Arne Slot may have already proven himself smarter than Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, by not surrounding himself with fellow Dutchman at Liverpool.
That’s according to former Dutch footballer Bram van Polen, who believes Ten Hag may be making a mistake in his recent appointments at Old Trafford.
Slot has arrived at Liverpool this summer to replace Jurgen Klopp, who announced he was stepping away earlier this year after a success filled nine years in charge at the club.
The Dutchman’s arrival at Anfield has set off something of an overhaul at the club, with much of those who have worked behind the scenes departing and him electing to bring in his own people and the new management above him at Liverpool also making sweeping changes.
Meanwhile it has also been a summer of change down the motorway at Manchester United, despite Erik ten Hag having remained in charge.
While his future has now been secured, there has been changes behind the scenes, with Mitchell van der Gaag departing, Steve McLaren and others being handed new, revised roles and Ruud van Nistelrooy and René Hake arriving as new additions.
They’re one of several Dutchmen to arrive, with Joshua Zirkzee and Mathijs de Ligt also looking likely to be added to the playing staff, but Van Polen doesn’t believe that’s smart for him or Manchester United.
“It is also dangerous that Ten Hag gathers so many Dutch people around him. You don’t know whether that is wise,” he said.
“You’re a bit afraid of that. Then you think: here we go again. Because he brings in all those Dutch people, we will also be less good abroad.
“I think that a Slot is very conscious about not recruiting all Dutch people at once. You do create a certain image, and you should partly want to stay away from that.”
