'Genuinely concerned' - Ally McCoist makes bold Liverpool claim about Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot
Liverpool FC news: The commentator believes Liverpool’s season is in doubt.
Ally McCoist believes there is a ‘big question mark’ next to Liverpool this season with Jurgen Klopp no longer at the club.
Klopp announced he was leaving Liverpool halfway through last season and said farewell to the Anfield crowd after a 2-0 win over Wolves.
Closing the door on any potential Liverpool return, the Arne Slot era is now in full effect and the Reds have begun well under him, winning both of their pre-season tour games against Real Betis and Arsenal. The ex-Feyenoord boss has huge shoes to fill after nine years of the enigmatic German but he has inherited a strong squad and is a highly-rated manager from his time in Holland. However, there is some apprehension over Liverpool’s prospects, which is only natural, with McCoist revealing concerns that it will be a struggle next season.
Speaking to talkSPORT Bet, McCoist revealed he has huge concerns over the Reds’ prospects. “Liverpool are a team at this moment in time that I've got a big question mark against. I'd be genuinely concerned if I was a Liverpool fan. The loss of the manager is absolutely massive. “I know Arne Slot is coming in with a fresh start, a good reputation from the Netherlands and he deserves to get the support of everybody, and he will. They'll get behind him. But Jurgen Klopp was just an incredible figurehead. People now talk about Klopp in the same bracket as Bill Shankley, Bob Paisley and Kenny Dalglish.
“The fact Klopp gets mentioned alongside those guys tells you the job he did but also what the people of Liverpool felt about him and the way they took him to their hearts. He only won one Premier League title but he was absolutely more than that. He will be really, really difficult to replace.”
Liverpool will return to Champions League and face a difficult first game in the Premier League away at newcomers Ipswich who will be raring to go on the opening weekend. Slot will also face Kieran McKenna’s side in the dreaded ‘early kick-off’ on the Saturday before then facing Brentford and then Manchester United away in their first three games.