Erik ten Hag has spoken publicly about Arne Slot’s appointment as Liverpool head coach, and Reds fans will revel in what the Manchester United boss has said about his compatriot.
The 54-year-old goes into today’s FA Cup final against Manchester City under considerable scrutiny regarding his future at Old Trafford, amid some speculation that not even a win at Wembley would save his job.
In an interview with Voetbal International ahead of the match, the former Ajax coach has compared what he faced when he took over at the Red Devils two years ago to what Slot is now walking into at Anfield.
Ten Hag said: “This is great for the Dutch trainers’ guild, and Arne Slot also fits Liverpool with his philosophy. Jurgen Klopp and Pepijn Lijnders have left a strong foundation.
“He ends up in better waters than I did when I went to Manchester United from the Netherlands, in terms of structure in the club, in terms of balance in the squad.”
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You can sense that feeling of envy from Ten Hag when addressing Liverpool’s current position in comparison to the state of United when he became their manager in 2022.
Despite leading them to third place in the Premier League and a Carabao Cup triumph in his first season (coincidentally matching our performance under Klopp in this campaign), the Red Devils have regressed massively since then.
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Around €445m (£379m) has been spent on incoming transfers at Old Trafford during his two-year reign, but all they’ve had to show for it so far this term is eighth in the top flight and the embarrassment of a negative goal difference, and defeat at Wembley today would leave them without European football in 2024/25.
The spectre of player discord and a stadium which is literally crumbling in places is a stark contrast to the sound footing that Slot will have starting off at Liverpool, with a harmonious squad having Champions League football to anticipate next season.
The hope is that, by the time the 45-year-old departs Anfield, the club will be in an even better position for his successor to build upon, rather than the mess that Ten Hag took over two years ago and seemingly looks set to leave behind him soon.
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