Liverpool 'may need a new manager by Christmas' with Arne Slot facing huge Anfield mission
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Liverpool recently appointed Arne Slot as their replacement for Jurgen Klopp
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Liverpool recently appointed Arne Slot as their replacement for Jurgen Klopp
Former Liverpool star Dietmar Hamann believes his old side could need a new manager by Christmas if Arne Slot fails to hit the ground running.
Slot has been appointed as a replacement for Jurgen Klopp, who departed the club earlier this summer following a brilliant eight-and-a-half-year stint in the dugout.
While the Dutchman worked wonders at Feyenoord, he obviously faces a big task ahead over on Merseyside.
Liverpool had initially hoped to prise Xabi Alonso away from Bayer Leverkusen, only for the 42-year-old to end up staying with the Bundesliga side.
Liverpool recently appointed Arne Slot as their replacement for Jurgen Klopp
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And Hamann thinks his old side could need a new manager by Christmas if Slot struggles, while also expressing a belief that Alonso could potentially arrive as his replacement.
Speaking to TopOffshoreSportsBooks, the former Germany midfielder said: "Things happen very quickly in football. Maybe Liverpool end up needing a new manager at Christmas? Stranger things have happened.
"You wish Arne Slot all the best but if you have a bad start then fans can get upset and really and you never know, but I hope he is at Liverpool for years to come.
"Can I see Alonso at Liverpool one day? Yeah, of course I can. But it's always a matter of timing.
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"They just need to beat Bayern Munich to land Alonso - they will want him too but I back the Reds to seal his signature."
Hamann thinks Slot has an 'impossible' job on his hands.
Referencing Manchester United and Arsenal's struggles after the departures of Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson in 2018 and 2013 respectively, Hamann added: "You can compare it to Arsene Wenger leaving Arsenal and Sir Alex Ferguson leaving Manchester United, but somebody has to do it.
"A few managers may have been put off because following Klopp is near enough impossible.
"They just need to beat Bayern Munich to land Alonso - they will want him too but I back the Reds to seal his signature."
Hamann thinks Slot has an 'impossible' job on his hands.
Referencing Manchester United and Arsenal's struggles after the departures of Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson in 2018 and 2013 respectively, Hamann added: "You can compare it to Arsene Wenger leaving Arsenal and Sir Alex Ferguson leaving Manchester United, but somebody has to do it.
"A few managers may have been put off because following Klopp is near enough impossible.
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Liverpool hero Dietmar Hamann thinks Arne Slot could struggle at Anfield following the departure of Jurgen Klopp
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"But the more I think about it, the more I hear and see from him, the more confident I am because he seems like a very humble and normal guy.
"I think the one thing that goes against him might be expectations.
"I think that's probably he's got to somehow manage that, which is very hard because if the fans think we should finish in the top three or should win a trophy, it's very hard to make them think otherwise.
"But I think expectations might be a bit too big for what they can or probably will achieve next season."
Liverpool legend Xabi Alonso wasn't interested in replacing Jurgen Klopp this summer
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Liverpool lost 1-0 to Preston in Slot's first game earlier this week, with the fixture played behind closed doors.
The Reds are due to face Real Betis in a pre-season friendly on Saturday (12.30am).