Victorious: The Liverpool selection celebrate after beating their Manchester United counterparts in the Battle of the Reds exhibition match at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on Saturday. Inset: David James says Arne Slot is perfect to take over from departing Reds manager Juergen Klopp. — SHAARI CHEMAT/The Star
PETALING JAYA: The incoming Liverpool manager Arne Slot was not just plucked out of thin air.
Former Liverpool goalkeeper David James believes his previous club had been eyeing Slot for the head coach position for quite some time and had put a lot of thought into hiring the Dutch manager.
The Liverpool goalie, who together with his former clubmates took on the Manchester United legends in an exhibition match on Saturday at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, said Liverpool would have made careful planning to name Slot for the gaffer position.
“Liverpool could have been looking at him for some time, they wouldn’t have just thought about getting him,” he said after the exhibition game at the stadium.
The 45-year-old Slot, who is manager at Dutch powerhouse Feyenoord, had expressed his interest in taking over the Premier League club from current manager Juergen Klopp.
In January, Klopp announced he would be leaving The Kop at the end of the season after a highly successful nine-year stint at the club, winning the Champions League, Premier League, Club World Cup, FA Cup, League Cup, and Super Cup.
“Slot’s pedigree will be exactly what Liverpool needs and he will continue the legacy that has been fantastic under Klopp,” said James.
In his first season at Feyenoord, Slot led the team to the final of the inaugural Europa Conference League and went on to win the league title in 2022-2023. They also had just recently won the KNVB Cup crown.
In the Battle of the Reds clash between two legends’ squads, the Liverpool Reds came from behind to win 4-2 against the Manchester United Reds.
Football fans were treated to a show at the national stadium as former French international Djibril Cisse scored a hattrick, with two coming from penalties.
Cisse started the scoreline in the 16th minute, with Manchester’s Dimitar Berbatov equalising a minute later. The Manchester Reds then took the lead with Danny Webber scoring in the 39th minute.
Two penalties in the 44th and 51st minutes by Cisse put the Liverpool icons back in the lead, but Manchester squandered chances to score through Dwight Yorke.
Liverpool’s Florent Sinama then sealed the win after beating keeper Paul Rachubka in the 76th minute.
James hopes the fans who attended the match were not disappointed to see their teams in action, especially the Liverpool fans who got to witness their idols win against Manchester.
“I think the most important thing about these games is that they are competitive. Yes, they might be a little slower than normal but I think that’s got more to do with the heat and humidity than anything else,” he said.
“But in the end, if the fans come and see a good game of football, then they are more likely to come and see us play if we ever come back again.
“I think we delivered a good game of football for the fans and it was fantastic,” he added.
