Glen Johnson believes incoming Liverpool boss Arne Slot has to win over the dressing room ASAP

Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson believes that incoming boss Arne Slot has to get the players on his side from the get-go to ensure that the Dutchman makes a mark.

After nine successful years at the club, Jurgen Klopp believes this is the right time for him to move on from the club and take a break from football. It took Liverpool signing Michael Edwards back a four-month profile hunt to get Arne Slot from Feyenoord on board. Johnson, in his understanding of the situation, is bang on. Here is what he exclusively told Squawka:

“It’s important that he gets the boys on his side. He needs to get their attention, get their belief as soon as possible. Because if he hasn’t got that in four weeks, it isn’t going to work, maybe even less, maybe two weeks. They’re big characters. If he loses the dressing room in the first four weeks, it’s over. The players have to respect him and naturally they will do, they’re all good guys.”

“But what I mean by respect, I mean do they believe that he can make them win, or help them to win. He needs to make them believe in the training, in the philosophy, whatever it is that he’s going to bring. The belief of how they’re going to dissect other teams. The players have to buy into everything you say, otherwise it’s over.”

Johnson’s saying it’s not just about the players respecting Slot; it’s also about them believing he’s the man to lead them to glory. He reckons Slot’s got to get the lads fully bought into his vision and tactics, no messing about.

Belief!

If only the players believe in your vision for the club they can back it with their football on the pitch. As Johnson rightly adds, this bunch of players is surely talented, and they’re all good lads on top of that. They will surely treat the boss with the respect he deserves, and hopefully, things start kicking in as early as Johnson wants them to.

The ex-defender’s been around the block, so he knows a thing or two about player-manager dynamics in football. He understands the importance of that bond between the gaffer and the lads in the dressing room. And he’s right to highlight it because let’s face it – if Slot can’t get the boys on his side, he’s going to have a tough time turning things around at Liverpool.

Ultimately, for the fanbase as well, it is important to give the new manager a sense of time. He is not replacing an Erik ten Hag or a tier-3 manager. He’s coming into the job after one of the best ever to do it. Good things take time, as in the case of Klopp, and we must trust Slot to ensure that his ideas shall slot in slowly but steadily.

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If Slot can come in and earn the players’ trust and belief right from the off, then there’s no limit to what they can achieve together. We have to show optimism about Slot’s chances, but he’s also realistic about the challenges that lie ahead. At the end of the day, Johnson’s words serve as a reminder that football’s as much about the mental game as it is about the physical one.