Feyenoord CEO regrets losing Arne Slot to Liverpool

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Feyenoord CEO Dennis te Kloese has admitted that allowing Arne Slot to walk away last summer was the club's biggest mistake, with the Dutchman now thriving at Liverpool after succeeding Jürgen Klopp.

Slot stunned Europe in his debut season at Anfield, guiding Liverpool to the Premier League title and reigniting their fearsome reputation on the European stage.

The Reds have started the new campaign in perfect fashion too, boasting four wins from four in the league alongside an impressive Champions League victory over Atlético Madrid.

For Feyenoord, however, life without Slot has been anything but smooth.

Chaos in Rotterdam After Slot Exit

When Liverpool came calling, Feyenoord turned to Brian Priske in the hope of maintaining momentum.

Instead, results nose-dived and Priske was dismissed by February 2025.

Interim boss Pascal Bosschaart offered little stability before club legend Robin van Persie was finally handed the reins earlier this year.

Although van Persie's arrival has brought renewed optimism, te Kloese concedes that the club underestimated just how integral Slot had been.

It was just going well, so we thought it could continue under a new coach.

But look at what Arne is doing at Liverpool; it's unique. So, we also had to assess ourselves: are the things we're doing really that well and clearly? It all seemed so simple under Slot, but it's not.

The conclusion is that you can't compare a new manager to Arne. That's almost impossible.

Liverpool's Gain, Feyenoord's Pain

Whilst Liverpool fans are revelling in a new era of dominance under Slot, Feyenoord are left wondering what might have been had they fought harder to keep him.

The contrast couldn't be clearer as Liverpool are champions again, whilst Feyenoord are still rebuilding.

For te Kloese, the lesson is painful but obvious - you don't simply replace a coach like Arne Slot.

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