Former Liverpool and Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has been questioning Arne Slot’s Liverpool future, amid shouts that Xabi Alonso could be available in the summer to take on the Reds job.
Liverpool fans would have walked away from Anfield on Saturday lunchtime deeply frustrated by their team’s lacklustre performance, with Ryan Gravenberch’s early opener unfortunately not setting the tone for the contest.
Rather, it was a rare moment of excitement from what was another laboured Reds performance, with Enzo Fernandez’s free-kick, which flukily beat returning Liverpool stopper Giorgi Mamardashvili, handing Calum McFarlane his first point as Chelsea interim head coach in the Premier League.
The boos would ring out all around the Merseyside giants’ famous home at the full-time whistle, subsequently, with many left scratching their heads as to why Slot substituted Rio Nguhoma in the late stages of the game, who was trying to excite the disgruntled Anfield masses throughout.
All reports do seem to suggest that Slot still retains the long-term backing of Fenway Sports Group, but surely FSG would’ve been taken aback by the hostile reception the under-fire Dutchman received at the close of the 1-1 draw.
One-time Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole would take to TNT Sports, after the dire draw had concluded, to defend the under-pressure head coach, who he believes deserves another season in the Reds’ hot seat.
Cole’s comments backing Slot
While the now retired playmaker is more well-known for his spells with both Chelsea and West Ham, he did briefly pull on Liverpool red towards the latter stages of his playing days.
Indeed, the three-time Premier League winner would pick up five goals and three assists from 48 games when he called Merseyside his temporary home, and he was vocal, after the 1-1 draw between his two former sides, when it came to Slot’s future.
He said, when quizzed on the 47-year-old’s future at Liverpool: “He definitely deserves it. Jurgen Klopp’s shadow is on this club because he was loved by the fans. I don’t think there was a better connection in world football between the manager and the fans – the players as well, they seemed like they loved him.
“But Slot won the league last year and that’s got to count. There have been a lot of circumstances happened around it (this season) so he does deserve (time) but sometimes in football you don’t get what you deserve.
Cole is right in his assertions, as Slot has had to deal with plenty of problems this season, with wretched injury luck to the likes of Alisson and Hugo Ekitike derailing the Reds.
Moreover, it’s been quickly forgotten that he did lift the Premier League triumphantly during his debut campaign at the helm, as he instantly acclimatised to his new, tough terrain.
Despite all this, however, being in Slot’s favour, Cole reckons that Liverpool would have their head turned if they could secure a deal for this manager to replace the Dutchman.
Who Cole tips to replace Slot
Speaking further with TNT Sports at the full-time whistle of the 1-1 draw, Cole reckons the Merseyside giants would have their head turned by the potential of bringing Xabi Alonso in to replace Slot.
Formerly a Liverpool player who was beloved by fans, he has also forged a successful managerial career, post his esteemed playing days, with a Bundesliga title under his belt with Bayer Leverkusen.
Currently a free agent after being dismissed by Real Madrid, it isn’t the wildest shout to suggest he could be occupying the Anfield dug-out sometime down the line.
Xabi Alonso Managerial Career Stats:
| Team | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| Real Madrid | 24 | 4 | 6 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 89 | 32 | 19 |
| Real Sociedad B | 40 | 23 | 35 |
Cole offered his own thoughts on Alonso coming in by stating: “The thing is… Xabi Alonso is available, and you look at the players here, and the way that they play, the Liverpool board might think of moving (Slot on).
“I don’t think he deserves it personally but it’s a unique situation because Xabi was such a big player here, and he’s an impressive young manager, and you might not get another chance to get him.”
It has been bubbling away for a while now that the Spaniard could well be the besieged head coach’s replacement in the near future, but with only two Premier League games left of the season, Slot will be strictly focused on clinching Champions League football, away from talk about his longevity at Anfield.
