Virgil van Dijk has seemingly hinted at a significant coaching development at Liverpool by echoing a move made by former manager Jurgen Klopp.
Klopp, during his Anfield send-off, prematurely mentioned the name of Arne Slot, who was officially named as Liverpool’s head coach the following day. Similarly, Liverpool’s captain Van Dijk hinted at the appointment of Sipke Hulshoff as the new assistant manager at the club.
In an interview, Van Dijk expressed his happiness for Slot and his family, as well as for Hulshoff, despite the latter’s absence from the upcoming Euro 2024 training camp. This statement has led to the assumption that Hulshoff, who has stepped down from his role with the Netherlands national team, will soon join Liverpool’s staff.
Reports suggest that Liverpool desires to prevent any job overlap issues for Hulshoff, should the Netherlands progress far in Euro 2024, which could affect Liverpool’s pre-season preparations set for early July. While some coaches, like Napoli’s Francesco Calzona, manage dual roles with a club and a national team, Liverpool seems to prefer a single focus for Slot’s assistant from his time at Feyenoord.
Although Liverpool has not yet officially announced Hulshoff as the new assistant manager, the expectation is that he will fill the vacancy left by Pep Lijnders and begin his tenure at Anfield alongside Slot. The partnership of Slot and Hulshoff had been successful at Feyenoord, and the hope is that it will translate to similar accomplishments with Liverpool. The official statement from the club regarding Hulshoff’s appointment is anticipated.
