Liverpool boss Arne Slot says he takes inspiration from Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, as well as tennis star Novak Djokovic.
The 45-year-old commences his role as the Reds’ new boss on July 1 and is now making preparations ahead of his first season in charge.
Slot has arrived at Anfield as Klopp’s successor off the back of a Eredivisie and KNVB Cup winning stint at Dutch side Feyenoord.
On Wednesday, the club released his first interview as Liverpool boss and when asked if there are any style similarities with his predecessor, he agreed and cited Manchester City’s Guardiola as inspiration too.
“I think there are and I think that is also one of the reasons why I came in, because I think the way Liverpool ‘scouted’ me – I’m not sure if that is the right word to use – they were looking for, not the exact same type.
“But I think when something has been successful [with] a certain way of playing you would like to extend this or to go on with this. This is probably one of the reasons they came to me as well.
“Yeah, it is my style but I think it is the style of many modern coaches at the moment: we were all a bit inspired because of the rivalry between City and Liverpool.
“We were all inspired by Guardiola and Klopp and I think at a big club, which I worked in in Feyenoord as well, it is probably the only style you can play – to have the ball a lot, to have a lot of energy, and I think also now there are comparisons between the club I left behind and the club I am going to work for now.
“Both [sets of] fans love to see a team that wants to do everything to win a game and if things are tough they try to do everything to turn the game around and I think that has been done by Liverpool many times and I think that has been done by my former side Feyenoord many times as well.”
Football isn’t the only sport that Slot takes learning experiences from as tennis legend and 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic is also someone he has looked towards to help with his own methods.
“Not tactically, of course, because those are different sports, but the way some sports handle the mental side of the game can help you.
“And I sometimes used it in team meetings before a game, so I tried to use examples of cycling or at the moment we’ve seen Roland Garros and we’ve seen Djokovic winning in a really tough game, and I think that’s one of his qualities, that he can also win the game when it’s not going his way, he can still find a way to win it.
“I think those are examples you can use towards players as well. But let’s be clear: we are mostly talking about football and it’s not going to be the situation that players are going to listen to all kinds of other sports. Sometimes I use it but only if I think it’s necessary.”
Klopp has left Liverpool after nine years at the club, during which time he won every major trophy including the Premier League and the Champions League.
Slot therefore has big shoes to fill but the duo have spoken to each other having now passed the Reds baton this summer.
When asked if their conversation was important, he said: “Yeah. I did the same in my former clubs when I started over there but I think if someone worked at a club for nine years [and had] been so successful, you want to know all about it from him and you also want to know things of the players – although I think it is also important to get my own opinion about that.
“So, you can only use all this information he has because he did so well, not only in terms of results but I think also everybody saw in his farewell but also in the years before that how popular he was.
“He gave me more than a few good tips but I think what stood out for me was that he was so happy for me and that – and I think he said this in the media as well – he would be my biggest fan from now on because he supports Liverpool in the best possible way, and you don’t see this very often.
“So, it says a lot about his character, the way he handled this situation as well.”
Slot’s first match in charge at Liverpool will be played in the Premier League and away at the newly-promoted Ipswich Town, which will come live and exclusive on talkSPORT on August 17.
News Summary:
- Arne Slot is inspired by Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola… and Novak Djokovic as new Liverpool boss reveals conversations with predecessor
- Check all news and articles from the latest Football updates.