Arne Slot the first Dutch coach with Premier League title after Liverpool's win
English media are lyrical with praise for Liverpool and Dutch coach Arne Slot after “The Reds” were crowned the national champions for the 20th time in the club’s history on Sunday. Liverpool’s 5-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur also made Slot the first Dutch coach with a Premier League title to his name.
The Liverpool Echo spoke of a well-deserved title. “Liverpool are champions of England once more and there can be no bad-faith claims of asterisk titles this time, or weak arguments of an inferior standard of competition. They have simply been the best side in the country by a considerable distance under Slot. Caveats need not apply,” the local newspaper wrote.
According to The Liverpool Echo, this success story began when Slot’s predecessor, Jurgen Klopp, introduced the Dutch coach to the fans and urged them to get behind him, becoming a cheerleader on the pitch for the final day of the last season. “How fitting then that Slot repaid the compliment at full time, dusting off the same song in honour of the man he now joins as a Premier League winner.”
The Guardian thinks that Slot’s “coolness lies at the heart” of Liverpool’s title. According to the newspaper, the Dutchman inherited “a fine culture and squad, but his level-headedness, honesty, and analysis propelled the club to a 20th league triumph.”
The BBC said that Slot, “the modest Dutchman,” made the impossible task of succeeding Jurgen Klopp look easy. “It had been 343 days since Klopp said his Anfield farewell, attempting to ease the air of uncertainty about his departure swirling around Liverpool by singing a song in honour of his soon-to-be-anointed successor,” the broadcaster wrote. “The tune echoed around Anfield throughout this 5-1 win, and Slot delivered his own version in tribute to Klopp as ecstasy unfolded around him.”
The Daily Mail also praised how Klopp and Slot handled the transfer of power at Liverpool. “Under Slot's stewardship, the Reds could yet reach 95 points, which would make them the fifth-best title-winning team in Premier League history. That's all the more remarkable considering that clubs often struggle when moving on from a dynasty - Klopp's exit after almost a decade left the possibility of a collapse.”