Arne Slot will serve his one-match touchline ban at Southampton, leaving his trusted assistants to take the reigns on the sidelines in his absence.
Slot was shown his third yellow card of the season in the hectic draw against Fulham over the weekend, instantly triggering a touchline ban for Liverpool’s next domestic match.
Although a different competition to which Slot was shown his cautions, he will watch from the stands at St Mary’s before returning to the touchline for the trip to Tottenham on Sunday.
In Slot’s absence, his assistants Sipke Hulshoff and John Heitinga will oversee matters at ground level on Wednesday evening, with the former to take primary responsibilities.
Hulshoff is a well-respected figure in football and first worked with Slot in 2015, with the assistant coach also acting as the No. 2 at Feyenoord.
He is not one to seek the spotlight, but you may have noticed he is an active participant on the touchline on matchdays, he is in regular communication with Slot and the players.
As for Heitinga, the former Everton defender was a late addition to the backroom staff this summer and had never previously worked with Slot, but has quickly made an impression.
Speaking on his assistants ahead of their role at Southampton, Slot told reporters: “Sipke I worked with for a long time. We know each other in and out, especially football-wise.
“One of the reasons why we work together [is] because we have so much in common. If it’s about the playing style, game model or the changes we make during the game.
“And John Heitinga is now here with me for the first half [of the] season, and I couldn’t have wished for more.
“If I say talented, I don’t even rate him high enough because he’s more than that already. He’s been a head coach himself, but he’s still young.
“[He] grew into our staff from the start in a very good manner, so has the same idea about football. That’s also why I chose him to come to us as well. But the way he is with the boys, just like Sipke is, [is] very positive.
“So yes, I will be involved [at Southampton]. But if I wouldn’t be, that would not be a problem at all for the players. They would not notice anything different.”
A lighter suspension than Slot’s used to
Slot’s touchline ban is at odds with his typically calm and measured demeanour, but it is a nod to how refereeing decisions can trigger an emotional response.
While a ban is far from ideal, Slot is at least thankful that he can still play a big role in preparing his team at St Mary’s.
“If you are suspended in Holland, then you’re not allowed to be in and around the dressing room, you cannot do the media as well,” Slot explained.
“This is a lighter version of suspension, I would say than I’m used to – but I’ve never been used to being suspended, it’s the first time I am.
“I think I’m still able to do the things I want to do. The moment you have the least impact on your team is during the (two) 45 minutes, and the most impact you can have is at half-time or before the game. Those are the things I can do.
“In an ideal situation, I would have just been on the sideline but I got a yellow, which I probably deserved, again, as well. It happens.”
Southampton, meanwhile, have under-21s manager Simon Rusk in the dugout after Russell Martin was sacked in the immediate aftermath of the 5-0 defeat over the weekend.
