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<p>A Masterclass from the Netherlands</p>
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<img alt="Top five revealed - Who were Arne Slot's biggest managerial influences as a player?" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/galerie/zwolle-midfielder-arne-slot-1757949453-177817.png" title="Top five revealed - Who were Arne Slot's biggest managerial influences as a player?">
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<p><span>©IMAGO</span></p>
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<p dir="ltr">Liverpool’s outstanding resurgence to the pinnacle of the Premier League last season was even more remarkable considering the appointment of a relatively unheralded figure to lead the title chase. Arne Slot, formerly the head coach of Feyenoord, took over the reins at Anfield as the successor to Jürgen Klopp last year and has propelled the team to success since then. However, aside from his swift impact at Liverpool, much remains unknown about the man who has successfully navigated English football.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As a Dutch coach, it's easy to assume that Slot adheres to the principles of Johan Cruyff’s football philosophy, perhaps even possessing old VHS recordings of Louis Van Gaal's training sessions. Nevertheless, most managers are significantly shaped by the coaches they experience during their playing careers. So, who were the influential figures that guided Slot during his time as a player?</p>
<p dir="ltr">A major reason for Slot's previously low profile in English football can be traced back to his career, which remained entirely in the Netherlands. Although he was a skilled central midfielder, he predominantly played in the Dutch second division for FC Zwolle, with brief periods in the Eredivisie at NAC Breda and Sparta Rotterdam. Consequently, he gained much of his foundational managerial knowledge from the head coaches he encountered at these clubs.</p>
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<img alt="Arne Slot manager influences" height="629" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/newsansicht/arne-slot-manager-influences-1757949532-177818.png?lm=1757949542" title="Arne Slot manager influences" width="503">
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<p dir="ltr">Interestingly, the coach Slot worked with the longest was Art Langeler, his head coach at Zwolle. Alongside assistant coach Jaap Stam, Langeler and Slot led Zwolle to two consecutive promotion challenges, narrowly missing out in the playoffs on their first attempt but achieving automatic promotion in the 2011/12 season after finishing first. Over nine seasons, Slot participated in a total of 99 matches under Langeler and Stam in both the first and second tiers of Dutch football.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Following Langeler, the next influential figure in Slot's career was Ton Lokhoff, who coached him at NAC Breda from 2003 to 2006. During this time, Slot played in three Eredivisie seasons, notably helping the team secure a ninth-place finish. Lokhoff favored a 4-3-3 formation, a staple of Dutch football. Slot's only taste of European competition came under Lokhoff when Breda faced Newcastle in the first knockout round of the UEFA Cup in 2003; Slot featured in both legs, which Breda lost 6-0 on aggregate and received a yellow card in the second match.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The third major influence on Slot was Dwight Lodeweges, under whom Slot played 79 matches upon returning to Zwolle towards the latter part of his career, mainly in the Dutch second division. Fourth on the list is Foeke Booy, who coached Slot for 45 games at Sparta Rotterdam, resulting in back-to-back 13th-place finishes in the Eredivisie. Lastly, Slot played under Ernie Brandts for 32 games during the 2007/08 season at Breda.</p>
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