Liverpool fans made their feelings clear towards the end of the season, with Arne Slot unable to halt the slide. The head coach's dismissal was inevitable and necessary, despite continual briefings from the club's UK operation suggesting his job was safe. The silence from Liverpool's American ownership was deafening, with no vote of confidence, no contract extension talks, and crucially, no official appointment of Etiënne Reijnen to Slot's coaching staff. According to multiple reports, Slot was bringing in his old mucker to help turn the ship around, but the longer that remained unconfirmed, the more it felt as if something was afoot.
The Decision to Sack Slot
Eventually, on Saturday lunchtime, six days after the final game of a season in which the Reds lost 19 games, Slot was gone. Regardless of what happens next, it was the correct decision. If the next manager does not do well, that does not mean sacking Slot was a mistake. It made no sense for Liverpool's ownership to allow this to continue, no matter how much Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes reportedly wanted to stick with the status quo. The fanbase was more united than ever in wanting a trophy-winning manager removed. Usually there is a split, but this time it was pretty unanimous. Some may have half-heartedly railed against the idea of sacking a league-winning manager, but when it happened, there was very little condemnation. Mostly, it was relief.
Fan Discontent at Anfield
Anfield had started to become toxic, with open revolt against Slot on display in the recent draw with Chelsea. It had threatened to get that way a few times previously, such as after the Burnley match, but for the most part the crowd had shown great patience given the sterile football and disappointing results. There was no coming back from the position Slot found himself in. It was over, and virtually everyone knew it. That makes the constant briefings that his job was safe very worrying. This was not some clever bluff to keep Slot focused until Champions League football was secured. By all accounts, Edwards and Hughes were prepared to let him carry on, until John Henry stepped in. That is alarming, but as much as I wanted Slot gone, I would rather Edwards had gone first, as I think he is a bigger problem. Hughes too, although it is hard to judge him when he is being micro-managed by Edwards.
Slot's Legacy and Squad Changes
A lot of outsiders think Slot has been treated harshly, as it was only 12 months ago he led the club to its 20th title. He won the title with another man's squad, which has since been completely dismantled by Slot and those above him. Some fans get defensive when you say he won the league with Jürgen Klopp's squad, but it is a fact. Saying so is not denigrating his achievement; taking over somebody else's team and delivering a title in your first season in a new league is incredible. If that same squad were still in place, maybe you could roll the dice on Slot. That is not the case. Much of that squad is gone or going, and despite huge spending to take the club to even greater heights, it has gone backwards at an alarming rate. Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz flopped, there were no signs of any plan or identity, and nobody really knows what Slot's preferred style is. Then Mohamed Salah told the world how bad it is, and most of the squad agreed. It looked like mutiny.
Potential Successor: Andoni Iraola
The dream is that Klopp comes home, but it is probably going to be another stepdad, this time a fun Spanish one. Andoni Iraola ticks plenty of boxes, but not all of them. He has not experienced the goldfish bowl of a big club like Liverpool, he has not had to navigate playing twice or three times a week, and teams do not set up against Bournemouth the same way they do Liverpool. It would be a risk, but the upside is huge, as Bournemouth play the most exciting football in the league. The Premier League has become boring, but the Cherries always have a go. They run, they press, they play on the front foot. Dare I say they play the heavy-metal football Salah called for a return to? Leading Bournemouth to sixth after losing his four or five best players is remarkable, so if it is Iraola, sound.
