Liverpool Rekrut Pelatih Baru demi Pertahankan Posisi Arne Slot

Manajemen Liverpool dilaporkan segera merampungkan penunjukan Etiënne Reijnen ke dalam staf kepelatihan untuk meredam spekulasi pemecatan manajer Arne Slot menjelang laga krusial penentu tiket Liga Champions melawan Brentford pada Minggu mendatang.

Langkah ini diambil menyusul performa buruk klub asal Merseyside tersebut yang mencatatkan 19 kekalahan di semua kompetisi musim ini, sekaligus menyamai rekor kekalahan terbanyak mereka dalam satu abad terakhir.

Gelombang tekanan terhadap Arne Slot sempat meningkat setelah beredar rumor direktur olahraga Richard Hughes bernegosiasi dengan Andoni Iraola dari Bournemouth, namun jurnalis The Athletic James Pearce langsung membantah isu pergantian manajer tersebut.

Kondisi internal tim juga sempat memanas setelah Mohamed Salah melontarkan kritik tajam di media sosial terkait hilangnya identitas permainan agresif tim pasca-kekalahan dari Aston Villa.

Mantan bek Liverpool Jamie Carragher mengecam keras tindakan penyerang asal Mesir tersebut yang dianggap sengaja memprovokasi pemecatan manajer.

"I never say anything about team selection," kata Slot saat ditanya mengenai keterlibatan Salah dalam laga melawan B...

Penegasan mengenai kebijakan internal klub juga disampaikan oleh pengamat sepak bola Graeme Bailey yang mengonfirmasi adanya gejolak di jajaran manajemen Fenway Sports Group.

"Edwards and Hughes have some serious thinking and talking to do," explained Bailey.

Menurut Bailey, situasi performa tim yang merosot membuat pemilik klub mulai mempertimbangkan evaluasi besar-besaran meskipun keputusan emosional tidak akan diambil dalam waktu dekat.

"The situation with Slot is escalating at a pace, and I can tell you not everyone internally is aligned behind the idea that he should definitely stay," added Bailey.

Pihak manajemen dikabarkan memahami rasa frustrasi yang dialami skuad, terutama setelah kegagalan mengamankan tanda tangan Xabi Alonso yang memilih berlabuh ke Chelsea.

"Liverpool are not a club that reacts emotionally or impulsively, but the ownership absolutely recognise this is becoming a very concerning situation," kata Bailey.

Kritik dari para pemain bintang dinilai mencerminkan keresahan objektif atas kegagalan mempertahankan gelar juara Liga Utama Inggris musim ini.

"I'm told Salah's comments hit home in a massive way. Internally, there's actually a lot of sympathy towards what he said, and people at the club understand why he voiced those frustrations," ujar Bailey.

Di tengah spekulasi tersebut, beberapa nama pelatih alternatif seperti Sebastian Hoeness, Julian Nagelsmann, dan Matthias Jaissle sempat muncul dalam diskusi internal sebagai antisipasi masa depan.

"Sebastian Hoeness is hugely respected because of the work he's done at Stuttgart," kata Bailey.

Selain itu, karakter taktikal berintensitas tinggi menjadi parameter utama yang dicari oleh direktur sepak bola Michael Edwards dalam mengevaluasi kelayakan jangka panjang.

"Julian Nagelsmann remains admired, while Matthias Jaissle is another coach Liverpool have looked at – especially given the growing appreciation for his tactical approach," tutur Bailey.

Nama Andoni Iraola menjadi salah satu opsi kuat karena memiliki kedekatan historis dengan Richard Hughes saat masih bekerja bersama untuk Bournemouth.

"But one name that repeatedly comes up is Andoni Iraola," ucap Bailey.

Gaya bermain agresif yang diterapkan Iraola dinilai sangat cocok dengan karakteristik permainan yang diinginkan oleh publik Anfield.

"He's potentially available, he plays an aggressive high-intensity style that fits Liverpool's football identity, and crucially, he already understands the Premier League," tambah Bailey.

Faktor relasi profesional antara Hughes dan manajer asal Spanyol tersebut diprediksi bisa mempercepat proses negosiasi jika manajemen benar-benar memutus kontrak Slot.

"And people shouldn't underestimate the Richard Hughes connection either. Hughes was instrumental in bringing Iraola to Bournemouth, and there remains huge respect there," jelas Bailey.

Meskipun rumor pergantian memanas, penyerang utama Mohamed Salah menegaskan komitmennya untuk tetap memberikan kemampuan terbaik demi mengamankan target minimal klub.

"I have witnessed this club go from doubters to believers, and from believers to champions," kata Salah.

Salah menyatakan kekecewaannya atas penurunan performa kolektif tim yang dinilainya tidak pantas diterima oleh para pendukung setia.

"It took hard work and I always did everything I could to help the club get there. Nothing makes me prouder than that," sambung Salah.

Pemain berusia 33 tahun itu mendesak agar tim segera mengembalikan skema taktik menyerang total yang sempat menjadi momok menakutkan bagi lawan-lawan mereka.

"Us crumbling to yet another defeat this season was very painful and not what our fans deserve. I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear and back to being a team that wins trophies," tegas Salah.

Bagi Salah, standar tinggi yang diterapkan klub tidak boleh diturunkan dan setiap elemen baru yang bergabung harus segera beradaptasi dengan identitas tersebut.

"That is the football I know how to play and that is the identity that needs to be recovered and kept for good. It cannot be negotiable and everyone that joins this club should adapt to it," tutur Salah.

Pernyataan ini sengaja dikeluarkan sebagai bentuk kepedulian jangka panjang terhadap masa depan klub sebelum dirinya memutuskan untuk hengkang.

"Winning some games here and there is not what Liverpool should be about. All teams win games," lanjut Salah.

Pertandingan pamungkas melawan Brentford akhir pekan ini dipastikan menjadi penampilan terakhir bagi Mohamed Salah dan bek sayap Andy Robertson di Stadion Anfield.

"Liverpool will always be a club that means a great deal to me and to my family. I want to see it succeed for long after I have moved on," kata Salah.

Fokus utama seluruh elemen tim saat ini adalah mengamankan satu poin penting guna menyegel posisi di zona kompetisi tertinggi Eropa musim depan.

"As I've always said, qualifying to next season's Champions League is the bare minimum and I will do everything I can to make that happen," pungkas Salah.

Komentar terbuka dari sang penyerang langsung memicu reaksi keras dari Jamie Carragher yang menilai tindakan tersebut murni demi kepentingan pribadi sang pemain.

"I said earlier in the season he's trying to get the manager sacked. Now, whether people agree with me or not, I've been proven by him coming out and doing it again. This idea he's doing it for Liverpool FC, he's not, he's just Salah FC who plays for Liverpool," tukas Carragher.

Menanggapi situasi ruang ganti yang memanas setelah banyak pemain menyukai unggahan Salah, Arne Slot memilih fokus pada kesiapan teknis anak asuhnya di sesi latihan.

"I don't really know what it exactly means if you 'like' a post. What I know, and that is my world, is to see how they train and I've not seen anything different," ujar Slot.

Slot memastikan bahwa proses adaptasi staf baru, Etiënne Reijnen, diharapkan berjalan lancar setelah kompetisi musim ini berakhir secara resmi.

"We had a good week and it is never easy, another disappointment at Villa and going into the last week of the season. Out of experience I know that is usually not the most simple week but the boys trained really well and I'm expecting them to do the same in the upcoming two days," kata Slot.

Kedatangan Reijnen yang dikenal inovatif dalam mengeksekusi strategi bola mati diharapkan mampu mendongkrak performa taktis tim untuk musim kompetisi mendatang.

"As I always say about players, it is the same about staff members. As long as things are not done, then I will not be commenting on who we are signing or who we don't," cetus Slot.

Manajer asal Belanda tersebut mengakui bahwa dirinya sudah sejak lama berupaya memboyong Reijnen ke Inggris namun terkendala masalah izin kerja pada dua tahun lalu.

"Well, it is fair to say that i have worked with him before. And I have a very high regard for him in terms of the coach he is. It is also clear that I tried to sign him two years ago when I first came here, but we couldn't do it," tutup Slot.