Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has defended manager Arne Slott against criticism this season, claiming some of it bordered on “disrespect”.
Virgil van Dijk talks about the pressure on Liverpool manager Arne Slott (Image: Sky Sports YouTube)
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk has defended underdog manager Arne Slott, insisting the Dutchman deserves a chance to get the ship back on track despite a difficult season. Slott will replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield in 2024, scoring 84 goals in his debut season to lead Liverpool to the Premier League title.
However, this season hasn’t been very good for Slott’s side, who currently sit in 6th place in the Premier League. The Reds have won just 11 of their 24 league games this season and are 14 points behind leaders Arsenal.
The sacking of Xabi Alonso by Real Madrid earlier this year only fueled rumors about Slott’s future at Liverpool. However, Van Dijk suggested that some of the chatter surrounding the Dutch manager bordered on disrespect.
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In a candid chat with Sky Sports’ Gary Neville, the stalwart defender said: “As I said last week and here, the way we’re going through this season, the criticism is natural, because of the way we’re playing and the way we keep losing on the bounce.”
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“That’s not the standard we’ve set, especially last year. But you’ve been criticized and you’ve been disrespected.”
When asked if the criticism leveled at Slott was disrespectful, Van Dijk replied: “Well, it depends on how you feel. I was asked this question last week as well. Do you think the disrespect is justified? I feel like I don’t always read it so I don’t understand.”
Virgil van Dijk defends Arne Slott following criticism of Liverpool manager (Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“I feel like we’re in a process and it just takes time. I don’t think the Liverpool I know is a club that makes rash decisions and trusts the process.
“But I know how the world works and what kind of pressures managers are under and (how) they are held responsible and accountable for the results that we are getting. I still feel that it is a process, and in my eyes, he deserves that respect and opportunity to make sure this process ends in a positive way. We just need to keep going.”
In the same interview, Van Dijk claimed that football pundits have a “duty to take responsibility” for the next generation’s play when criticizing them. Earlier this season, the defender was involved in an exchange with Wayne Rooney, with Rooney criticizing the defender’s performance.
Nicky Butt and Lisandro Martinez recently exchanged messages following the former Manchester United midfielder’s comments. “Personally, I can deal with it, but I’m a little worried when I think about the next generation,” he told Neville. “I feel that former top players have a responsibility to the new generation.
“I think criticism is completely normal and part of the game and should be, but sometimes it becomes clickbait, provocative, or done without considering the mental impact on the players, especially the younger generation who are constantly on social media.
“You can say, ‘Yeah, you shouldn’t be on social media.’ That’s something I’ve told (them) over and over again. Whenever you have a good game, young players check out all the positive praise, but when you have a bad game and you get bullied or bad criticism on social media, it can really affect you.”
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