What Arne Slot said before last Liverpool match suggests he had no idea about ruthless FSG decision
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Arne Slot's actions before he was sacked by FSG suggest the Liverpool head coach did not see their decision comingWith the dust about to settle on a disappointing season for Liverpool, it initially appeared that Arne Slot would be given the chance to complete the third and final year of the contract he signed in the summer of 2024.And his hopes of remaining in the Anfield hotseat appeared to strengthen when his defending champions secured qualification for the Champions League on the final day of the difficult 2025-26 campaign.But then came Saturday's bombshell that the Reds had decided to part ways with the head coach who led the club to the Premier League title in his debut season in charge.Reports suggest that even as late as Friday night Slot's representatives felt they had the backing of the Liverpool hierarchy and that it wasn't until the following morning that their client was told his time on Merseyside was over.That moment would surely have come as a shock to the Dutchman given what he said before his final game in charge - last Sunday's 1-1 home draw to Brentford that confirmed a top-five finish.Speaking to the media at his last pre-match press conference of the campaign, not for the first time in recent weeks, Slot once again seemed bullish about his job prospects.He said: "I think usually in the end of a season you are looking forward to it to end, because it's usually been a long season – especially if you work in England, there are a lot of games."But maybe last season I wouldn't have minded if it would have kept on going because it was quite nice after we won the league - we had a few games to play. Now it's going on a holiday and then prepare for the next season'."As I said, I'm looking forward to Sunday because that's a vital game for us but I'm also looking forward to next season to continue to evolve this team that, as I've said many times, is in a transition and that will not stop during the summer."Ahead of what would proved to be his final match as Liverpool head coach, the pressure had been piled upon Slot by the departing Mohamed Salah's latest social media outburst.But when asked whether he agreed with Salah's plea for the return of 'heavy metal football', Slot had again appeared to hint that he was going nowhere.He said: "I think I constantly say the same: we both want what's best for the club, we both want the club to be successful.
That's the main aim and I have to find a way to evolve this team – now, but definitely in the summer and the upcoming season – to be successful again and to play a brand of football that I like."And if I like it then the fans will like it as well. Because I haven't liked a lot of the way we played this season as well.
But again, that's also the way the league has evolved because in general we don't see the 3-0, 4-0, 5-0, 6-0 games anymore. It's a close game every single time; not only with us, any single game."But we try to evolve the team in a way, as I said, that we can compete but definitely also play the brand of football, the style of football (that) the fans, I, and hopefully Mo if he's somewhere else at that moment of time, will like as well."But with owners FSG once again showing their ruthless side, Slot like Salah, will now be watching from the outside next season.