For the supporters of Feyenoord, it is more important for Slot to stay on longer than a practice match against the large French club, trained by ex-Feyenoord player Peter Bosz. The supporters know that the team is not yet complete, that the management and scouting, in consultation with Slot, are still busy everywhere on the transfer market and that for that reason no one is awake from a lost practice game.
Yet it has happened a lot during this preparation that Feyenoord has received a slap on the nose in the run-up to the competition, which starts in two weeks with a match against Vitesse. The loss of some top footballers, such as internationals Tyrell Malacia and Luis Sinisterra, has cut it. Slot also knows that and he is also faced with the situation that he cannot spend all the millions received again on new players.
Reality at Rotterdam club
That is, as he has already indicated a few times and also when he came to Feyenoord at the time, that is the reality of the Rotterdam club. Against that background, it is all the more remarkable that he has been open to an early contract extension. At the beginning of this year, it was not his own initiative, but it was an option that the club could remove. But now, after discussions with the management, he has wholeheartedly agreed to an extension of his contract.
Peter Bosz saw that his team did not have to make an excessive effort against Feyenoord
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Slot is greatly appreciated within Feyenoord and, given the limited material with which he had to work in his first season, has delivered an exceptional performance. Not only reaching the European Conference League final, but also the style of football that Feyenoord now uses has earned him the ‘Manager of the Year’ award.
In order to experience another year like this, the team must first be brought up to standard. The club is working on that and Slot is understanding. Only it will be a short day towards the competition. With a bit of luck, after the Pole Sebastian Szymanski, the Mexican striker Santiago Giménez will also arrive this week, who as a 21-year-old international has to compete with the disappointing Danilo against Lyon.
‘Feyenoord working hard’
Slot says that he has good contact with the management, in which Dennis te Kloese with his history as technical director (US and Mexico) helped the scouting. Slot: “I know, I notice and I see that they are working very hard on it. I also expect that we will have more players added.”
Arne Slot saw Feyenoord struggle against Lyon
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“In Arne we see the right man to continue to lead the first team in the coming years,” says Te Kloese. “He has shown to be a professional in several areas and has great ambitions in both the short and long term with a method that allows him to get the most out of his team. We have already seen the necessary result last season.”
Closing: ‘Appreciation for our work’
It was an easy choice for Slot to extend his contract. “Last season’s unexpectedly rapid success strengthens my belief that our approach can work well in Rotterdam. In addition, I feel that our work is highly appreciated by both the club and the supporters, not only because of the results, but especially in terms of player development and the attractive, infectious way of playing that the supporters visibly enjoy.”
Feyenoord still desperately needs a left back. Marcus Pedersen filled that vacancy after Malacia left for Manchester United. Slot had to compromise a bit in the back anyway, because Gerhard Trauner was missing due to an injury and so he had to post Lutsharel Geertruida in the center next to Marcos Senesi. Geertruida will soon be able to operate as a right defender now that Pedersen is left back for the time being. Mimeirhel Benita, who came from youth, was now right back for a while.
The four of them couldn’t prevent Alexandre Lacazette and Reine-Adelaide from helping Bosz’s team take a 2-0 lead before half-time. After the break, Slot threw his whole can of youth players plus Alireza Jahanbakhsh and ‘trainee’ Jean-Paul Boëtius into the field. It remained 0-2.