So the axe has fallen at Anfield, and just when the football world had its eyes fixed on the Champions League final buildup. Arne Slot, the man who ar...
So the axe has fallen at Anfield, and just when the football world had its eyes fixed on the Champions League final buildup. Arne Slot, the man who arrived with such high promise and a reputation for progressive play, has been shown the door. In a move that one might call ruthless, or perhaps simply Liverpool in the modern age, the Dutchman's tenure ends before the curtain even rose on the biggest match of the club year. You have to wonder what the mood is like in the dressing room right now. Squeaky bum time for some, perhaps, but for others it might just be the chance to prove a point.Let's get the obvious out of the way first. Andoni Iraola is the name on everyone's lips, the man in line to step into the Anfield dugout. The Basque coach has been turning heads with his high energy, press heavy style at Bournemouth, and for a Liverpool side that sometimes looked a little flat under Slot, it might be just the shot of adrenaline this squad needs. But can he handle the weight of the red shirt Managing in the Premier League is one thing, managing at a club with the European history of Liverpool is quite another. The question now isn't just about tactical flexibility or transitional play, it is about character. Can Iraola handle the heat of a title race and the cauldron of a European night We are about to find out.Meanwhile, away from the Merseyside soap opera, the circus trundles on. Arsenal fans, bless their hearts, are already racing to Budapest as if the final is already won. You have to admire the optimism even if the history books suggest caution. And for those of us who still care about the global game, there is the small matter of the World Cup. Less than two weeks until we collectively drop everything to watch Mexico take on South Africa. Yes, really. The Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, was recently spotted in some footage wearing a coat that made him look like a lost member of East 17. A big white number. He is now trying to appeal to Canadians. God help us. It is a mad old world, this football business, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
