There may soon be more Dutch speakers than Scouse accents at Liverpool’s training ground – and fans have the Netherlands to thank for their Premier League title triumph.
Arne Slot, alongside his right-hand men Sipke Hulshoff and Johnny Heitinga, are from the Netherlands – as are captain Virgil van Dijk, maestro midfielder Ryan Gravenberch and feisty forward Cody Gakpo. Oh, and new signing Jeremie Frimpong was born and bred in Amsterdam.
So to give the lowdown on the Dutch courage running through the Liverpool team, who better than 79-cap former Netherlands midfielder Mark van Bommel? He knows Slot well, did his coaching badges with Hulshoff, played with Heitinga and guided Gakpo’s early years.
‘It is amazing seeing Arne, the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League, it is really strange,’ says the man who won eight league titles in four different countries as a player, plus another as manager of Belgian side Royal Antwerp.
‘Us Dutch guys think we are the best, you know! Because we play really nice football, or try to… but I think Arne fits perfectly to Liverpool and these players. His ideas fit perfectly to the Premier League.
‘He is developing them overall in a massive way. The game in England is tactical, technical, it is amazing, every year makes more steps to get a better league. I played against Arne when he was a player, he was in the midfield but thinking about the game a lot.
To give the lowdown on the Dutch courage running through the Liverpool team, who better than 79-cap former Netherlands international Mark van Bommel?
Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch and Virgil van Dijk are Liverpool’s Dutch core
New signing Jeremie Frimpong will add another Oranje flavour to the Reds squad next season
‘If you see the data, you can compare (his thinking with Liverpool now). That is so nice to see. The ideas, we talk about it or send WhatsApps to each other, we have the same ideas. When a Dutch coach wins the Premier League, it is not normal. Especially with three Dutch players.
‘As a person he is really easy-going. Not that arrogant like a lot of Dutch people. No, sometimes people say the Dutch are arrogant and think they know everything better. That is not the case, not everyone!
‘But he is really clear with his ideas, he has a signature and you see his signature everywhere all over the teams he has worked with. That is nice.
‘And Sipke, I did my licence with him in the same year. I know them both, I know Johnny a little bit better as I played with him in the national team. Johnny is a smart guy who works really hard, trying to develop the team every day with video and with tips and conversations.
‘He peaks with Arne and Sipke all the time to develop the team as soon as possible. He is also a natural, none of it is for show, you know? This is how he is as a person. He gave everything as a player and he played for Everton, now he is winning the league with Liverpool!’
Van Bommel, who has a stellar c.v. with stints at PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, has also been taken aback by Gravenberch and Gakpo – two hot prospects in the Eredivisie not too long ago.
‘I have known Ryan for a long time,’ he says. ‘When he was a youth player at Ajax, I was coaching the youth at PSV. I watched him play a lot. He is a modern midfielder who can attack and defend box to box.
‘But more importantly he is clever, he can adapt to every situation on the pitch and think about it. That is the Dutch way. We are a small country. If you want to win from England or Spain or Germany or Italy, you need to be smart technically. You need to adapt.
Arne Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff are already beloved on Merseyside
Gakpo and Gravenberch have been in superb form this season as Liverpool swept to the title
‘We only have 16million people in the country, other countries have many more so have more opportunities. That is why we are capable of creating such talents as Gakpo, Gravenberch, Van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong, Denzel Dumfries, Xavi Simons, Teun Koopmeiners. They all think.
‘Thinking is important, otherwise we don’t have a chance to win against the big opponents. Ryan also has physical qualities. He can get the ball with a person man-marking him but he gets out of the situation!
‘He can still improve, he is 23. You see what Arne as a coach does with a player, he is top level, Ryan is high class.
‘And I had Cody in the Under 19s at PSV for half a year. Then he went to the first team, half a year later I took over the first team. He is developing really well. The way of playing under Arne fits perfectly for Cody.
‘He is humble. He is normal. He comes from the city, a proper Eindhoven guy. He is a normal guy, you know? If you didn’t know he is a footballer, he could just be anyone, the guy next door.’
Bayern PR machine whirring
There are two ways to look at the Florian Wirtz saga – and it certainly is becoming a saga now – especially from the Bayern Munich end.
It is no secret that Liverpool like the Germany superstar and will present a very tempting case to sign him. And there is equally no hiding the fact that Bundesliga champions Bayern are just about leading the race to get him.
But the noises from Bavaria are non-stop, with hourly updates about Wirtz’s future… all of them mentioning how keen Liverpool are.
The noises from Bavaria are non-stop, with hourly updates about Florian Wirtz’s future… all of them mentioning how keen Liverpool are on the player
But are these reports just a tactic from Bayern Munich to crank up the pressure?
Perhaps Vincent Kompany’s men are cranking up the volume on Liverpool’s interest to make it look like they have pulled off a mighty coup when they eventually sign Wirtz. Or perhaps they are genuinely worried he might choose the Premier League champions.
The truth is probably somewhere in the middle: Wirtz is on holiday this week and has a big decision to make while on his sun lounger — does he taint his Bayer Leverkusen legacy by going to Bayern and strengthening their grip on the Bundesliga? Or does he test himself in England?
His mind is not made up yet but Liverpool will make a good push to sign him – and that is all there is to say at this stage.
Barca remain keen on Diaz
There has been lots of chatter in Spain this week about Luis Diaz and a potential move to Barcelona.
Confidential trailed on March 19 how the Colombia winger is a serious target for the Catalan giants this summer and sources in Spain say Barca will definitely sign a forward to freshen up their attacking options.
Diaz is an option for them as is Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams, who is believed to have a £50million release clause.
Liverpool are relaxed about Luis Diaz’s future – he has two years remaining on his deal and the club have not signalled any desire to sell him this summer
Arne Slot has enjoyed using Diaz as a No 9 this season and seen a return of 17 goals and eight assists. Liverpool are relaxed about the 28-year-old’s future as Diaz has two years remaining on his deal and the club have not signalled any desire to sell him this summer – though Barca could test the waters.
Barca transfer chief Deco and president Joan Laporta have good relations with some of Diaz’s camp but they are also aware they need to renew the contract of Lamine Yamal this year – which will not be cheap – so they need to be financially sensible. But Diaz fits what they want.
Maldini tales are well worth a read
The symbolism screams at you: 20 years to the day since Istanbul, could there be a better way for Liverpool to mark the anniversary than by receiving title number 20?
Liverpool’s first trophy lift at Anfield in front of a full house since 1990 will ensure the party lasts the full weekend and way into the summer – and it was the same two decades ago after the Miracle of Istanbul.
You can say, with certainty, the occasion will go significantly better on the pitch than the 10th anniversary of that most extraordinary Champions League triumph – Stoke City 6 Liverpool 1, in its own way, was a scoreline as scarcely believable as AC Milan 3 Liverpool 3.
Off the pitch that weekend was also unforgettable. To mark the occasion, Mail Sport reunited Jamie Carragher with Paolo Maldini, the greatest defender to pull on a pair of boots and the totem of AC Milan.
Maldini rarely gives interviews but, on this occasion, he felt compelled. It did not disappoint. He invited us into his home, spent 90 minutes talking and concluded by recommending a restaurant where we should go to eat before our flight home – the phrase ‘don’t meet your heroes’ was not coined with this giant in mind.
His respect for Liverpool was obvious. ‘It’s funny, you know,’ said Maldini. ‘All our historic rivals: Barcelona, Real, Liverpool – I want to see them up there. It is so nice to play against these teams with these great histories. It is very sad when you see them going down.’
He remained adamant that something beyond football occurred that night in Turkey.
Paolo Maldini rarely gives interviews but, on this occasion, he felt compelled. It did not disappoint
He invited us into his home, spent 90 minutes talking and concluded by recommending a restaurant where we should go to eat before our flight home
Maldini put Milan in front inside a minute in Istanbul – but that was just the start of the drama
‘You know, something happened in the second half – your fans,’ Maldini replied. ‘They started to sing and sing. Don’t forget that usually the stadium is 50-50 but this was 75 per cent Liverpool, 25 per cent Milan because our fans had sold their tickets to Liverpool fans.
‘So they started singing and singing. You also had that sense of relief. You were putting whatever you had left into the game. But it is hard to explain. I still remember the first goal. I was playing in the left (defence) position and I could see (Steven) Gerrard and (Jaap) Stam.
‘I was about to shout, “Be careful! He’s coming!” but then I didn’t say anything. Then the ball comes in and Gerrard scores. I say to myself, “Oh s***! Why didn’t you say something?” You have a lot of memories when you think, “If I had done this, something could have changed” but it didn’t…’
It was fascinating to hear the account from the other side of the fence. If you want to read the full interview, it’s here.
Awkward issue for new signings?
Liverpool could be set for an issue when it comes to unveiling new signings this summer. The club will switch kit suppliers to adidas in a deal worth more than £60million a season – but the move does not officially happen until August 1.
This means not only will the Reds have to play in their current Nike shirts in the pre-season friendlies against AC Milan and Yokohama F Marinos in Hong Kong and Japan – but new signings may have to pose for pictures in the old kits.
Fitting tribute to man who started it all
Anfield, the stadium and the area, is known all around the world but the district in the city where Liverpool’s heart beats the strongest remains West Derby.
Liverpool have corrected the big mistake they made in 2019 by re-purchasing Melwood, the training ground with which they are synonymous, from property developers Torus to ensure their women’s team have a permanent – and historic – base.
Bill Shankly oversees training at Melwood in July 1972
Cilla Black visited Liverpool training in Melwood back in September 1971
Melwood is shared by youth teams from Robbie Fowler’s Academy and half-a-mile away, on Barnfield Drive, are the Bill Shankly playing fields. Shankly lived just across the road from these pitches on Bellefield Avenue, his house overlooking Everton’s old training ground.
Those who have lived in the area long enough recount how Shankly, after he had retired from managing Liverpool, would often stop on his daily walk and chat with them. He was such a part of the community, his funeral in 1981 was in St Mary’s Church in West Derby village.
How fitting, then, that a mural of Shankly and his dear wife, Nessie, is having the finishing touches applied to it – it captures them at home, in black and white, and proudly adorns the wall of the changing rooms. It is a fine tribute to the man who started it all.
Trent’s work in community will be missed
You wonder how many Liverpool fans giving Trent Alexander-Arnold a hard time are aware of his work for Merseyside communities – undertaken without seeking fanfare.
You wonder how many Liverpool fans giving Trent Alexander-Arnold a hard time are aware of his work for Merseyside communities – undertaken without seeking fanfare
One beneficiary has been the Get Away N Get Safe programme set up to protect children lured into working for gangs.
After breaking into Liverpool’s first team, Alexander-Arnold accompanied organiser James Riley to some of his talks in primary schools. And when that became harder because of his schedule, the star defender donated signed shirts for vulnerable kids being educated about how to avoid a life of guns and violence.
With Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool career closing on Sunday, Riley pays tribute: ‘He has had an impact helping us empower and inspire young people.
‘Those who boo him are probably frustrated but I think they’ll regret it when they look back.’
