All Liverpool fans, and pretty much all football supporters of any club, will be aware that after a long and successful stint at the Reds, Jürgen Klopp left at the end of the 2023/24 campaign. Saying goodbye was hard but the club moved swiftly to appoint Arne Slot, one of the brightest young coaches in world football.
Most believe that Slot, a former midfielder, aged 45 at the time of his appointment, was one of the best men for the job, if not the very best. Much has been written about Arne (first name actually Arend) but football has always been about more than just the man at the top. It is even more so today, with many of the responsibilities of a traditional English manager devolved to other experts, whilst there are further specialist roles that simply did not exist in the past.
Liverpool’s “Boot Room” culture is well known, and the club, like most others really, has a long history of coaches and other members of staff assisting the manager in their tactical planning, football philosophy and more. The Boot Room isn’t what it was, but nonetheless, Slot is assembling his backroom staff at Liverpool and hopefully together they can continue the fine work of Klopp and co.
Ex-Everton Man Slot’s Latest Addition
On the 17th of July, 2024, it was announced that Dutchman, Johnny Heitinga, would be added to Liverpool’s team as an assistant coach. Heitinga was a rugged, no-nonsense defender who usually played at centre-back, though occasionally at right-back or in a defensive midfield role.
Reds may well remember him as a dirty, nasty piece of work from his days playing on the other side of Stanley Park for Everton. He was infamously dismissed in the 2010 World Cup final, where Netherlands lost in extra time to Spain, with 14 yellow cards, plus Heitinga’s red, being dished out by English referee Howard Webb. He was never sent off in the Premier League for the Toffees though, but he did manage to collect nine yellow cards in 27 appearances in 2010/11.
Heitinga was signed from Atletico Madrid by David Moyes, having previously played for Ajax too. The Dutch international (with 87 caps) comes to the Reds from West Ham, where he had worked as first-team coach with Moyes for a brief period since September 2023. Prior to that Heitinga, who is highly regarded, had been boss of Jong Ajax (Ajax’s reserve side who compete in the second tier of Dutch football), before a temporary promotion to caretaker boss of the first team.
Heitinga did well enough with Ajax and the club’s general manager, former club legend Edwin van der Sar, believed he was making good progress as a coach. Heitinga steadied the ship after Ajax struggled under Erik ten Haag’s replacement, Alfred Schreuder. The former Toffee took over after a run of seven games without a win and immediately led Ajax to seven straight wins, eventually guiding them to third.
Slot is clearly impressed with Heitinga and the new assistant should provide plenty of help on the defensive side of things. With Liverpool having a real Dutch flavour right now, he should fit in easily too and looks a good addition.
Sipe Hulshoff Slots in Nicely
Sipe Hulshoff came with Slot from Feyenoord and the two know each other incredibly well. Hulshoff was born in 1975 and has worked with the new head coach for almost a decade. The two have been there from the start of Slot’s career as a manager, first at Cambuur and then with Feyenoord where the two enjoyed great success.
Hulshoff had a limited playing career and never quite made the grade. However, this meant that despite his young age, he has vast coaching experience, having started his coaching badges at the age of 23 and obtaining his UEFA A license in his late 20s. He has coached various teams in the Netherlands, and also had a brief stint in Ghana and Qatar. More recently, as well as working with Slot, he has been part of Ronald Koeman’s team with the Netherlands.
He was seconded from Feyenoord but did not travel to Euro 2024 with Koeman and co, having stepped down to focus solely on Liverpool. Given his close relationship with Slot he was always likely to be Anfield bound and the two are sure to work well together.
Fabian Otte Another of Slot’s Men
Arne also brought Fabian Otte to Liverpool, the German becoming the Reds’ new goalkeeper coach. Otte was able to join up with his new club once the USA were eliminated from the Copa America, the former Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeping coach having been working with the US team.
Otte is another cerebral appointment, possessing various degrees including a PhD from the German Sport University Cologne, not to mention his various goalkeeper coaching badges. He has some experience working in the Premier League too, having been employed by Burnley.
Ruben Peeters to Head Physical Performance
Slot brought Belgian Ruben Peeters with him from Feyenoord, the experienced trainer having been alongside Slot for the Dutch side’s league and cup successes. Slot likes his teams to play high-energy, front-foot, pressing football, and so naturally the physical conition of the players is paramount.
Slot said of Peeters (and Hulshoff), “Us three [Slot, Peeters and Sipke Hulshoff] have worked together at Feyenoord for three years now and we know how we want to work, which is normal.” With the players already in great shape thanks to working with Klopp, some new ideas and a fresh approach can only improve things, so the Reds should certainly be pressing monsters in the seasons ahead.
Aaron Briggs Completes the Line-Up
Appointed on the 11th of July, Aaron Briggs, 37 years old, will fulfil the role of first-team individual development coach. He is hugely experienced considering his age and will provide one-on-one assistance to players, as well as acting as a bridge between them and Slot. Prior to coming to Anfield, Briggs was an assistant coach at Wolfsburg, but has also worked in French football, as well as at Man City.