Arne Slot 'No Clue' If Alonso's Exit Signals New Normal for Managers

Arne Slot has reacted to Xabi Alonso’s shock exit from Real Madrid, admitting he has “no clue” if a sporting director model makes early sackings the new normal. Alonso departed Real Madrid on Monday evening just seven months after being appointed as head coach, having led his side to 20 wins in his 28 games in charge. That it comes at a time when Slot’s own position at Liverpool is under scrutiny makes the situation all the more interesting, particularly as Alonso was viewed as the club’s first choice to replace Jurgen Klopp back in 2024. Speaking on Friday, Slot was asked about the decision to sack Alonso and whether he believes it is a growing trend within the head coach-sporting director dynamic. “Is it a change compared to three, four, five, six years ago? I don’t actually know, I can only speak for myself,” he told reporters including the Liverpool Echo‘s Paul Gorst. “I have worked for three years at my first club, should have worked four years at my second club, worked three years at my third club and now here for one-and-a-half years. “The clubs you are mentioning (Chelsea, Man United and Real Madrid), we know with one of these clubs what kind of history they have. So I don’t know if it has changed. “I see some managers working a long time at a club and one of our rivals has a manager [in Pep Guardiola] who has been working for a long time. “Mikel Arteta has been working for a long time at Arsenal. “I think there will always be examples of managers who work a long time at a club and clubs where managers don’t work for a long time. But Carlo Ancelotti was a long time at Real Madrid? “I have no clue [if it is because of the sporting director model]. I simply have no clue as to whether that has anything to do with it. “It might, but you surprised me with this question. I haven’t thought about that.” Arne Slot is Liverpool’s first-ever head coach Liverpool made a distinction when appointing Slot that the Dutchman would be their first-ever head coach, with his predecessors all holding the more traditional role of manager. In theory that places less responsibility on his shoulders, with sporting director Richard Hughes overseeing transfers and shaping the squad with his input, but it could also mean a decision to sack him would be more straightforward. “In England there is a manager and head coach and in other countries it is usually a head coach,” Slot continued. “Like I said Ancelotti worked for a long time at Madrid and other managers did as well. “This is not common for Real Madrid that a manager is sacked – or whatever word you want to use – that a manager is sacked so early in his career. “Let’s see if this is constantly going to happen but I think there are other examples as well.” Alonso is already viewed as the resounding favourite to take over at Liverpool if Slot were to be dismissed, as despite an 12-game unbeaten run there are clear issues with both results and performances over an extended period.