Arne Slot has no shortage of admiration for Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, who he hopes can win a trophy for the north London side – just not the League Cup.
Liverpool will meet Spurs at least four times this season after being drawn against one another in the two-legged League Cup semi-final.
The Reds are the competition’s record-holders with 10 trophies, while Tottenham have won it four times – the last in 2007/08, which is their most recent piece of silverware.
Ahead of their league meeting on Sunday, Slot spoke with plenty of admiration and respect for his direct counterpart, who has not been short of criticism regarding his tactics.
“Great work that Ange is doing over there and I hope this is being seen a bit more,” Slot told reporters.
“I also hope, hope, hope he wins a trophy. Not the League Cup! But I am completely a fan of his team for the Europa League. People always talk about trophies, trophies, trophies, and that is so important.
“For me, his brand and style of football is so much more important – and if he can combine that with winning something, that would be so good for football in general because then people can stop talking about ‘is this too attacking?’
“How on earth can you play too attacking football?”
Slot, who was linked with the Spurs job last year, continued his love fest for Postecoglou by adding: “I really have to give them credit.
“Because if I look at Tottenham, I come from Holland but, I did watch a lot of Match of the Day, I think about Paul Gascoigne, Glenn Hoddle, Luka Modric, Rafael van der Vaart, Gareth Bale.
“They have always had a certain brand of football for me and a certain identity, and I think Postecoglou gives them that identity back completely. It’s every time a joy to watch them.
“Once in a while, the results go against them, but I think they are one of the teams to beat City – like us. Not all of them beat them in the manner we did but Tottenham did, completely deserved.”
Slot later quipped, “I’ve said so many positive things about him and his style that if I say another thing it seems like I’m his agent!”
Spurs, however, almost threw away a three-goal lead in their League Cup quarter-final against Man United on Thursday, defensive weaknesses that Slot and his team will certainly have identified.
Slot and Postecoglou will go head-to-head for the first time on Sunday, and the Reds boss confirmed that he will be without just two senior players for the Premier League trip after Kostas Tsimikas‘ successful comeback.
