Westerveld: Slot is the perfect fit for Liverpool

[TLW]

Sander Westerveld believes Arne Slot will not be overawed by the challenge of following the footsteps of Jurgen Klopp.

 

The former Reds goalkeeper who made 75 appearances in a two and a bit season stint at the club is close friends with the man who has been identified as the next manager.

 

Westerveld and Slot played a season together at Sparta Rotterdam in the 2007/8  campaign and speaking to The Telegraph (per the Echo)  he believed  the 45 year- old had the ability to be a top-line manager.

 

“When I played with Arne at Sparta, you could see that he would become. He was a leader, a No10 midfielder and someone who would change tactics by himself.

 

“I spoke to him this morning and he just said it is not a secret that Liverpool wants him but that he could not say anything. I hope it will happen."

 

 

The member of the 2001 treble winning squad said that the ability of Slot to work within a budget means that he would be well suited to the financial model implemented by Liverpool!

 

“The job he has done at Feyenoord makes him the perfect fit for Liverpool… When he signed for Feyenoord they sold the best player, Steven Berghuis, to Ajax and they didn’t have lots of money to spend.

 

Everyone said it would be difficult, but Arne said: “No, no, I will make this happen.” A year later he became the champion of Holland with this team and that is why I think there are similarities with Liverpool.

 

 

“Liverpool have a lot of potential in the squad, and we don’t have the money that Manchester City have to spend, so I think he will get all the potential out of the players.”

 

Westerveld said another benefit is the way that Slot looks to plqy his Football.

 

“He plays in the same style as Jurgen Klopp: sexy football, forward pressing and the percentage of ball recoveries in the opposition half is the highest in Holland. When he loses the ball, he wants the ball back in three seconds.

 

But while Klopp brought success to Liverpool on the pitch, what truly made him special was his ability to strike up relationships with his players and just as importantly the fanbase.

 

Westerveld believes that Slot carries a similar trait.

 

“His personality is perfect for Liverpool. He is a good fit because he is not only the manager of a team, he can manage a club and the fans.

 

“He is an intelligent guy, he is a good analyst and when you see his press conferences, he speaks good English and is very respectful.

 

“You will not see Arne being like Erik ten Hag was in his recent press conference. He is a respectful guy like Pep Guardiola and he is an ambassador for the club.

 

“You need to be a special coach to coach a special club and I think Arne is that.”

 

 

 

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[Mudface]

Sounds like he could slot right in.

 

BRB, just off to kill myself. 

[Anubis]

Love the way Westerveld talks about ‘we’ when he talks about Liverpool.

[razor]

Respectful like Pepe Guardiola.  And it was going so well...

[Bobby Hundreds]

A miss spelling of westworld telling us dodgy Yul Brynner will be good for us. I'm won't end well!

[El Rojo]

El Rojo: Compatriot Westerveld was never going to say anything other than Slot being a great fit 

[Pete]

So we're going the Baldy weirdo way too?