Erik ten Hag believes Arne Slot arrives in “better waters” at Liverpool than he did at Man United, summing up his feelings on the issues at Old Trafford.
With Ten Hag expected to be sacked regardless of the result of Saturday’s FA Cup final, there may be no reunion with Slot in the Premier League next season.
The two Dutchmen met on four occasions while in the Eredivisie, with Slot’s AZ Alkmaar twice triumphant over Ten Hag’s Ajax, who returned the favour against Feyenoord.
Both built strong reputations for their work in the Netherlands, but Ten Hag’s struggle since joining Man United has been a red flag for many Liverpool fans.
The Man United boss himself believes Slot has a better platform for success at Anfield, which highlights how he feels about his job at Old Trafford.
“This is great for the Dutch trainers’ guild, and Arne Slot also fits Liverpool with his philosophy,” Ten Hag told vi.nl.
“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.”
Ten Hag’s time in Manchester has been fraught with struggle both on and off the pitch, with the 54-year-old facing a ridiculous series of transgressions.
Though there is promise of change with their recent takeover, the club is in shambles, as highlighted by the news of Ten Hag’s sacking emerging before the FA Cup final.
In that sense, he is right, with Slot joining Liverpool at the best possible time – with Klopp only choosing to depart when he felt the squad was strong enough.
Of course, Ten Hag’s words could be seen as piling pressure on his compatriot, but there is an honesty in his assessment of the two clubs.
Slot had previously turned down an offer to take over as Tottenham manager which, as Ange Postecoglou has since discovered, is also a much different proposition than head coach at Liverpool.
Better waters indeed!