Former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt is confident that Arne Slot will seamlessly adapt to life at Anfield, assuring fans of his potential for success.
Liverpool have finalized a deal with Feyenoord for Slot to take over from Jurgen Klopp as manager. The connection between Slot and Kuyt stems from the latter’s son being part of the academy. Slot graciously permitted Kuyt to observe his methods for a week prior to last year’s Eredivisie title victory, an achievement that garnered immense respect in the Netherlands.
The achievement was particularly remarkable considering that the 45-year-old had to reconstruct his team after losing numerous key players over the summer, notably top scorer Luis Sinisterra, who was transferred to Leeds United. Notably, Tottenham was rumored to be interested in Slot after Jesse March’s departure last year.
Despite ongoing speculation about the Tottenham job, Slot remained committed and went on to secure the Dutch Cup this season. Now, he may be on the brink of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“Arne loves the game and thinks about football 24/7,” Kuyt informed The Athletic.
“That passion shines through when he speaks. He’s always studying other teams and thinking about how his team can improve and evolve. Tactically, he’s very strong. What people like most in Holland, where his reputation is so high, is that he has his own vision, his style of play.”
Slot, a two-time Eredivisie Manager of the Year, has a playing style similar to Klopp than Amorim’s, and is unafraid to give young players a chance. Kuyt, now 43, describes Slot as possessing the kind of charisma that motivates players of all ages, yet he emphasizes that Slot cannot be confined to a single mold.
“Nowadays managers always get compared. Is it the Jurgen Klopp style? Is it the Jose Mourinho style? Is it the Pep Guardiola style?
“The answer is that Slot has his own style. He doesn’t copy anyone. He knows exactly what he wants and he believes in it. It’s attractive, attacking football.
“He likes to play an aggressive defence, high intensity, with the game played in the opponent’s half, but it’s his way. It’s different from Klopp but a lot of the principles are the same.”
Expanding on his time spent with Slot, Kuyt, currently managing Beerschot, elaborated further: “What struck me about Arne was his ability to make the players believe in what he believes in. I talked to some of them when I was there and they all spoke so highly about him.
“They love how he organises the training sessions and how he gets his ideas across. He’s an excellent communicator and man manager.”
However, like many others, Kuyt was surprised to learn that Liverpool had selected Slot as their top candidate. Initially, Xabi Alonso and then Amorim were rumored to be the frontrunners to succeed Klopp, with Slot’s name only emerging as a serious contender within the past week.
“The news that Liverpool had decided to go for Slot came out of the blue,” Kuyt admitted. “I was surprised because since Jurgen said he would be leaving at the end of the season, other names had been mentioned as possible contenders.
“But it makes a lot of sense. I haven’t spoken to Arne but if everything is agreed, Liverpool have made a very good choice. He’s ready for the next step in his career. You can’t compare Feyenoord with Liverpool but Arne is used to dealing with pressure and high expectations.”
Kuyt continued: “Arne wouldn’t go anywhere unless he really believed in the project. If he says ‘yes’ then it’s because he’s convinced he can do great things in the job he’s taking on. Arne is the type of guy who would say ‘no’ to any big club if he had any doubts.”
