Barthélémy Constantin is sports director of FC Sion. At 30 years old, in office for around ten years, he is the boss of a Super League club with the greatest longevity in the Swiss elite. In his spare time, he comments on ball game news for lematin.ch.
Yes, even at FC Sion we can be enthusiastic about a coach! At the time of mid-season assessment, the world of football is certainly unanimous in awarding Liverpool the honorary title of best team in Europe in this first part of the season. First in the league, first in the Champions League, all with a dynamic, offensive, pleasant game… And yet it was not written in advance.
Succeeding a long mandate from a coach is never easy, but succeeding Jürgen Klopp seemed downright impossible, as the German had anchored Anfield with his personality! This success has a name: Arne Slot.
It is said of him that he was an elegant player with the ball, humble, efficient, decisive. The kind of player that fans like to identify with. At the end of his admittedly modest playing career, he quickly took on the role of coach. I discovered it at AZ Alkmaar.
It happens that small national clubs resist the “big ones” in their championship based on the results of a year. But when they also do it in the game, it is often linked to a coach whose career will take him to bigger teams. There was no shortage of that!
He woke up Feyenoord, with national titles and a Conference League final. It was then obvious that a bench of the European elite was promised to him.
A humble guy, with character. A guy with a modest background, but victorious in his country. A disciple of Guardiola, but with ideas of more “vertical” play. Klopp’s football double was there, as was the new holder of the Anfield bench.
In football, it is quite rare that everything goes as planned (follow my gaze…). Great stories are rarely written in advance. Well, it’s good to see that morals are not set in stone! An attractive game, a melting stadium, interesting press conferences…
For football fans, Liverpool is one of the teams not to be missed this season. We don’t know what the rest of Arne Slot’s career will be like, but there is no doubt that we will be able to enjoy it for a while longer. And not just on Boxing Day!
Find the previous column by Barthélémy Constantin: ici
