Welcome to Liverpool’s New Coach: Embracing an Explosive New Season

Arne Slot has confirmed the identities of three new arrivals who will be joining him at Liverpool.

The Dutchman has left Eredivisie giants Feyenoord after three years in order to succeed the legendary Jurgen Klopp on Merseyside this summer, with his Anfield reign officially beginning on June 1.

Slot gave his first official interview as Liverpool’s new manager on Wednesday, during which he covered a multitude of topics including an update on the club’s summer transfer plans following the arrival of Richard Hughes from Bournemouth as sporting director.

Former sporting director Michael Edwards has also returned after three years away as CEO of Football under the Reds’ owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG), taking over control of day-to-day football operations from FSG president Mike Gordon.

New era: Arne Slot has replaced Jurgen Klopp as manager of Liverpool this summer (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

More incomings for a new era at Liverpool have now been confirmed, with Slot joined at Anfield by Sipke Hulshoff. The former Netherlands coach and Feyenoord Under-21s boss had been Slot’s assistant at De Kuip since 2022.

Liverpool are also hiring Ruben Peeters as their new lead physical performance coach as expected, while German Fabian Otte will leave his role with the United States national team after the upcoming Copa America tournament in the USA in order to become the Reds’ head of first-team goalkeeper coaching.

Slot also confirmed that himself and Hughes were still looking to fill more positions in the club’s backroom team this summer, with a whole host of staff following Klopp’s exit in the likes of Pep Lijnders, Peter Krawietz, Vitor Matos, John Achterberg, Ray Haughan, Jack Robinson, Andreas Kornmayer and Andreas Schlumberger.

Etienne Reijnen reportedly looks to be staying at Feyenoord however along with Jyri Nieminen, another member of Slot’s former backroom staff.

“I bring in Sipke Hulshoff, who’s been my assistant for a few years now at Feyenoord,” Slot told Liverpool’s in-house media team.

“I worked with him long ago, I worked with him at Cambuur Leeuwarden as well. He was the assistant of Ronald Koeman of the Dutch national team as well, but he is going to join me now from the start.

“A bit older than me, I think, not so much but a bit older than me. Because we work together for such a long time, I think the both of us know exactly what we want when it comes to game model, playing style – and I think that helps.

“Then we will bring in a performance coach, Ruben Peeters, who is going to help me and the club with – how would I put this in English words? – the way we are working on the physical side. Us three have worked together at Feyenoord for three years now and we know how we want to work, which is normal.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has confirmed the club’s recruitment plans are already well underway.

The 45-year-old was officially confirmed as Jurgen Klopp’s successor in May and began work at Anfield at the start of June after signing a three-year contract.

Klopp shocked the footballing world in January by announcing he would leave the Reds a year before his contract expired and ultimately delivered another Carabao Cup trophy before his exit.

Despite links with a number of other managers including former Anfield hero Xabi Alonso, Slot was publicly endorsed by Klopp after declaring his interest in the job.

The Dutchman will take charge of a team who finished third in the Premier League last season and went under something of a rebuild during Klopp’s final summer in charge.

Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner and Roberto Firmino all departed, while the club brought in the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai to regenerate their options in midfield.

That, coupled with the emergence of young players in Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah and Jayden Danns has given the squad a new feel.

There have also been big changes behind the scenes. Michael Edwards has returned to the club to oversee football operations and will be joined by former Bournemouth sporting director Richard Hughes.

New era: Arne Slot has spoken for the first time as Liverpool’s head coach (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Speaking for the first time as head coach, Slot revealed talks with Hughes in particular have been held as the club look to plan for the season ahead.

Asked about being a ‘head coach’ over a traditional ‘manager’, Slot said: “For me, it is normal because this is the way it is in Europe and in Holland.

“I don’t think there is much of a change between a head coach and a manager, it’s just that by being a head coach I can go in fully to the things I would like to do.

“So, work with the team, prepare the team in the best possible way, and me and Richard are going to work together when it comes to transfers but not only the two of us – there is a big backroom staff included in this as well.

“I think for me it is the way I have worked always and it for me is the ideal way of working because I can use the most of my time by working with the team and the time that is left will probably be a bit for the family and a bit to talk with Richard about how we can strengthen the team. But we already have a really strong team.”

Experience: Sipke Hulshoff was an assistant both at Feyenoord and with the Netherlands national team (ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

“And then there’s a replacement in the goalkeeping staff as well – we’ve brought in Fabian Otte, who was working at Borussia Monchengladbach and is still now with the USA team at the Copa America.

“So those are the first positions we filled in and I think we are still looking for one or two other positions. Richard [Hughes] and me are calling each other a lot, not only about this but also about the positions we still have to fill in.”

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