When asked how he had set about building on the work done by Klopp after Liverpool ended the 2023-24 Premier League season nine points behind Manchester City in third, Slot said: “Of course it helps, if you outperform at a club like Feyenoord.
“[I got] a lot of confidence, that they didn’t only bring me in to win the league – it was also my playing style and Jurgen left this club, this team, in a great place.”
Klopp won eight trophies in his time on Merseyside, including the Premier League title in 2020 and a Champions League win the previous year.
“The culture of this team and the way people work here together has been a joy to step into,” Slot said.
“I didn’t have to first get the discipline going – these guys were so disciplined and working so hard, and I saw already that there was a lot of quality over here.
“The way they prepare themselves, the way they are ready for every game, every three days, gives you the confidence that we are able to win against any team.
“What we needed to do was do a few things better.”
Slot said when he arrived at Anfield his aim had been to qualify for the Champions League.
“And like you see now, that’s not an easy task in this country, because so many very good teams are competing for that,” he said.
“But the moment I started working with the players… and that was only two weeks before the start of the season, I felt like, ‘oh, this is definitely quality’.”
Winning the title, he said, was “an achievement that we hoped for”.
“We worked really hard, but to say we expected it, I expected it, would be a bit too much,” he added.
Nevertheless, the season will end with Monday’s bus parade to mark Liverpool’s record-equalling 20th title.
“I think these moments will be one of the most special moments in your life, professional-wise, maybe the most special moment,” Slot said.
Celebrating Feyenoord’s title success with 100,000 people had been “very special”, he said, but “to do it with a multiple of that will probably be a once-in-a-lifetime experience”.
“Although, we are planning to win a few things more at this club, so let’s hope it’s not going to be the last time,” he added.
