Arne Slot reveals early FSG approval & explains “clear hierarchy” at Liverpool

With Liverpool top of the Premier League and progressing well in all competitions, Arne Slot has spoken of FSG’s brief praise and how he works under a “clear hierarchy.”

While Slot’s reign is still in its early infancy, Liverpool look well-placed to challenge at the very top under their new head coach.

After Jurgen Klopp left, it wouldn’t have come as a massive surprise to see Liverpool drop off, temporarily at the very least. However, no such thing has happened and the Reds look as strong as ever.

Partial credit for this must be given to Liverpool’s owners, FSG, for the structure they have put in place to appoint Slot and the team above him.

This included the rehiring of Michael Edwards as their CEO of Football, who subsequently appointed Richard Hughes as Liverpool’s new sporting director.

Slot arrived with a clear structure in place to go forward as a club, and he is working well within it as the first team’s head coach.

Speaking to press including the Liverpool Echo, Slot explained: “[Contact] is not on a daily basis (with Hughes) but it is the same every month.

“I have had a very good relationship from the start with Richard, which is one of the reasons why I loved to join the club.

“I have talked about the fans and the players we have, but if the relationship with the sporting director is not the best you will not go – but it was the contrary of that because I had a good feeling from the start about the person and definitely about the professional.

“It is the same with Michael Edwards and everyone, but the main one I communicate with is Richard. Of course, sometimes there is a bit of contact with the others (FSG) but there is a clear hierarchy and I speak mostly to Richard.”

 

Early approval from FSG

Liverpool aren’t FSG’s only ‘business’ of interest, far from it. Among many other ventures, they also own the Boston Red Sox baseball team, the Pittsburgh Penguins ice hockey team.

This leaves little time for direct contact with the Liverpool head coach, but Slot did admit he had received some praise from his new bosses following a strong start.

Asked if he has received any messages of approval directly from his FSG, Slot replied: “Yeah, but we are all aware of the fact we are only 11 games into the season and will not get carried away.

“It is not like this is the first time in Liverpool history we have been top of the league. I don’t think the owners will get carried away. I am for sure not getting carried away, and the players will not as well.

“I could assume [FSG] are happy, not just because of the results, but because of the way we have played, mainly the playing style and the results that come from that. The playing style is as expected and that is the positive thing.”

While the owners rightly come in for criticism at times, the recruitment of Slot and restrucuring of the club post-Klopp seems to have been a great move at a pivotal moment for Liverpool.