Dutch media have launched a scathing attack on Liverpool following the sacking of Arne Slot, accusing the club of abandoning its culture and directing blame at three players for the manager's demise. Slot was dismissed on Saturday, just 12 months after guiding the Reds to Premier League glory, following a woeful title defence that saw Liverpool finish fifth and scrape into the Champions League on the final day of the season. Andoni Iraola is widely tipped to take over after his departure from Bournemouth.
Dutch press criticises Liverpool's decision
While many Liverpool supporters agree with the decision to part ways with Slot, the Dutch media have been less forgiving. De Telegraaf accused the Reds of 'throwing their own culture overboard,' lambasting them for turning into a 'hire and fire' club. Voetbal International described it as a 'premature end to a period that began with so much promise.' They acknowledged that while Slot had cemented legendary status in his debut campaign, his second year was plagued by alarming inconsistency.
AD pointed to the Reds' £450m summer spending spree and how 'major disappointments' like Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz 'barely delivered and proved to be a costly miscalculation in hindsight.' De Volkskrant claimed Slot's 'biggest problem' was Mohamed Salah, who took several swipes at the manager throughout the season. They highlighted Salah's 'frontal attack' following the draw at Leeds, adding that his 'authority had been undermined.'
Sympathy for Slot's circumstances
Sympathy was also expressed over the circumstances Slot faced heading into what turned out to be his final campaign at the club. A number of outlets praised his 'compassion and humanity' in the wake of Diogo Jota's death. Liverpool made the call reluctantly but believe the squad needs to evolve once more towards a more aggressive, front-foot, high-intensity brand of football. That echoes sentiments Salah expressed in a social media post earlier this month, in which he called for a return to the 'heavy metal football' played under Jurgen Klopp.
Iraola was already among the bookmakers' frontrunners even before Slot's dismissal, with Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann and PSG boss Luis Enrique also featuring prominently in the odds. In a statement, owners Fenway Sports Group said: 'That this was a difficult decision for us to make as a club goes without saying. We would like to take this opportunity to place on record our appreciation for Arne, who will always hold a special place in the history of this football club as the coach who delivered Liverpool's 20th league title. That accomplishment – made all the more remarkable as it arrived in his very first season in charge – was built on outstanding coaching and leadership every single day.'
