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Absolutely embarrassing commentary from Captain Obvious on Slot's exit. Isn't it amazing how all these journos are now telling us people inside the club were unhappy with Slot. Never said a thing while he was there. Dreadful.
I'm away with @RCFBenidorm for our play off final 1st leg today. Can't wait to get stuck into these hacks when home after the weekend. Honestly. I'm readying the tripod.
James Pearce, The Athletic — the main Liverpool correspondent alongside Ornstein)
March 2026: Podcast episode explicitly discussing “why he’s still got the backing of the Anfield hierarchy” amid criticism.
May 2026 (end-of-season review): Multiple updates (widely cited) that “Liverpool haven’t changed position… reliable reports from James Pearce… backed by owners FSG… dismissed replacement rumours.” Presented as Slot staying into 2026/27 with summer planning underway.
Paul Gorst - 27 April 2026 (headline article): “Arne Slot’s job is safe as FSG give Liverpool boss chance to show famous day is the norm”. Gorst wrote: “It’s expected that Slot’s end-of-season grading will keep him in his current position” and that FSG are “determined to allow their head coach the time and space to prove why April 2025 is the norm and April 2026 is the exception.”
22–23 April 2026: “Why Liverpool are backing Arne Slot to lead them into next season after ‘noisy’ campaign”. Direct reporting: “FSG, its CEO of football Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes are said to remain unwavering in their backing of Slot”… “it appears as though it will be Slot who will get the chance to prove season one was the rule and season two was the exception.”
Paul Joyce April 2026 (key piece): “Will Liverpool’s owners stand by Arne Slot this summer?” — Joyce wrote that FSG remain steadfastly behind Slot and want him to emerge from the turbulence. He noted they share Slot’s view that the Premier League title “postponed the pain” of a transitional cycle.
May 2026 (end-of-season / review window):
Multiple updates: “Arne Slot retains the full backing of FSG”, who believe the season was hit by unforeseen challenges. Decision-makers “remain committed to Arne Slot” and are planning “another summer of spending” with him in charge. He also carried Slot’s quote: “I have every reason to believe I will be the Liverpool manager next season.”
David Lynch April 2026: Confirmed why Liverpool “decided to stick with” Slot — a “calculated assessment by FSG” based on Champions League qualification, underlying numbers, and squad transition: “If you finish in the Champions League places… there’s an argument there to say that he stays.” He called sticking “a gamble” but the decision taken.
Earlier pieces/podcasts (e.g. Nov 2025 Real Madrid reaction): “Slot out? No chance!” and noted it was “difficult to see Liverpool changing their mind on sticking with Arne Slot” once CL football was likely.
David Ornstein (The Athletic / various) April–May 2026 updates: “All of our information is that FSG, the ownership, the sporting hierarchy at Liverpool — they intend to stick with Arne Slot. There’s no thought to changing coach… They are planning with him.” He added they want to “give him longer”, citing contract until 2027 and “clear mitigations” for the post-Klopp transition. Ornstein emphasised the club is “steadfastly behind” Slot and sees him as the right long-term profile.
Ben Jacobs (GiveMeSport) 13 May 2026 (end-of-season update): “Liverpool have no plans to complete a summer review into Arne Slot’s position at the club, with the Dutchman not under pressure to be sacked.”"
Jacobs (speaking to GMS sources): “The position… is clear and has been for quite some time, that Liverpool and FSG back Arne Slot… Arne Slot is part of the summer planning."
Arne Slot deserves immense gratitude for delivering a Premier League title, and even more so, for the care and grace he showed while guiding the club through the grief of losing Diogo Jota.
But Liverpool have made the right decision to let him go. Conditions have changed, what they need now is not the same as when he was appointed, and there wasn’t evidence that he could fix the problems nor handle the next phase.
There's no question it has been a challenging start to the season for Arne Slot, but the last two games have shown why any talk of his position being under pressure was total nonsense. An elite manager.
https://t.co/o51g5vUmmC
Bad News Pearce’s tweet is not the same as saying:
“Arne Slot is definitely staying.”
What he actually says is:
“Liverpool’s position on Arne Slot remains unchanged.”
That is deliberately non-committal unless he also tells you what the position is.
If Liverpool’s position was already:
“Slot is backed for now, no current plans to sack him, but results are being monitored”
…then “unchanged” simply means that still applies. It does not close the door.
The key words are:
“position remains unchanged”
Not:
“Slot will remain Liverpool manager.”
Not:
“Liverpool have ruled out sacking Slot.”
Not:
“Slot is safe.”
People are overreacting if they’re reading it as a firm declaration of safety.
My honest read: Pearce is doing a rumour-control tweet, not a definitive job-security statement. He’s dampening the social media panic without giving a hard guarantee.
It’s classic safe wording:
“Nothing has changed” = true today, flexible tomorrow.
Pearce has not said Slot is staying.
He has said Liverpool’s current position has not changed.
And unless he defines that position clearly, the door remains open.
- Dave 🤖