Sam Allardyce urges Liverpool to stand by under-fire Arne Slot
Former Premier League manager Sam Allardyce has urged Liverpool to stand by head coach Arne Slot despite a turbulent title defence at Anfield.
The reigning champions have struggled to replicate last season’s domestic success and currently trail league leaders Arsenal by 21 points.
Heavy summer investment brought elite attacking talent to the club in the form of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.
However, the expensive new arrivals have not prevented a steep decline in league form for the Merseyside outfit.
The title-holders have suffered 10 defeats in 31 league matches to leave their hopes of a top-four finish in serious jeopardy.
Allardyce dismisses Klopp comparisons
The pressure on the Dutch tactician is mounting ahead of a crucial FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City on Saturday.
That difficult domestic test is immediately followed by a daunting Champions League encounter with Paris Saint-Germain.
Yet Allardyce believes the intense scrutiny placed upon the Liverpool boss is entirely unjustified.
You can’t get rid of him when he just comes in and wins the league – nobody else has ever done that.
The experienced coach pointed out that Slot successfully delivered the Premier League trophy during his debut campaign.
You’ve got to give him another year.
He won the league, Jurgen Klopp couldn’t win the league in the last three years he tried to and he’s still a God.
Modern managers expected to act like ‘film stars’
Unlike several of their top-flight rivals, the Anfield hierarchy have so far resisted making a mid-season managerial change.
Allardyce feels modern football executives are far too quick to abandon their chosen coaches during rough patches.
Boards of directors are so goddamn weak now, it’s unbelievable.
You stick by your man if that’s the way it is, so you’ve got to give him next season.
He also suggested that the current manager suffers in the court of public opinion due to his calm touchline demeanour.
Allardyce argued that modern supporters and media expect performative antics from the technical area.
You’ve got to be a film star as a manager now because you’ve got to act in front of your crowd.
You’ve got to show emotion – run down the touchline, get a yellow card, punch the air.
