Well yes, Salah saw himself being replaced by Frimpong and thought, ‘fuck this!’
Robertson by Kerkez, which I think he would have supported if he had had more game time and a hand in integrating Kerkez however Slot had other ideas 
!
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One of the arguments people use to mitigate against the criticism of him is that he hasnt changed things just to put his stamp on the team, but because by spring last year he noticed how teams were approaching us differently and knew he needed to do something to get out ahead of that. I have some sympathy with that, but only a small amount. A coach whose approach only works when the other team does what you want them to is not much of a coach. But the argument also means we’ve now had a full year of this without any sign of solution.
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If he stays he will be sacked by the international break. It’s a bit dumb but FSG can be like that.
No manager turns this kind of form around.
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I reckon he leaves to be close to his family in Holland. Makes sense for all. We save some pay off cash, he saves face.
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It would be a completely justified meltdown
As I’ve said before, I’m not buying anything coming out of FSG re: Slot until after the season concludes. There’s no reason to offer him anything but unmitigated support while he’s still the head coach. Even the reported posturing about keeping Slot through next season doesn’t mean much to me right now. If anything, it gives Arne and FSG the space to shake hands and mutually separate after the season with Arne being able to credibly claim that he left of his own accord and FSG not having to justify sacking a title-winning manager one year on. Until they offer Slot an extension, I’m not thinking much of this because I cannot believe they’d bring him back as a lame duck.
If they ultimately decide to retain him for at least one other year, I think that represents an enormous risk. Of course, a successful transfer window and continued integration of last year’s summer signings might lead to better results next year. But there’s also the risk that we’ll continue to see the same problems that have plagued us for a year now.
And imagine being stuck with the same listless play in November 2026, with Slot facing the sack, but without your preferred managerial appointment available? Alonso will be snatched up by someone this summer. Perhaps a Nagelsmann or an Ancelotti could be persuaded post-WC if they don’t end up taking a job elsewhere, but they’d likely be unmotivated to take a job on midseason. That’s not even mentioning the catastrophic impact on the supporters - one bad loss and they’ll be calling for Slot’s head - or on the players.
I just don’t understand taking that risk based on the evidence we’ve seen over the last year. I think sacking him and starting new with a fresh voice with new ideas is the right call. That Alonso is available and interested is a huge bonus. He knows how to get the most out of Wirtz and I’m certain his coaching will help the other midfielders as well.
Slot can walk away with his head held high and I’m sure he’ll get another great job. Maybe at Ajax, who are looking for a new manager and would love to shepherd in a Premier League winner.
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Keep dreaming!! He’s here next season whether we like it or not. Been saying it for weeks…we’ve been terrible for 12 months now, we’ll scrape into CL (not because we deserve it rather everyone else is even more shite) then it’ll get to October/November and the powers that be will be shocked and suprised the season has started so badly and sack him. Just like Brent Rodgers. He lost 6-1 and still kept his job somehow despite most fans wanting him gone.
The big problem is who then comes in partway through a season? Fucking joke.
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Yeah you’d probably be asking one of the post World Cup managers at that point.
I think it’s a wait and see, I’m pretty confident we won’t see some drastic improvement and unless he signed another contract I don’t think we will know what will happen
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- This is clearly the best out scenario for Slot if he has been offered that job back home? If he hasn’t though then he rightly still holds his cards and is entitled to leave the club on the very last day of his contract in 2027, just like Glasner is seeing it out in this year.
Trent, Salah and Robbo (and still could Konate also?) had all chosen that same out scenario. It would not be a good long term look for the club to sack him. We’re not Real Madrid or Chelsea, we are better than that!
I’ve started reading about that Oscar Garcia (he’s another Spaniard that prefers 3 CB’s 
) - and wow has he been round the block. Mostly staying at his clubs for only a year or less for a number of reasons. Comparisons to short term Sam Allardyce. If he is caretaker then it’s a possibility, but if he’s taking on the challenge of reviving the mighty Ajax then Slot hasn’t got a mutual handshake on the table and wouldn’t give up the best job in premier league football to take time out on the beach.
I’ve accepted that he’s likely going to stay, a lot of the sky sports news is going down this road right now. I think identifying new players is the priority, I’m all for a brand new RB, CB, non worldie Striker, Winger … in that order
We’ve been infected with cybermetrists.
Club has been driven like that for sometime though, and its been rather successful.
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Not to pick on you personally, as I agree with much of your post, but I’m getting a bit tired of this rationale. Yes, we’re not Real Madrid, the most successful club in world football. We’re not Chelsea, a club being run like it’s Football Manager with a teen in front of the screen.
What does that have to do with anything? That we’re expected to accept mediocrity because we don’t want to be seen as rash?
How about this - we select the best fucking manager for the job and stop giving a fuck about inapt comparisons to other clubs.
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There is still fact and degree, and whatever it was for sometime, it seems to me to be knee-deep in such now. Ive always seen us as a club that preserved some ‘spirit’ some legacy from the past, but this year is the farthest Ive ever seen it from that.
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Ok fair enough, it’s been mediocre all season no doubt, but if Slot does end up as the 5th place (I know it sounds shite as I’m typing it) then he guarantees us a minimum 8 further champions league matches and the massive amount of funds that come with that.
He’s achieved more in those first 2 seasons than Klopp. It sounds mad even thinking this way, but Slot can only be sacked by his employers at this stage, he’s not gonna throw in the towel as that shows a lot of weakness or unable to handle pressure. He will need to find a new team to coach as he has years left in him. His confidence would be sky high right now, like call my bluff mofo’s, how much money have I made you over in the US? Sack me then!
The owners have swerved this season big time, and are looking to wipe the slate and see what a new season looks like I reckon.
I think people want to explain what is effectively an ineffective coaching approach producing ineffective results.
Ljinders was very much a metric guy from reading his books. FSG have always used it as a help. Slot came in and won a title and nothing from his history suggested this kind of stuff.
I don’t think any of the signings bar Isak have been a massive issue it was more that we didn’t get the likes of Guehi over the line.
In fact Isak is probably the least metric signing of the lot.
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If he ends up staying I’ll be get behind him genuinely and hope he finds the performance that got us a league title. I can’t be arsed going into next season like a coiled spring waiting for him to fail.
My concern is the passing of an opportunity. Downgrading the position of manager to head coach, if it’s to any end then surely it’s to make the club less prone to destabilisation if one leaves.
With this in mind it stands to reason that if a better one is available, the structure also means you can make that change.
So I’m worried that we might be passing up an elite manager because we’ve got someone in post that we’re sort of alright with. If Vinicius was available you don’t turn that down because we’ve got Cody Gakpo there. I think Alonso could be special, and he’s available. I would hope, even if FSG think Slot is doing OK, that shouldn’t stop them treating it like any other personnel issue if that upgrade is open to joining.
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After all the stuff that’s been piled on him?
This is what I accused FSG of at the start of their ownership… I knew I would be right eventually.
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I think the end of their ownership isn’t far off either. Just a feeling.
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If we get to the end of the season and it’s as is, then it reminds me of the saying “shit or get off the pot”. FSG either have to offer him a new contract (shudder) or terminate. Waiting half of next season to gauge things, reeks of zero confidence in their choice.
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