Arne Slot on leaving first team at home and Liverpool topping UCL group
29/01/2024
uefa24
29/01/2024
uefa24
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00:00If we could keep it to a couple of questions each and if we start with English and then
00:08go to Dutch after that, if that's OK. Any English? James?
00:17Like expected, I think. Eventful game, with many goals. I think everybody expected that
00:22before the game, for two reasons maybe. One of the reasons I think two managers always
00:28want to press high, want to bring the ball out from the back, so sometimes you see then
00:32certain mistakes. But it's always eventful. And for the other reason, because both teams,
00:40maybe mainly ours, was not playing in the set-up that we usually do, so then you see
00:46in some moments that we defend in a way that probably is not expected if we play with all
00:53of our starters. But still, in the end, we were able to definitely make a game out of
00:59it, especially with all these youngsters on the pitch. So, eventful would be my word to
01:07use.
01:08It's the first time that Federico Chiesa has completed 90 minutes. Did that feel like
01:12a big step forward for him tonight? He seems to be getting a lot sharper.
01:16Yeah. He got knocked with the penalty, so that took him a few minutes before he kept
01:23going again. But I think it's been seven, eight or nine months ago, maybe even longer.
01:28I don't know exactly that he played 90. It's the same for Jadon Dans, it was the same for
01:32James McConnell. So we had quite a lot of players that were not used to playing so many
01:36minutes in the last six or seven months. So it's especially for them also important that
01:40they make these 90 minutes and were able to keep competing during 90 minutes. OK, Jadon
01:47couldn't manage to play the whole game. But Federico, in the end, was still sprinting,
01:52trying to do his work. So, positive, yeah.
01:54You must have a hell of a lot of sympathy for the poor lad who's just come on there,
02:04only played four minutes. What could you say to him to lift his spirits? Because it's so
02:08cruel, really, what happened to him at the end.
02:12Yeah, it's cruel, but he's never played first-team football yet. And then to make your debut
02:18at the Champions League level is probably the hardest way of making a debut. And yeah,
02:25I think he misinterpreted the situation. And that is immediately a problem at this level
02:30or a Premier League level. So it's a big moment for him to learn from. And it is cruel indeed.
02:37To think in a moment like this, ten minutes before the end, I'm going to make my debut
02:41in the Champions League. And a few minutes later, you go off with a red card. That is
02:46always difficult. But yeah, a career mainly is not always positive. There are also negatives.
02:54And he has to fight very hard to make sure he will ever play a second Champions League
02:58game again, which is not going to be easy. But hopefully he will.
03:01Do you think there's a chance that any of the young players that play tonight might
03:11be allowed to go out on loan before the transfer deadline?
03:15There's always a chance in life. And at the moment, we have most of our players fit. So
03:24we will have this discussion tomorrow, I think, me and Richard, about these players. But there's
03:30definitely one of them that will not go on loan. And I think you know which one I mean.
03:35Jadon?
03:36James McConnell. I wouldn't say definitely, but I liked him a lot today. So maybe now
03:41the end result of today would be good for him to go somewhere and play. But he is also
03:47a player that hasn't played in the last six or seven months, 90 minutes, because he was
03:52injured for a while. And he impressed me a lot today.
04:01Arne, what kind of taste do you like about this game?
04:06Well, in the base you lose, so that's not why you come here. And that's always the most
04:13disappointing, because in this industry it's about winning or losing. Now it had no impact
04:17on the ranking. Yes, you could be first or second, but it doesn't matter what it means
04:25for the ranking. So that's disappointing. Yes, look, I've seen a number of good things.
04:31I've also seen a number of counter-goals that we didn't score, which you'd like to see
04:35if we had done better. But it will be the other way around. How PSV gave away the first
04:39goal, they won't be very happy with that. So that's inherent to football. But good to
04:45see that, well, we just talked about it, a number of guys have made 90 minutes for the
04:49first time in a long time. A number of young guys have left a good impression. A number
04:53of guys who make minutes with us quite regularly have also left a good impression. So yes,
05:01okay, let's keep it that way.
05:04You have a peace with it. Calculated or are you going home with a chagrined feeling?
05:08Because you don't lose a lot this season.
05:10No, no, no, I'm not going home with a chagrined feeling. But I think it's a shame that
05:14we lost. I've also seen some positive things lately. And when this game is over,
05:21I always say and everywhere, I only look at the next game. I've done that my whole
05:26career as a coach. And this was the first mission. And the only exception in my career
05:32was that I was already doing a little more with Bournemouth. So there's all the attention
05:38now.
05:39What did you just discuss with Peter Bosz? Because you also took care of the show.
05:44Sorry? Oh, we just talked about it when we walked here and had to wait for the draw
05:50that they could or could not get. And if I understood him correctly, and I did,
05:56and if he was right, then I think it was Feyenoord or Juventus, I thought, that second draw.
06:01So yes, how is it possible, you would almost say. But do you miss that it will be Juventus?
06:07Feyenoord lost 6-1. Two injuries. Justin and Sand.
06:17Finishing top of the group, obviously, you spoke, you don't know what the advantage
06:22will be when you play the next round. But just the general achievement, it is a big
06:26achievement to be top?
06:29Yeah, no, definitely. I don't know if it's a big achievement, but it's a good achievement
06:33to end up top of this league. But I said many times, it's so hard to judge a league
06:39table after eight games, let alone if all the teams play different opponents.
06:45So it doesn't tell me much, to be honest, because some teams have faced easier opponents
06:52than others. But it's always nice if there's a new format that you end up number one,
06:59but it doesn't give us any assurances for the next round. Because if I now check the
07:06league table and I see the four teams, if I'm correct, we can face four, can't we?
07:11That's the difference between PSV, which I don't completely understand.
07:14But we can face those four, and those four are especially...
07:22One of them is definitely the one you're hoping not to face if you end up first in a group like this.
07:32Yes, Arne, it's a bit of a weird format, because you have 15, 16, 17, 18 opponents.
07:37One of those opponents, I mean, Paris, if you look at their league table, it's insane.
07:41A lot of good opponents. Are you actually a fan of this format?
07:44Because you say, if it's over, I can say something about it.
07:48It always depends on which club you're working for.
07:52If I was here in the finals, I was an absolute fan of this format.
07:55Because I think they're now 17, 18, what did they become?
07:5819.
07:5919, and then you normally go through the Europa League, because you went through the first 16,
08:02and now you're going through the Champions League.
08:04So yes, that's very nice for a lot of clubs.
08:07For us, there are two extra matches, and with us I mean Liverpool,
08:12where you normally end up in the first two.
08:14So yes, it depends on who you ask.
08:21I don't think it's too much fun right now, but if we win the Champions League,
08:27if that works out, then I'll talk about it differently.
08:31So yes, we'll have to wait and see.
08:33I don't think this will be an evening you'll remember for a long time.
08:38No, there are matches at PSV that I'll remember longer than this one.
08:45The last two here, and then here.
08:47Just on James McConnell, obviously you already knew he had enormous quality,
08:51but is he surprised, even you tonight, with how well he took his chance?
08:56If I would have been surprised, that would mean that during training sessions
08:59he's not able to play at this level.
09:01And that's not true, because he's competitive to the ones we have,
09:07that were not even here, but he's always a very competitive player.
09:10So I'm not surprised, but you always wonder how you're going to react
09:13on this stage, at this level.
09:16We saw the same with Amara Niala,
09:19which is not a player that has the same impact in training sessions yet
09:22as James McConnell.
09:24But that James just plays and is competitive is not a surprise,
09:29but he definitely deserves credits for his performance today.
09:35No, the last one is always for Valentijn.
09:37Okay.
09:39I've missed him a bit, so...
09:43Arne, we were just talking about a 50% chance of PSV and Feyenoord in the next round.
09:47You can always explain everything so well.
09:49What should we hope for when it comes to Dutch football,
09:51that it's going to happen?
09:54Otherwise it will be PSV, Juventus or Feyenoord, AC Milan.
09:58Yes.
10:04PSV has played a lot against Juventus, right?
10:07Yes, I know that.
10:10What should we hope for when it comes to Dutch football?
10:15By not saying anything, you already know my answer.
10:19Against each other?
10:21At least one in the round of 16?
10:23I don't think Peter would hope for that.
10:25As a Dutch club, you'd rather not play against each other in the next round.
10:28You'd rather play against a European team,
10:31than play against a foreign team.
10:33But when I was at Feyenoord, I never said that much,
10:35because that would have been too cheap.
10:39Years ago, in the UEFA Cup period,
10:43I was at Feyenoord against PSV.
10:46That was a cracker of a match.
10:48I think it was the quarter-final or semi-final.
10:50Yes, the quarter-final.
10:51Was it with penalties?
10:53Yes.
10:54I'm going to cheer for Van Oordonk's penalty.
10:56Yes, for Van Oordonk.
10:57But in general, I think you'd rather play as a Dutch club
11:01against Milan or Juventus.
11:03So let's leave it at that.
11:05You're welcome.
11:09Well, this is telegraphing, but...
11:11Are you going to let this happen, Valentijn?
11:13This is a shame.
11:15Arne, Johan, Bakayoko and Ismail Saibari
11:18are often associated with a transfer to a big competition,
11:20to the Premier League.
11:21You work in the Premier League.
11:22You work with players in the Premier League.
11:24How do you see their potential and opportunities to get there?
11:28I don't know if it's wise to say anything specific about these two guys,
11:31but what you can say in general
11:33is that the Dutch competition has shown
11:35that they can be very successful in the Premier League.
11:38And that's Cody Kakpo, who played here today.
11:40A fantastic example of that.
11:42And I think that the first goal Bakayoko scored
11:45was an impressive and beautiful goal.
11:49So I can certainly imagine...
11:50Because PSV as a team is so good
11:52that a lot of PSV players are interested in bigger clubs.
11:56But PSV is also a big club.
11:58Last year, I thought it was the Champions League quarter-final.
12:00We won the last 16.
12:02Who did we win against?
12:04The eighth final.
12:06The eighth final, okay.
12:07So they went through that as well.
12:09So it's a big club.
12:10A nice club to play for.
12:12So it's up to the players
12:14when they think they're ready for that step.
12:17But it's not ruled out
12:19that a number of PSV players
12:21will play at a higher level
12:23than they're doing now.
12:28Thank you, guys.