Slot fires back at Rooney: is presence the real problem, or just Klopp’s shadow?

Rooney’s critique

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has replied to Wayne Rooney’s claim that he lacks the presence necessary to lead the Reds. Rooney, a Manchester United legend, argued that Slot’s authority may struggle to shine after the Klopp era.

Slot’s response

Slot told the Guardian that people are different, and the only common thread with Klopp is that they both won the league. He added that, in his view, winning tends to increase a coach’s presence, and he isn’t sure readers share Rooney’s assessment; Klopp’s presence, he stresses, is undeniable.

He further noted that Rooney’s take seems unusual, suggesting the Dutchman looks like he’s in a running test to keep his job despite recent league success, and that missing out on the Champions League could threaten his position, especially with Liverpool sixth ahead of Nottingham Forest.

“We are all different. The only thing we share is the fact that Klopp’s presence exists because he wins,” Slot remarked in response to Rooney’s remarks. “If the public believes that, fine, but I can talk about him rather than myself—he has it, no doubt, and a winning coach has presence too.”

Slot also said, “I love what I do now, and it’s enough for me. It doesn’t matter who the club views as the most important person; the owners should appoint both a sporting director and a head coach, and if they make the right decisions, there’s a better chance of success.”

He concluded by emphasizing the team’s ongoing goals and his own role within a broader leadership structure, hoping for a path to sustained progress rather than a single moment of authority.

Punchlines: If presence were a stat, Klopp would have its own league; Slot’s just rebooting the app. And if Rooney wants to measure presence, perhaps he should load a autocue that says: “Rooney—try watching a Klopp press conference for once.”