Robin van Persie has backed Arne Slot to be a success at Liverpool in an encouraging prediction for the club’s supporters.
Slot has now been confirmed as Liverpool’s new head coach, and will officially start work at Anfield on June 1. He takes over from Jürgen Klopp, who bid a final farewell to the club on Sunday.
The Dutchman will arrive on Merseyside following a successful spell in charge of Feyenoord. Slot led the Rotterdam club to the Eredivisie title last season, before adding the KNVB Cup this year.
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The pressure will be on though as he follows a very tough act in Klopp. Together with new sporting director Richard Hughes, Slot will begin his plans for debut season at Anfield over the next couple of months.
Although Slot might have been a relatively unknown name before being linked to the Liverpool job for many Reds fans, Van Persie knows the 45-year-old well. The former Arsenal and Manchester United striker has worked as a youth coach at Feyenoord for the past few years and was also an assistant to Slot, and will become Heerenveen’s head coach this summer.
Van Persie believes the former Feyenoord boss has what it takes to fill the void left by Klopp at Liverpool. Asked by ESPN NL how he thinks Slot will fare at Anfield, Van Persie replied (via Voetbal Nieuws): “I think very well.
“How he wants to play is in line with Klopp’s style of play and what they are used to there. I expect them to do very well.
“Liverpool is one of the nicer clubs in England. I have been able to play for two other very nice clubs.
“Slot has already been able to practice well at Feyenoord in that rhythm. But there (England) it goes very hard and fast for 11 to 11.5 months a year. It is a very nice, new opportunity for him. I believe it will go very well.”
Liverpool.com says: Liverpool fans are stepping into the unknown somewhat with Slot taking over this summer. That though is a very encouraging prediction from Van Persie.
The former United striker will know exactly how Slot operates, having worked at Feyenoord alongside him. If he says his style is in line with Klopp’s, then that will do us very nicely.