeness' breakneck tactics might actually prove the perfect formula to penetrate steely backlines, opening spaces and bypassing those low blocks that have frustrated Slot throughout the campaign.
Recognised as a manager who has the potential to lead a top Premier League side for many years to come, Hoeness could be the passionate project coach that fans have been searching for this season.
Slot has earned his flowers and then some after replacing Klopp, but if he doesn't turn things around quickly, he will be sacked, and while Alonso is the more prominent name, Hoeness may well be the better fit.
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