Wayne Rooney has questioned whether Arne Slot truly has the aura to be Liverpool manager but he also admitted that the sack talk around Anfield is crazy when you remember that the Dutchman delivered the Premier League title less than a year ago and now suddenly there are serious conversations about whether Liverpool should make another big change in the summer of 2026 which shows how fast football can change and how quickly opinions can turn especially at a club as big as Liverpool where expectations never sleep and pressure is always present
Slot walked into one of the hardest jobs in football when he replaced Jurgen Klopp because Klopp was not just a manager he was a symbol of a golden era at Liverpool he brought passion energy personality and a connection with the fans that felt emotional and powerful and when he left many people wondered how anyone could possibly follow him without struggling under the weight of comparison but Slot surprised almost everyone in his first season because even though he was given very little money to spend he managed to organise the team keep the key players focused and guide Liverpool to a dominant Premier League title win which looked like the beginning of something special
That title victory gave him huge credit and many supporters believed that Liverpool had successfully moved from one era to another without pain and when the 2025 summer transfer window arrived the club backed him heavily with record breaking spending Florian Wirtz arrived in a massive deal Alexander Isak also joined for a nine figure fee and Liverpool looked stronger than ever on paper it felt like a statement to the rest of England and Europe that the champions were not satisfied with one trophy and wanted to build a dynasty
But the 2025 26 season has not gone to plan Liverpool are currently sitting sixth in the Premier League table and they are sixteen points behind leaders Arsenal which is a huge gap for a team that was crowned champions so recently performances have been inconsistent results have slipped away and confidence has not looked as strong as it did during the title winning campaign and that has opened the door for critics to ask questions about Slot and whether he is the right man to lead Liverpool long term
Rooney spoke openly about the situation and admitted it feels strange to talk about Slot being under pressure when he has just won the league but he also said that in his opinion Slot does not have that aura which is difficult to define but easy to feel aura is about presence authority inspiration the ability to command attention and belief when you stand on the touchline and Klopp had that naturally he was loud emotional charismatic and his personality filled Anfield in a way that made players and fans feel united
Slot is different he is calmer more reserved more tactical and less emotional in public and maybe that difference has made some people feel something is missing Rooney suggested that for Liverpool maybe that aura matters more because of what the club has been used to in recent years and following Klopp makes any manager look quieter and less dominant even if their tactical ideas are strong
Rooney also made it clear that if Liverpool fail to finish in the top five and miss out on Champions League football then Slot will likely be gone which sounds harsh but reflects the reality of modern football at elite clubs qualification for the Champions League is financially and emotionally important and Liverpool expect to compete at the highest level every season even though they are still in the Champions League this year and have reached the last sixteen and are also alive in the FA Cup league position is what defines consistency
When Rooney tried to explain what has gone wrong he pointed to several key factors Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have not looked at their absolute best this season they are still top players but perhaps have lost a small edge whether that is physical or mental it is noticeable because they are leaders of the team and when leaders are not performing at peak level the entire structure can feel weaker he also mentioned that Trent Alexander Arnold has been missing Andy Robertson has not played regularly Luis Diaz left the club and there has been instability around Diogo Jota and even Darwin Nunez who was often criticised brought energy and unpredictability that helped the team in certain matches
When you remove several important pieces at the same time rhythm disappears and Slot has been managing what looks like a quiet rebuild period even though big money was spent because chemistry takes time and new signings do not always click immediately especially in a league as competitive as the Premier League
The conversation around Slot has become louder because of the availability of Xabi Alonso who was dismissed by Real Madrid and understands Liverpool deeply as a former player and also because there are whispers that Klopp could return to management if the right opportunity appears even though nothing is confirmed those rumours create pressure because fans start dreaming about alternative futures and comparing personalities instead of focusing on stability
Rooney however did defend Salah and Van Dijk despite criticising their recent performances he called Salah one of the greatest players in Premier League history and said Van Dijk in this generation is the best centre back even if not the best of all time which shows that he does not believe individual decline should erase their achievements but he also accepts that when your two biggest leaders are slightly below their best it becomes extremely hard to defend a title
Liverpool still have an opportunity to rescue their season upcoming matches against teams fighting relegation like Nottingham Forest West Ham Wolves and Tottenham offer a chance to build momentum and confidence because sometimes a strong run of victories can change the entire mood around a club football is emotional and two or three wins can shift narrative from crisis to comeback very quickly
Slot must now prove that calm leadership can inspire just as much belief as loud charisma he has already shown tactical intelligence and the ability to organise a team under pressure but now he faces the bigger test of handling doubt and criticism which is part of life at a giant club because winning the Premier League once earns respect but maintaining dominance is what creates legacy
It is important to remember that even Klopp experienced difficult periods before building his greatest teams and patience played a key role in Liverpool’s previous success so the board must decide whether one difficult season is enough reason to abandon a manager who delivered immediate glory or whether stability will bring long term reward
Rooney’s words have added fuel to the debate but ultimately results will decide everything if Liverpool climb into the top five and make progress in Europe Slot’s position will look secure again and the aura conversation will fade if they fail then pressure will explode and the summer could bring another dramatic chapter at Anfield
Football is ruthless and memories are short heroes can quickly become questioned figures and managers live between praise and doubt every single week Slot has already written one incredible chapter by winning the league in his first season now he must show whether he can handle adversity and prove that his leadership style even without the explosive charisma of Klopp is strong enough to guide Liverpool back to consistency because at this level excuses are not accepted only results matter and the coming months will define whether Arne Slot remains the man trusted to lead Liverpool forward or becomes another example of how quickly football can turn on those at the top
