Former Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has revealed that he had discussions regarding the open Netherlands managerial position but decided against pursuing it, stating that he prefers to focus on a role in club football.
The 47-year-old Dutchman led the Reds to their 20th league title in his first season, yet finished fifth in the Premier League and was sacked on May 30.
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Ronald Koeman recently stepped down from his second term as manager of the Netherlands following their elimination in the World Cup by Morocco via a penalty shootout in June.
Slot refuted claims that he withdrew from negotiations with the KNVB (Royal Dutch Football Association) over contract disputes.
“In recent weeks, especially in the last few days, various reports emerged regarding the vacancy of the Dutch national team, suggesting I withdrew after prolonged discussions about salary and contract length,” Slot explained to Voetbal International.
“That speculation is incorrect. We simply never reached that stage of the discussions.”
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Slot, who led Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title in 2023, has not dismissed the idea of managing the national team in the future.
“At this moment in my career, I prefer to be on the training pitch with my players every day, something that’s not feasible in the same manner with a national team,” he stated.
“For that reason, I chose not to proceed with the talks or begin negotiations regarding potential contracts.
“I have great respect for the national team and the KNVB, and appreciate the professional manner in which the discussions were conducted.”
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“For now, I see a lot of opportunities in club football.”
Slot further expressed, “It would be a tremendous honor to represent my country as national coach one day; however, this is not the right moment for me.”
Reports in the Netherlands indicate that former Portugal manager Roberto Martinez is currently in discussions with the KNVB regarding the national team position.