Liverpool supporters hoping to see a new manager installed for next season were given some disappointing news on Thursday.
Continuing the tone of reporting in recent weeks, there were claims from The Telegraph in the evenin that FSG want Arne Slot to be in charge next season.
Despite leading Liverpool to a dismal campaign, that followed the theme of recent messaging, which has been that Slot is likely to be safe regardless of how the season finishes up. According to journalist David Lynch, though, that simply is not the case.
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Virgil van Dijk pictured during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against Inter Milan at San Siro (Credit: Getty Images/Giuseppe Cottini).
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He claims that the Dutchman could yet be sacked even if he delivers Champions League qualification.
Slot could still be sacked by Liverpool
With Fulham and Everton to come in the next two, and plenty more tough games in the Premier League left to play, there is a real question mark over whether Liverpool will finish in the division’s top five.
If they don’t, the general assumption has been that Slot will be under pressure. If they do, he is more likely to be safe. Speaking to Anfield Index, though, Lynch says Liverpool insiders have told him that things are not quite as simple as that.
“He has to show something to the end of the season,” he said. “I’ve been constantly kind of told that, you know, it’s never been my understanding that he’s just safe regardless and it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t work like that.”
Arne Slot applauds Liverpool supporters after their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
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“I do constantly see kind of suggestions that if he qualifies for the Champions League that’ll keep him in a job. If he doesn’t then he’s going to get sacked.
“If Liverpool are operating like that, and my understanding is that they aren’t because they wouldn’t, they’d be in serious trouble if it was as arbitrary as that, because they have to take everything into account, which is, you know, the style of play, if it’s working, if he’s getting the best out of X player, Y player, Z player, what improvements he’s showing, is he providing the foundation going into the next season? He’s ticking none of those boxes at the moment.”
Analysis: No defence for Slot to stay
Based on the criteria Lynch puts forward, there is simply no argument that Slot has done enough to stay as Liverpool head coach.
Clearly, last season’s Premier League title win should buy him some credit, but things have simply been sliding far too far for far too long.
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If Liverpool look at things logically, there is absolutely no reason why Slot should still be in charge next season. He has had his time and, in the past 12 months, has completely blown it.
Champions League qualification was the absolute bare minimum required of the Reds before the season started, with those expectations set by the fanbase and surely the ownership as well.
Should he guide Liverpool into the Premier League’s top five, that will not be a success story and should not be treated as such.
Recent claims have suggested that Slot will be safe in his job regardless of what happens in the next six weeks or so, but in reality the opposite should be true. Only a Champions League win should be what saves him now. Wherever Liverpool finish in the league table, Slot should now be toast.
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