Arne Slot: Full manager profile & timeline

Published at :April 29, 2024 at 1:29 PM

Modified at :April 29, 2024 at 1:29 PM

The Dutch manager has risen through the ranks in Netherlands

Arne Slot’s name has steadily become more and more recognizable in the footballing world over the past year. After a successful playing career which was completely within the Dutch leagues, he slowly rose through the ranks in his managerial career in Netherlands, impressing both at Cambuur and AZ Alkmaar.

He finally ended up at Feyenoord, where he has yet again impressed with his team currently sitting 2nd in the Eredivisie, having won the league last year.

Arne Slot: Profile

Arendt Martijn Slot, popularly known as Arne Slot, was born in Bergentheim, Netherlands, in 1978. His playing career started in the youth team of VV Bergentheim and was snapped up by PEC Zwolle by then boss Jan Everste. Though breaking into the team at just 17, he struggled with injuries early on, before making his name as an attacking midfielder in the team. While he was there, the team finally returned to the Eredivisie after 13 years by winning the 2nd division in 2002.

Since then, he moved onto the likes of NAC Breda and Sparta Rotterdam, before coming back to Zwolle. He carved out a decent career at the Eredivisie level, scoring 100 goals in 462 games. Despite lacking in physicality, he was successful due to his passing and vision.

His managerial career started with Cambuur, then impressing at AZ Alkmaar, before showing his true potential by knocking Ajax off the perch and winning the league with Feyenoord in 2022-23.

Arne Slot’s full managerial career timeline

2014 – (Cambuur assistant coach)

After being a youth coach for a year, Cambuur manager Henk de Jong made Slot the assistant coach, and remained in the position after de Jong’s departure and the arrivals of Marcel Keizer and Rob Maas.

October 2016 (Cambuur interim coach)

After Cambuur finished bottom in the Eredivisie and got relegated, Slot was made the interim coach alongside Sipke Hulshoff. They took the team from 14th to 3rd in the second division, narrowly missing out on promotion after a playoff defeat against MVV. They also reached the semi-finals of the KNVB Cup, their best-ever performance, knocking out record winners Ajax en route.

December 2018 (AZ head coach)

After being announced as John van den Brom’s assistant at AZ Alkmaar in 2017, Slot was announced to be replacing him as AZ’s head coach for the 2019-20 season. In the first season, he became the first Eredivisie manager to win 19 points in his first 8 league games, finishing 2nd behind Ajax as the league was cancelled midway due to the COVID-19 pandemic. AZ also reached the round of 32 of the Europa League.

December 2020 -(Feyenoord manager)

On 5th December 2020, Arne Slot was sacked as the AZ coach after being accused of not staying focussed on the club and negotiating a deal with Feyenoord instead.

On 15th December, he was announced as the Feyenoord manager starting from the 2021-22 season. He left AZ with 2.11 points per game, the highest of any manager in their history.

2021 (Reaching the European knockouts with Feyenoord)

Slot had a stunning first season at Feyenoord, reaching the European knockouts for the first time in 20 years. They eventually reached the final of the inaugural Conference League, where they were beaten 1-0 by AS Roma. Feyenoord also finished 3rd in the league that season, winning the Eredivisie Manager of the Season award.

2022 (Winning the league with Feyenoord)

Slot’s second season was even better, with Feyenoord winning the league for the first time since 2017. They also reached the knockouts of the Europa League after 16 years, beating Shakhtar Donetsk 7-1 in the Round of 16 for their biggest European win since 1985. His team was finally beaten in the quarter-finals of the competition by Roma.

Post the successful season, he won the Eredivisie Manager of the Season for the second year in a row. Despite strong links to Tottenham Hotspur, Slot eventually extended his contract at Feyenoord until 2026.

2024 (Linked with Liverpool job)

Feyenoord dropped to the Europa League after finishing 3rd in their Champions League group, where they were beaten for the 3rd season in a row by Roma knockout play-offs. On 21st April, Feyenoord won their 14th KNVB Cup, beating NEC in the final.

On 26th April, after more than a week of heavy links, multiple reliable media outlets reported that Liverpool have reached a deal for Arne Slot to be the next head coach after Jurgen Klopp in the 2024-25 season. Feyenoord currently are 2nd in the league, 9 points adrift of PSV.

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