Frank de Boer is the WORST of all time, while only Martin Jol at Spurs lasted longer than two seasons… how Dutch managers have fared in the Premier League after Arne Slot’s arrival at Liverpool

Liverpool have confirmed that Feyenoord manager Arne Slot will become their coach for the next season, replacing Jurgen Klopp who announced his departure.

He will become the 10th coach from the Netherlands to manage a club in the Premier League history, surpassing Man United‘s Erik ten Hag, the latest on the list.

The Reds will pay a minimum of £7.7m for Slot, a figure which could rise to £9.4m, including bonuses, with a contract until 2027.

He has won both the Eredivisie and KVNB Cup in the past two seasons with his current team, saying that it is not easy to ‘close the door behind.’

So will he lead the Reds to glory, or fail as many of his compatriots have done on these shores? 

He will become the 10th Dutch manager in the Premier League history after Erik ten Hag

Ruud Gullit

Legendary Dutch midfielder Ruud Gullit started his coaching career as a player-manager following Chelsea’s run of disappointing results in the Premier League. He led his team to a confident FA Cup win in 1997, beating Middlesbrough in the final. 

Despite winning Chelsea’s first trophy in 26 years and finishing in sixth place, he was later replaced by Gianluca Vialli, who was also a player-manager.

He returned to the dugout, this time as a boss of Newcastle for the 1998-99 campaign, again reaching the FA Cup final in the first season 

After leading the Magpies in 53 games, he was sacked following their 1-2 loss against Sunderland, where the Dutch manager left Alan Shearer out of the starting XI.

Chelsea hired Ruud Gullit as a player-manager, with the Dutch coaching them in 53 games

Martin Jol

Martin Jol, best known for his time at Tottenham, is the only Dutch manager who lasted longer than two seasons in the English top flight, though Erik ten Hag could join him if he remains at Man United this summer.

He reached fifth twice with Spurs and improved the club’s fortunes after Jacques Santini left in November, 2004.

The 2006-07 season started slower for the Dutch manager, and in the end, after the Europa League 1-2 defeat against Getafe, the Tottenham president, Daniel Levy sacked him.

He returned to Premier League football at Fulham, leading them to 9th place in his first season, but he was then sacked in 2013 after six consecutive losses.

Martin Jol, 68, saw a successful first season at Spurs but failed to impress in the following year

Guus Hiddink

The 77-year-old manager never had a permanent role in a Premier League team, despite joining Chelsea on two occasions.

His first managerial experience with the Blues in February, 2009, was a success, winning 11 of 13 remaining games in the Premier League and leading the team to third place behind Liverpool and Man United, having stepped in to replace Luiz Felipe Scolari.

He then returned to coach Russia, rejecting Chelsea’s proposal to become their permanent coach. 

However, he returned six years later, replacing Jose Mourinho on an interim basis, achieving the longest winning streak for a new manager (12 games) and left at the end of the season to take charge of China’s Under-21s. 

Former Chelsea interim manager Guus Hiddink led the Blues to the third place in the league

Rene Meulensteen 

Rene Meulensteen was Fulham’s manager for just 75 days, replacing Martin Jol. It was a disaster and he managed to win only four games out of 17. 

His team conceded 37 goals, and after seven matches without a single victory he was sacked by the club’s owner, Tony Khan, and replaced by former Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath.

Having enhanced his reputation as a technical coach and later assistant manager for Sir Alex Ferguson at Man United, it was a hugely disappointing spell at Craven Cottage. 

Rene Meulensteen time at Fulham lasted only 75 days where he won only four games out of 17

Ronald Koeman 

The Dutchman had a mixed time in England, working at Southampton and Everton.

When he arrived at St Mary’s, he face a complicated challenge of replacing Mauricio Pochettino, but steered Saints to seventh place in his first season, then sixth in the second.

He helped remembered develop a talented crop of players, such as Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk, and Toby Alderweireld.

He then took the helm at Everton but was sacked after 16 months in charge despite leading them to the Europa League in his first season. He put his subsequent failure down to failing to replace Romelu Lukaku despite the Toffees spending £150m and his dismissal came with the club in the relegation zone. 

Ronald Koeman was a success at Southampton, replacing Mauricio Pochettino

Former Netherlands National Team and Man United coach Louis van Gaal never quite had his feet under the table at Old Trafford as the club’s post Sir Alex Ferguson era rumbled on without success.

He replaced David Moyes and his of his style of play was met with plenty of criticism.

Van Gaal spent two seasons at Old Trafford, taking charge of 103 games, winning 54 of them and seeing his side score 159 goals.

Despite winning the FA Cup in his final game at Manchester United, he achieved only the fifth place in the league and left by mutual consent.

The 72-year-old coach failed to fill the gap at Man United after Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure

Dick Advocaat 

Dick Advocaat is another Dutch coach appointed on an interim basis following Sunderland’s poor run of results under Gus Poyet in 2015.

He started well in Sunderland and even avoided relegation to the Championship.

However, his contract with the Black Cats was terminated in October after failing to win any of the first eight league games, seeing him replaced by Sam Allardyce.

His last match for Sunderland was a 2-2 draw against West Ham at the Stadium of Light.

Dick Advocaat helped Sunderland to avoid relegation but was sacked after losing eight games 

Frank de Boer

De Boer is often brought up as not only the worst Dutch manager in Premier League’s history but one of the most disastrous of any nationality. 

After 77 days in charge at Crystal Palace, the London club sacked him, cutting their losses.

In addition to the defeats, his team didn’t score a single goal, except in the League Cup match against a second-tier Ipswich Town.

After the nightmare start to the season, the club axed de Boer, replacing him with the steady hand of Roy Hodgson, who rescued the Eagles and led them to 11th place.

Frank de Boer had the shortest-ever time at a Premier League club among Dutch managers

After a mixed bag of 113 matches with 67 wins at Man United, Erik ten Hag’s job is currently under severe scrutiny. 

After the Red Devils’ worst-ever Premier League finish, the manager’s future is set to be decided after the FA Cup final against Man City at Wembley this weekend.

Mail Sport reported that Man United are exploring the option of signing Mauricio Pochettino ahead of the next term, one day after Chelsea announced the contract of the Argentine. Ten Hag did manage to lead United to the Champions League last term and helped them to the League Cup but it would be a surprise to see him continue in the role after the disappointment of this season. 

Man United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, can be replaced by Mauricio Pochettino this summer

Slot does not have too many tough acts to follow in terms of Dutch managers in the Premier League, but Liverpool will feel he can buck that trend given the strength of their squad, mix of youth and experience and strong structure behind him. Time will tell if he can achieve anything close to his much-loved predecessor.