Slot's dismissal was sudden but inevitable! Liverpool's rebuild requires a successful coach.

By Han Bing. At noon on May 30th UK time, transfer expert Romano suddenly revealed that Liverpool would immediately fire manager Slot, who had ended the season without any trophies, and hire a new coach to oversee the summer rebuild. 18 minutes later, Liverpool officially confirmed Romano's claim. Slot's dismissal stunned the whole of England, given that neither the club's executives nor Slot himself had shown any indication of a change. The event was abrupt, but after calming down, people realize it was also inevitable.

Slot had even been in contact with his former assistant from his Feyenoord days, Reinier, and was actively involved in Liverpool's summer transfer plans. But in an instant, the Dutch coach was told to pack his bags and leave with his entire Dutch coaching staff. His sacking was so sudden that most players in the Liverpool dressing room were taken aback. After all, the team had at least secured a Champions League spot for next season, which was widely considered the "minimum requirement" for Slot to keep his job.

However, British media like the Daily Mail realized that Fenway Group's post-season evaluation of Slot concluded that the team's rebuild plan for the new season should not be led by a coach who had completely failed the previous season. Liverpool lost 20 matches last season, failed in all four competitions, and as defending champions only finished 5th in the league, barely managing to secure a Champions League "gift" through UEFA's additional slot awarded to the Premier League. Considering Slot spent €480 million on transfers last summer, such a season outcome was clearly unacceptable.

After the season, Liverpool lost their biggest star Salah. The Egyptian superstar had publicly criticized the manager mid-season, saying he missed the "heavy metal football" of the Klopp era, which was considered one of the key reasons for Slot's dismissal. Of course, more importantly, it was the fans' loss of trust. Liverpool has never been a club that changes managers easily, unless the coach has become completely isolated. Over the past few months, Liverpool fans have booed Slot three times—the same manager who had won them the Premier League trophy last season. Not only for the constant failures, but also for victories that seemed undeserved.

Although last season's failure could be attributed to widespread injuries and the psychological trauma of Jota's unexpected death, the decisive reason was that Slot could no longer turn things around. The tactical and personnel issues that emerged in September last year were still present in May this year. Losing twice to bitter rivals Manchester United, who were also in decline, and three times to title rivals Manchester City was disappointing enough, but matches against relegation-threatened teams like Burnley, Leeds United, and Nottingham Forest were equally hard to watch.

After the season, with Salah and Robertson confirmed to leave, and Konate's latest departure rumors, Liverpool's hierarchy assessed the summer rebuild and concluded that not only would it be costly, but a change in tactical philosophy was urgently needed. Slot had the majority of the championship-winning squad available for most of the season, but unfortunately he never managed to get the players to perform at their expected level. Thus, the Dutch coach's dismissal was a foregone conclusion.

Who will replace Slot? Transfer expert Romano, after predicting Slot's departure, immediately named the successor—Iraola, who had just left Bournemouth. Iraola was previously in talks with AC Milan, and Crystal Palace, after Glasner's exit, had also made a formal offer. However, upon learning that Liverpool might change managers, Iraola immediately put all other negotiations on hold to wait for Liverpool's progress.

Iraola was originally brought to the Premier League by Richard Hughes, who is now Liverpool's sporting director. This is seen as a decisive factor for Iraola becoming Liverpool's new boss, but Liverpool does have other candidates. Stuttgart's Hoeneß and Lens' Sager have both taken their teams to unexpected heights, just like Iraola.

But due to Iraola's familiarity with the Premier League and his close relationship with Richard Hughes, his appointment to replace Slot is considered a foregone conclusion. Liverpool will begin talks with Iraola as soon as possible, but concerns remain: Iraola has never managed a top club. Will the tactics and management that worked well at small clubs like Rayo Vallecano and Bournemouth continue to be effective at Liverpool?

In any case, Slot's departure means that among the traditional "Big Six" of the Premier League for the new season, only Arsenal has not changed their manager. This further demonstrates the unprecedented intensity of competition in the Premier League: even the aura of a Premier League-winning coach can only last for one season.