Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest deepened the Reds’ alarming slump. They’ve now lost six of their last seven Premier League games and eight of their previous 11 in all competitions.
With only 12 league matches played, their hopes of defending the title already seem to be fading. The issue goes beyond just the number of losses. ..Continue Reading
The display against Forest was arguably the most concerning of the season, with Slot still unable to unlock the full potential of his squad despite a significant summer investment.
Despite the triumphs of last season, Slot retains a degree of support. Just recently, the club’s chairman Tom Werner publicly backed him, suggesting his job isn’t in immediate jeopardy. Still, FSG has demonstrated a willingness to act decisively when needed.
It’s been ten years since the club’s hierarchy last dismissed a manager, with Brendan Rodgers being the most recent in 2015.
Rodgers, like Slot, received backing in the transfer window — though to a lesser degree, with £80 million ($105M) spent ahead of the 2015/16 season. However, a 1-1 draw with Everton that left Liverpool in 10th place early in the campaign proved to be the final straw.
According to the Liverpool Echo, just an hour after the match ended, FSG president Mike Gordon called Rodgers to deliver the news.
The decision came as a surprise to some — Thierry Henry’s consoling gesture toward Jamie Carragher became a memorable moment — but the club’s American owners had been preparing for the change behind the scenes.
FSG had discreetly initiated talks with a potential successor in the two weeks leading up to Rodgers’ dismissal, and just days before it was made official, Jurgen Klopp met with Liverpool’s leadership.
“The first meeting was in New York, that’s true,” Klopp recalled of his initial contact with Liverpool and FSG.
“But the first phone call with Mike was before that, three days before I don’t know. It was a nice day, I remember that. I think I was in bed still. I had nothing to do. I had time off.
“I knew that Mike, or someone, from FSG was going to call. I didn’t know Mike at that point. But we had one hour on the phone.
“I obviously convinced him in a way that he wanted to meet in New York to bring the deal over the line. pretty much that’s how it started.”
The meeting was kept confidential, with Klopp later saying he traveled to the U.S. under the pretense of watching basketball. After a six-hour discussion, his appointment as Rodgers’ replacement was nearly finalized.
There’s currently no indication that similar covert talks are taking place regarding Slot’s position, though FSG has shown it can operate discreetly when necessary.
With chairman Werner in attendance during the Forest loss, Slot is now under direct scrutiny from the club’s leadership.
The Reds’ manager must quickly find a way to reverse their fortunes, or FSG may be forced to make only their second managerial change in a decade.
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