Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has named one ‘top young manager’ in Europe as a viable successor to Arne Slot at Liverpool.
The level of scrutiny on the Dutchman has become even more intense after the Reds slumped to a 10th Premier League defeat of the season away to Brighton on Saturday, after which Jermaine Pennant appeared to call for a change in the dugout ahead of next season.
Liverpool Echo reporter Paul Gorst has explained that the incumbent head coach is highly unlikely to be sacked during the current international break, but warned that the ‘noise’ surrounding his future is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Speaking on Football Insider‘s Transfer Insider podcast, O’Rourke suggested that a precocious German managerial prospect could potentially nudge his way into Liverpool’s thinking, although a more familiar name would still appear to be the leading candidate.
He stated: “Sebastian Hoeness is very highly regarded, (and has) done an unbelievable job with Stuttgart, really. He’s under contract until 2028. I’m sure Stuttgart do not want to lose him, but they’ll be well aware that it won’t just be the likes of Liverpool who’d be interested in Hoeness.
“I think there will be a number of clubs across Europe who will be looking at him because of what he has done so far in his career. He’s helped to develop a number of top young players there as well.
“He’s a top young manager. I don’t think he’d be top of Liverpool’s list right now. It does seem that if Slot were to go, Xabi Alonso would be the obvious fit; but if Hoeness continues doing good things like he’s doing at Stuttgart, it’ll only be a matter of time before some of Europe’s top clubs are ready to take him.”
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Those who don’t follow German football closely mightn’t be aware of Hoeness’ body of work over the past three years, but a closer inspection shows why O’Rourke is talking him up as a possible post-Slot candidate for Liverpool.
In April 2023, the tactician took over a Stuttgart side who were bottom of the Bundesliga and kept them up, before then guiding them to a runners-up finish the following season and, 12 months later, winning the DFB-Pokal.
He’s won 81 of his 143 games in charge of Die Schwaben so far (56.6% win rate) and his team have scored 308 goals in that time, an average of 2.15 per game (Transfermarkt).
The 43-year-old has favoured a high-pressing system at the MHPArena in which full-backs are given licence to surge forward and act as a supply line for the attack (Coaches’ Voice), both of which correspond with the peak era of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
Whether or not FSG would favour him over a marquee name like Alonso (who is seemingly likely to take the Reds job if he were offered it) is debatable, although it’d appear to be purely speculative for as long as Slot retains the backing of the Anfield hierarchy.
A pre-Easter changing of the guard is highly unlikely to happen, although movement in the summer is plausible if the Merseysiders drop even further down the Premier League table by the close of play in two months’ time.
Peter O Rourke, thank God 🤣 Hoeness is worse than Slot. Awful manager. And would have zero support or backing, Hoeness out from day one. He should be managing Crystal Palace or someone.
Alonso won the Bundesliga as invincibles. Isn’t it a step up? I don’t know why you guys are suggesting other candidates but Alonso is the best choice now and today…
1) he is available immediately without compensation 2) he has a great bond with Liverpool and the fans having played here and won the ucl 3) he has won everything as a player in different leagues and even won the world cup and euro cup and this alone commands respect from even the big name stars we have 4) he comes from a family of coaches, even when he was playing, he was already playing like a player coach 5) he is endorsed by our favorite manager Jurgen klopp 6) he already has 2 of our 1st team players wirtz and frimpong who know him well since leverkusen days 7) he played under ancelotti, pep and he has learnt from some of the best managers
Please feel free to add on more points if I missed out any.
I’m just worried he might not want to accept a head coach role with limited authority over transfers. Otherwise, he will be the man who will lead us back to glory days. I am confident this will happen very soon with some minor tweaks and additions to the current squad as he plays a 343 formation.
