Speaking to journalist Mikos Gouka of the Algemeen Dagblad, Arne Slot has responded for the first time to the failed attempt by the KNVB to lure him into becoming the new national team manager.The 47-year-old coach, sacked by Liverpool at the end of May, has seen plenty of reports in the media that he says are wrong.So Slot has now set the record straight. “In recent weeks, and particularly in recent days, various reports have appeared about the vacancy with the Netherlands national team, suggesting that I had withdrawn from the process after lengthy negotiations, including over salary and the length of the contract. That speculation is incorrect. We quite simply never reached that stage of the talks.””The reality is that there were discussions with the KNVB over a short period. That is only logical when you are approached for an important role and want to get a better picture of the position and the expectations. Within a week of the first conversation, however, I made it clear to the KNVB that I saw my immediate future back in club football.”At this point in his career, Slot says he still wants the daily rhythm of club management. “At this stage of my career, I prefer to be on the training pitch with my players every day, something that is simply not possible in the same way with a national team. That was and is the only reason why I chose not to continue the talks any further and not to begin negotiations over what a possible contract might look like.”Even so, Slot has not closed the door on the national team job in future. “I have enormous respect for the national team and for the KNVB, and I can only be positive about the professional way in which the talks took place that week.”Looking ahead, he still feels club football has plenty left to offer him. “For now, I believe club football still has a great deal to offer me. It would be a great honour to represent my country as national team manager one day. It simply was not the right moment for me,” Slot concludes.
