For the last fornight or so, Arne Slot seems to be on the cusp of being announced as Liverpool’s new head coach without any formal confirmation being made.
The Feyenoord boss has said more than once that it’s only a matter of days before the news becomes official, but one of his demands is proving complicated.
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According to The Mirror, the 45-year-old is facing a battle to bring his current backroom team with him to Anfield, with the Reds being ordered to stump up an additional £2m to do so on top of the £11m compensation package they’ve already agreed with the Rotterdam club.
Another potential snag is that Slot’s assitant Sibke Hulshoff is also involved with Netherlands’ national team, who’ll be involved at Euro 2024. Liverpool want the incoming head coach to begin his contract on 1 July, at which point the Oranje – managed by former Everton boss Ronald Koeman – could still be in the tournament.
We don’t doubt that Slot will soon be officially named as Jurgen Klopp’s successor, although the delays to the formal announcement are a little galling when the deal has been as good as done for the past two weeks.
This episode goes to show that managerial appointments in football aren’t always straightforward, especially when they involve the possibility of double-jobbing, however briefly.
That said, Francesco Calzona is currently making it work, simultaneoulsy managing both Napoli and the Slovakia national team, with the latter also in action at Euro 2024 next month.
Ideally all parties involved can soon come to an agreement – even if it involves some compromise – so that any uncertainty over the proposed appointment is dispelled and any lingering nerves among Liverpool supporters can be put to rest.
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