Liverpool manager Arne Slot is facing his first major test at Anfield following a difficult start to the season, but those who worked closely with him during similar challenges at Feyenoord believe he possesses the exact qualities needed to engineer a turnaround.
The Dutch coach, who took over from Jürgen Klopp this summer, has seen his team suffer seven defeats in their last ten matches, including a comprehensive 3-0 loss to Manchester City before the international break. Yet according to his former assistant, this situation bears striking resemblance to a period both men navigated successfully in the Netherlands.
The Feyenoord blueprint for recovery
Marino Pusic, who served as Slot's assistant at both AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord, recalls a particularly bruising period in July 2022 when their team suffered a 7-0 home defeat to Copenhagen in a pre-season friendly, just weeks after losing the Conference League final to Roma.
"I can remember it like yesterday," Pusic says. "The score could have been even higher – that says enough." Copenhagen's coach Jess Thorup described the match as more like "a training session than an actual friendly."
The troubles continued with subsequent losses to Union Saint-Gilloise, Lyon and Osasuna, creating significant concern about Feyenoord's prospects for the upcoming campaign. Yet remarkably, the team brushed off their summer of strife to win the Eredivisie title that season.
Staying calm under pressure
Pusic attributes this remarkable turnaround to Slot's unflappable nature and analytical approach. "Throughout the process we stayed cool, no unnecessary emotions," he explains. "Arne is brilliant at that: he keeps a clear head, analyses things deeply and turns conclusions into action."
The former assistant sees clear parallels at Liverpool, where Slot is integrating several summer signings while dealing with heightened expectations. "Bringing in five or six new players can throw the balance off temporarily," Pusic notes. "The group only starts functioning properly again once they can find a new rhythm, but before then they go through different phases."
Beyond football: Dealing with grief
Pusic also points to the emotional challenges Liverpool have faced following the death of Diogo Jota, suggesting the impact may be greater than many realise. Having experienced similar personal tragedy at Shakhtar Donetsk, where his first-choice goalkeeper's brother died in the war, Pusic understands how such events affect a squad.
"Diogo was incredibly important for them, both on and off the pitch," he says. "He was a teammate but also a close friend to many players. It has a huge impact on everyone at the club, especially the squad. During the season, these things may fade a bit into the background, but they linger, and at difficult moments they can resurface."
The champion's mentality
Another factor complicating Liverpool's season is the shift in mentality required from being the hunter to the hunted. "You're no longer the one chasing but the team being chased," Pusic observes. "That's a big difference, also mentally, because you can't win matches purely through tactics; you also need to win matches based on other emotional elements."
Slot has been characteristically frank about Liverpool's vulnerabilities in recent months, including their struggles against long balls. According to Pusic, this honesty is typical of the manager's approach. "He is very adept at analysing them and being honest about them," he says. "He is genuine, tells it exactly how it is."
The recovery work will involve detailed video analysis and tactical adjustments, methods Slot outlined in Ronald Giphart's book Het beste van jezelf (The best of yourself). "I'm constantly thinking about how we can further improve," Slot said in the book, highlighting his focus on opponent analysis and individual player relationships.
As Liverpool prepare to host Nottingham Forest this weekend, Pusic believes his former colleague's track record of overcoming early-season struggles at both Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar – where they drew their first five games before recovering – provides genuine cause for optimism.
"Everyone goes through periods like that," Pusic concludes. "The question is: what core qualities do you have to get through them more quickly? In that respect, being able to stay composed under pressure is crucial and Arne has that ability."
