12 Mar 2026 16:18:09
Arne Slot's recent performances have failed to convince Liverpool's hierarchy. The Dutch head coach has been informed that he will be relieved of his duties this summer unless he secures UEFA Champions League qualification and/or wins a trophy.
Xabi Alonso remains the clear number one target to succeed him, a preference that dates back even to the post-Klopp transition. Contract discussions with Slot were paused in mid-November due to poor results; he would likely have been dismissed then, but no suitable interim option was available beyond Gary O'Neil.
Steven Gerrard has reportedly spoken to senior figures, expressing doubts about Slot's long-term fit and offering to step in temporarily to steady the ship until the summer, though the hierarchy has rejected this approach.
A full seasonal review is scheduled for the end of the campaign. Claims (including from David Ornstein) that Slot is unequivocally "their man" are not true. As things stand in March 2026, Slot is expected to depart this summer, with Alonso lined up as his replacement unless he can win back the fans and the players whilst improving along the way.
Liverpool held exploratory talks with Cesc Fabregas earlier, but nothing materialised. The halt in contract negotiations with Slot underscores the lack of full backing from the board. As of now, March the 11th 2026, Arne Slot will be relived of his duties this summer. Major improvements needed for a save.
12 Mar 2026 17:12:57
I don't know the wishes of Xabi Alonso and if moving now or 3 months' time is an issue.
But, let's say he is open whenever. I can't for the life of me understand why Arne Slot is still here. Wouldn't it make sense to get a manager in "before" summer to evaluate the squad and see what he thinks he needs before a shortened World Cup summer?
I've put the failings down to Arne, coz he picks the line up, the formation that doesn't fit, and the most boring style we've ever witnessed at Anfield.
But the club has a lot to answer for, it's been diabolical from them.
12 Mar 2026 17:36:02
So, if he qualifies for the Champions League, he keeps his job? It is probably his best chance of securing his future with the club, as I think it will be more difficult to win the FA Cup and harder to win the UCL.
12 Mar 2026 17:50:50
4 paragraphs have the same outcome. Slot won't be here.
12 Mar 2026 17:56:58
Unless he wants to leave, and has told the bosses that he will leave in the summer, there will be a proper review of the season.
It will be a comprehensive review and analysis. It will not be purely about qualification to the CL. It will not be influenced by the opinion of ex-players like Gerrard.
I suspect he may want to leave, that is the only way any decision could have been made.
I have a feeling the tragic events of last summer had more of an effect on his mentality than we know.
I think it'll be a mutual parting and he'll go back to Holland with a bag of money.
Calling for his head now is pointless.
12 Mar 2026 18:03:33
A random guy on the internet knows more than Ornstein, yeah, right.
12 Mar 2026 18:14:21
So basically a re-wording of what Carra posted yesterday.
12 Mar 2026 18:21:28
Totally agree with you, Ron. I think, and I am only guessing, that an arrangement has been made between Slot and Liverpool, also between Liverpool and whoever the next manager is.
The outcome suits all 3 parties involved, and the new manager takes over in the summer.
The club and fans will thank Arne for bringing Number20 and move on.
12 Mar 2026 18:40:48
Maybe the owners see this season as a failure, and there are terms in Slot's contract that mean we don't have to sack him at a big cost to the club at the end of the season, and he agrees to walk away?
12 Mar 2026 19:16:50
In your usual words, Ron, we don't know what's happened, do we? Either way, Slot has been woeful. Highlighting the passing of Jota for our derisory football (which materialised at the back end of last season prior to Jota's passing) is garbage.
12 Mar 2026 20:10:07
Well, Frode, as you're sticking to your usual agenda, this time I'm calling you out.
At what point was I "Highlighting the passing of Jota for our derisory football"?
I did nothing of the sort, but I will accept your apology if you have the integrity to post it.
I'm speculating that the tragic events of last summer have had an effect on "Slot's mentality" and may have made him more eager to go back to his family home after this season ends.
Anyone with basic English comprehension can understand that.
Nothing to do with football performance.
12 Mar 2026 20:20:45
I can't be the only one who's bored of reading some "internet hardman" using every post to say the same thing and take lumps out of our head coach.
So, back on ignore you go.
12 Mar 2026 20:58:40
Tbh, I agree with Frode. Why is Ron talking about Slot as if he's best mates and knows his innermost feelings?
Internet hardman is ironic after viewing his replies to pretty much imaginary commentary.
12 Mar 2026 21:00:44
How is this direct attack allowed to be posted?
12 Mar 2026 21:03:38
Can you put someone on ignore, Ron? I hope that's true. If so, how do you do it?
Actually that means I'll only see posts from about 3 posters. ;-)
12 Mar 2026 21:06:53
@Ron, I was listening to a podcast a couple of days ago in which John Cleese was discussing the human mind. Being John Cleese, he was making quite powerful observations in a humorous way, and one of his points was that we have to show patience to stupid people, because being stupid, and even more so in some cases very stupid, people don't actually know that they are, in fact, stupid.
We need to practice patience. 😉
12 Mar 2026 21:34:38
Testicles ... win a trophy? What a load of fury balls. Qualification for the CL is worth 5x as much as any trophy other than the CL. I have a sincere wish for people to stop posting s****, and get back to proper analysis and facts.
13 Mar 2026 06:14:36
My dad worked with John Cleese for years. He's a basketcase, who married a psychiatrist because the cost of therapy was making him skint. On more than one occasion, dad went to Cleese's house and ended up having the meal just with the psychiatrist as John was upstairs being odd.
There are better examples to follow in life, and stupidity comes in all forms, as seen in this thread.
13 Mar 2026 06:17:17
For example, a lot of IT guys excel in their field, but probably spend hours trapped in the office revolving doors as their practical intelligence is nil.
13 Mar 2026 06:20:03
Honestly, this must be an AI-generated rework of other posts on Slot's position.
There is nothing here not posted in the last week by Carra!
13 Mar 2026 08:30:44
Comedy gold.
John Cleese isn't the only one who could use a shrink right now.
13 Mar 2026 08:32:48
All I want to know is why Florian Musiala hasn't commented on this post yet in defence of Slot's job?
13 Mar 2026 08:52:42
Think we should leave off FM. I may not agree with him, but he has his opinion like us all. A different view or outlook should always be welcomed. Seems to be called out a few times last week or so.
13 Mar 2026 09:23:06
At this point, I hope we give Slot an extra 6 years just so we don't lose all the fiction and drama on these pages, you couldn't write it, but people do anyway.
13 Mar 2026 09:45:22
I'd rather have the drama on the pitch, so no to six more years of Slot, thanks.
13 Mar 2026 09:59:40
The Incredible Bulk.... Nail and Head. Well done, good spot.
13 Mar 2026 10:58:35
I really don't understand why posters call out other posters just because they have different views.
Besides, if I want an opinion from a specific poster, I'll give it to them. 🤣
13 Mar 2026 11:09:26
To be honest, I'm having nothing to do with threads involving Slot, Edwards or Hughes between now and May, not worth it.
13 Mar 2026 11:59:18
Even if he wins the Champions League, would you still want him to stay? If Hodgson had won it, would he have kept his job?
imo no one would have wanted him to stay, and Slot's football is as bad as his.
13 Mar 2026 14:42:18
Getting a bit toxic this thread. Borne out of frustration from fans, I guess. But I think we are stronger together and not arguing. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and no one's opinion is more valid than any other. It's a rumours site.
For me personally, it's the performances that worry me, and the massive drop off in form from players that were almost perfect the last couple of seasons. Salah doesn't even look like he is trying anymore. VVD is too arrogant and not a good captain. Seeing him pose with his sunglasses and LV bag after a shambolic performance at the back sums up what is wrong with our team. Slot and the management team have shaped a squad where there is no competition for places. He can only use the same players every week, and Salah can operate at 50% because he knows he will be picked every week regardless of effort. For me, Salah is playing for records now, and does not have the team's interest first. The midfield is not working; MacA and Gravenberch have been terrible, and the defence has been garbage too, as we concede 2 goals in most games we play.
This can't all be a coincidence. The head coach is responsible for this. Why does he keep picking Gakpo when he is so poor and predictable? Why does he persist with Salah when he isn't working for the team? Why does he continue with Konate (who actually has improved)? The answer is poor squad management and a head coach that is being pushed around by senior players. If he wants to keep his job, he needs to take Salah and Gakpo out of the team. Introduce some younger players into midfield in the hopes of getting a performance out of MacA and Gravy. He is a good coach, but something has happened, that is clear, and it just looks disorganised and limited. Ultimately he will go in the summer, but I certainly do not believe that he already knows or has been told. That doesn't make sense, and I am sorry if that offends ITK's, but why would any business tell a manager that they are getting sacked in a few months but, in the meantime, ask them to make us lots of money by winning and qualifying for things? I know what my answer would be and it ends in "off".
13 Mar 2026 15:31:55
Wdw, a little saying from my grandad.
If you know you're stupid, you're not stupid. It's when you're stupid and you don't know you're stupid that makes you stupid.
13 Mar 2026 16:34:52
Is there a point in calling out posters because of the degree of their tolerance, respect, or courtesy towards Slot? Imagine if this board was nothing but people talking about how useless he is, how he should p*** off back to his family and Holland, and how angry we are that he hasn't been fired yet.
It wouldn't be much fun, now would it. I think it's nice to hear from fans from different ends of the Slot out spectrum, to try to understand why things have gone wrong this season.
13 Mar 2026 18:23:57
Ron don't rise to it mate. Ed001 what do u think has happened with Slot? I remember last season u were being asked how things were going so well and u said about Slot giving simple instructions and explaining them in a way the players understand (or something like that) but obviously the bloke has fell off a cliff.
Do u reckon the players turned on him? Losing Heitenger? To many players being bought? because I really don't get it
{Ed001's Note - it is a mix of things, Slot taking his eye off the ball at the end of the season, his inability to understand the need for power and pace, his tactics, the training, loss of Heitinga etc etc. Added to that, we have a captain who is no leader and a general lack of leaders within the squad. The players have lost faith in him, which is not helping.}
13 Mar 2026 18:49:01
"My dad worked with John Cleese for years, he's a basket case..." Was this when Cleese was at Cambridge or Rector at St Andrews University? Trying to discredit a character aside, you are actually missing the point. It is the idea that is the point of the conversation. I could argue the case that it's possible you actually proved the point Cleese was discussing.
14 Mar 2026 05:14:30
So, because Cleese is a basket case, anything he says is invalidated (and by extension anybody who cites Cleese is invalidated)?
Not sure I follow the logic.
14 Mar 2026 07:36:20
And look at how patient I'm being with you, WDW. Is he right?
14 Mar 2026 07:51:41
Your original complaint about direct attacks, Barnesy, I take it that you think that posts that are a hair's breadth away from being direct attacks are perfectly okay?
13 Mar 2026 22:11:47
ed001, your response is spot on!
Thanks
{Ed001's Note - thank you.}
14 Mar 2026 07:33:25
It's quite simple. For Cleese to be used as a lodestar for cleverness is stupid. He may have gone to Cambridge (as did I) but he has made a great many stupid business, romantic, career and interpersonal decisions in his life.
He was a family friend but has few allies left, despite his academic and comic brilliance. The period I was taking about was the mid 80s for the record. He has very little practical intelligence.
14 Mar 2026 09:00:11
Except nobody on here was claiming Cleese was clever? It was simply a quote that you can take or leave, without giving us a family history, a list of his marital woes and psychoanalysis of the man himself.
{Ed001's Note - why have you taken such exception to a vile man being criticised? Great comedy actor but absolute prick of a man, why is it an issue for someone to talk about that? If you don't want people to discuss things, I suggest you look elsewhere than a discussion forum mate.}
14 Mar 2026 09:34:37
I personally don't care if Cleese is being dragged through the mud, ed, that's entirely not the point at all, and I'm sure that you're right that he isn't a nice man, but to me I'm not entirely sure how it became about the man in the first place? My point is that Barnesy suggesting that somebody quoting Cleese hasn't a clue (when the point is Cleese the person, but the point being made in the quote), and then indirectly calling WDW stupid that I find irritating.
Not the first time Barnesy has gone out of his way to be mean spirited, either. I apologise if I've taken the bait and cluttered the forum with posts unrelated to LFC, of course.
{Ed001's Note - WDW made out like the quote was from some worthwhile person to be taking life advice from. I think it is fair that it is pointed out what Cleese is like - bit like posting a quote from Hitler or Gandhi, the person who said it and what kind of person they are matters. Believe me, WDW is a lot worse things than stupid.}
14 Mar 2026 10:47:20
Mental thread that. 🤣
Put your keyboards down, gents, and get some fresh air.
14 Mar 2026 11:03:04
Just for those who weren't around at the time, the things that make me much worse than stupid are based on Ed01 misreading what I wrote when Ed02 very sadly passed away.
In his understandable grief at the loss of a friend, he misconstrued what I said and, even though I apologised at the time for any, totally unintended offence, I was promoted to public enemy number.
That's ok with me, if you want to dislike me I'll struggle on but I would say though that the suppression of the apparent bristling anger is sad and can't be healthy for you, especially as it is something that was a genuine misinterpretation on your part.
For the record, I wasn't citing John Cleese as the originator of the idea. I mentioned him because he was the person who brought the idea to my attention via the podcast. Unlike @Barnesy's dad I have never met the bloke and can't offer a reliable opinion on his being a good, bad or indifferent personality and if you go back and re-read what I wrote I never offered a critique if his character.
All that said, life's too short. Let's get back to making stuff up about Slot. Of course most of us have never met Slot either but it's ok in our fantastic little world of the forum.
{Ed001's Note - you did no such thing and you know it, but carry on lying to everyone and pretending you really are a decent human being rather than an Internet troll.}
14 Mar 2026 15:07:04
Having just read your reply. I'll quote your usual rubbish: "you're speculating". Either way we've been garbage no matter how you spin it.
12 Mar 2026 11:42:29
Ed001 Carra Fields Robbo,
Have you heard anything about the players taking upon
Themselves to do an extra training session before the West Ham game.
I've never heard anything like this before if true and seems a very interesting development as obviously the players must realise they are not fit enough for the standard needed if so the people above Slot should be taking this into account when deciding if he stays till the end of the season.
I don't know if this is true but if it is and the players are having to do things like this it is beyond a joke that Hughes and Edwards are not acting on the state of things.
12 Mar 2026 12:10:09
We all know that Slot isn't doing a good job, but stop looking for confirmation bias from rumours spread on the internet.
12 Mar 2026 12:15:04
Plenty of reports suggesting this is true.
Noticed Slot had a lovely tan at the West Ham game. Maybe he had it before, and I didn't notice?
12 Mar 2026 12:19:34
Could the EDs or someone with good knowledge discuss the last part of the OP?
I wonder what timescale would be ideal for a manager/coach to plan next season, preseason, incoming/outgoing. As in if reports are true about Slot gone and Alonso in etc, would Hughes/Edwards be working with them now ready for the summer as we are about 2 months from the end of season now.
Is that why the extra training can happen without any outcome on Slot, poor results and performance continue. Is it they are working with Alonso and contracts etc so not bothered what Slot does or doesn't do anymore etc.
12 Mar 2026 13:29:35
You are on a rumours page, @Chanhgingofthegvardiol. Don't be surprised when a poster posts a query about something they may have heard or read through the grapevine, etc.
12 Mar 2026 14:53:07
"I know this is a rumours site, but stop looking for rumours on the internet. Wahhhh Wahhhh Wahhhh."
12 Mar 2026 15:16:20
World Cup year too, I'd rather a new manager now to have a real chance of assessing the side.
12 Mar 2026 13:52:48
Sure ed1 once said bayern Munich did some training by themselves once when ancelotti was there
{Ed001's Note - they did in a local park. Locals would watch and the players involved confirmed it as true at the time.}
12 Mar 2026 15:56:23
There was a cool article about David Luiz, who used to coach/train with some local amateurs while he was in Paris, even on the days before games. He was basically suggesting he had nothing else to do and wanted to feel alive by giving back.
It also reminds me of that Ted Lasso episode where the captain plays in the local 5-a-side game to get out of his funk.
12 Mar 2026 16:37:59
Grino, I can confirm they did do extra training on their own while Slot and his team were taking a power nap in the afternoon.
To boost Salah's confidence, he was made to try going past defenders by levels. Entry level for him was Konate, which he passed with ease. But, in the next level, when they raised the bar to get an under 16 academy player, Salah was finding it difficult.
Macca was made to run to improve his tracking back. He injured his hamstring and started crying.
Chiesa did not bother, as he knew whatever he did, Slot would still stick him on the bench. So, he ended up cooking pasta for all.
Szobo was asked to skip the training and go to the barber to shave off his beautiful hair so that he spends more time focusing on the game than his hair.
Grav was asked to put the ball through a door to improve his passing. He kept hitting the wall.
Rio was doing his homework.
So all in all, we are going to smash Spurs out of Anfield this Sunday.
12 Mar 2026 17:05:42
Players trained on their own as Slot made his weekly trip back to Holland.
Good on the players for deciding to put the extra effort in, as opposed to taking another day off.
12 Mar 2026 21:10:58
@Sailor Jerry, we have loads of people on here who assess teams and players through the miracle of social media and illegal streaming. If Alonso wants to assess Liverpool, he can press the on switch on his laptop, or get off his bum, pay for a hospitality ticket, and attend the matches.
11 Mar 2026 20:36:40
Liverpool rumours: “I wouldn’t take any cretin from Madrid in a swap deal…!”
Valverde: “Hold my pint”.
12 Mar 2026 01:26:51
"Vermin, Fawlty". 😉
12 Mar 2026 06:53:00
Nothing like castigating 25 people you know nothing about with a sweeping generalisation.
12 Mar 2026 07:34:00
Actually, Changing, I know that they had a collective hissy fit because that P*** Vinicius didn't win the Balon D'Or and I know that to a man, they publicly humiliated Alonso when he asked them to do the decent thing and do a guard of honour for Barca. Absolute toxic bunch of cretins, the lot of them.
{Ed001's Note - by collective hissy fit, do you mean when they didn't attend the ceremony, even though in previous years the teams of the loser rarely attended? It only became a thing because it was another excuse to have a dig at Vinicius Jr in the media.}
12 Mar 2026 07:56:54
How do you think a LFC would respond if a manager asked them to give Man Utd a guard of honour?
12 Mar 2026 07:49:53
General Franco's team. No wonder the many rightwingers on here defend them
{Ed001's Note - it wasn't actually his team, but he used them as the face of his fascist regime to show how well Spain was doing to the world.}
12 Mar 2026 08:07:38
There's a fair few of those cretins I'd like to have in the LFC first-team squad tbh.
12 Mar 2026 09:47:47
When the question was raised last week regarding who we'd take from the Real side, I said Valverde. Aren't I a know-it-all!!
12 Mar 2026 10:02:27
Strikes me as a Madrid lifer, unfortunately, Rome.
12 Mar 2026 10:55:02
Toxic club from top to bottom. Valverde, apparently, was one of the players (among many, including but not limited to, Vinicius, Mbappe, Tchouameni, & king bellend himself, Bellingham) complaining to Perez that Alonso dared to ask them to actually work. I stand by my view that there is not one of those players worthy of wearing a Liverpool shirt for one reason or another.
12 Mar 2026 11:04:55
Liked the look of the young lad Huijsen when he was at Bournemouth. And Guler's been good any time I've seen him for Turkey. Don't really watch La Liga much anymore.
12 Mar 2026 11:45:58
You can dislike Real all you want, but likening them to cockroaches and rats does not really sit right with me, Viktor. Can we insult football players without dehumanising them and comparing them to pests to be exterminated, maybe?
12 Mar 2026 11:46:58
I was a big fan of Huijsen too, Florian. Every time I've seen him play for Real, he looks really poor in the air despite being really tall. It feels like his aerial duel win rate is shockingly low.
12 Mar 2026 11:57:42
Yeh I can remember reading he was coming in for some criticism alright. As I say, I dont really watch it much. It's not really a club where you're given time to settle in, in fairness, is it?
12 Mar 2026 17:02:22
Agreed, Patrik. We really don't know much about these players personally, if anything at all.
We do know that Vini Junior invests money into education for underprivileged kids back in Brazil. Certainly not every footballer does that, so he ain't all bad.
12 Mar 2026 21:04:39
Can't remember who it was, but one poster basically called Valverde a poor man's Szobozlai. The lack of football knowledge is frightening.
12 Mar 2026 21:18:47
Apart from the media, @Vik, do you have any proof of your accusations?
I don't like Real Madrid, I don't like their patrician attitude and their air of superiority. That said, I've never met a single player in their squad, so I have next to no idea about their actual character.
Calling them names makes you sound like a frightened school bully in the playground at playtime.
11 Mar 2026 18:24:50
Just on the manager front. Carra has covered most of it below but for those asking about Slot knowing.
He has agreed in principle to join Ajax at the end of the season. I don't know how true this is because it comes from someone I met on a recent business trip to the Netherlands, but it would indicate that he knows if true.
I've also been told to Iraola is likely off to UTD.
11 Mar 2026 20:18:37
Thank you, Fields. Fingers crossed.
11 Mar 2026 20:54:27
Nice one, Fields.
Hope all is well.
Ta.
11 Mar 2026 20:59:48
Got to be the most "ITK" thread on here, thanks Thefields and Carra.
11 Mar 2026 22:18:18
Seems that way, posted this a while back. He is definitely resigning at the end of the season. That much is pretty guaranteed.
11 Mar 2026 23:19:58
Ajax appointed a new manager a week ago.
One who worked several times with Jordi Cruijff. Wouldn't come for 2 months.
Slot ain't going there, or at all.
Ornstein said this earlier tonight.
12 Mar 2026 01:29:37
No, he didn't say that at all, @Eyals.
12 Mar 2026 08:13:45
Ignore Ornstein et al. Carra, The Fields, Robbo, Ned have the nod. My thanks to them all.
12 Mar 2026 10:33:02
Eyals - Ajax appointed a caretaker on a contract until the end of the season.
12 Mar 2026 12:49:15
Garcia was brought in as U23 coach. His contract from his initial hire does run until 2027; essentially that means sweet f*** all now, but I'm guessing that's where the confusion comes from. Let's hope it's all true. I saw somewhere that Stevie was in for a quiet meeting with the higher-ups at some stage over the last week.
No idea if it's true. Could be to come in as assistant to Xabi. Fingers crossed. Hopefully Ornstein's way off the mark on this one.
12 Mar 2026 16:19:35
Eyals, I wouldn't be believing a word out his mouth tbh. His contacts at the club told him that but those contacts are not privy to everything. Plus read Chewys post, he is correct about the Ajax manager situation.
All good Carra mate, hope all is well with you too.
{Ed025's Note - i believe Carra before Ornstiene Grav..