Arne Slot has detailed his method to the beginning of Liverpool’s pre-season following the dying of Diogo Jota, having informed his gamers to “do what Diogo did.”
Liverpool kick off their run of pre-season friendlies with a visit to Preston on Sunday afternoon, having returned to the AXA Coaching Centre on Tuesday.
It will likely be an emotional event with tributes all through for Jota, and people gamers and workers who’ve misplaced a good friend might all react in numerous methods.
That has made the begin to pre-season needing cautious administration from Slot, who is not going to pressure his gamers to coach or play in the event that they really feel they can not however has accepted “we have to play once more, if we would like it or not.”
“What I’ve stated to the gamers, I can say it right here as effectively,” he defined in an interview with the membership’s official web site.
“It’s very troublesome to seek out the appropriate phrases as a result of we always debate what is suitable.
“What is suitable in our actions? What is suitable [for] what we’ve to say? Can we practice once more? Can we chuckle once more? Can we be offended if there’s a fallacious determination?
“And I’ve stated to them, possibly the most effective factor for us to do is deal with this case like Jota was.
“And what I meant with that’s that Jota was all the time himself, it didn’t matter if he was speaking to me, to his teammates, to the workers, he was all the time himself.
“So allow us to attempt to be ourselves as effectively. So, if we wish to chuckle we chuckle; if we wish to cry we’re going to cry.
“In the event that they wish to practice they’ll practice, in the event that they don’t wish to practice they cannot practice.
“However be your self, don’t assume it’s a must to be completely different than your feelings inform you.”
Slot added: “Jots was the participant that if issues had been actually, actually, actually troublesome, I all the time checked out him and stated, ‘now we’d like one thing particular from you’.
“And he delivered so many instances in these moments. I can provide you with all of those moments, even earlier than I used to be right here he had many of those moments as effectively.
“So we’re in a really troublesome time, so let’s attempt to do what Diogo did so many instances.
“If it’s so troublesome then attempt a bit of bit tougher or simply carry on going and attempt to make it work.”
Liverpool have retired the No. 20 shirt in honour of Jota, who shall be remembered not solely all through pre-season and into their title defence in 2025/26 – however now for generations to come back.
