All eyes are going to be on Tottenham's style of play in 2023/24 after chairman Daniel Levy's comments in the matchday programme for the final home game of the campaign. Following a very challenging season in N17 with Spurs falling out of Champions League contention and now in real danger of missing out on European football altogether, Levy discussed the past 12 months and what is to come at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next term.
He stated that Tottenham "shall spend the period ahead of next season working relentlessly to position our club for on-pitch success and football you will love to come and watch". With the team's style of play under Antonio Conte, Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho a far cry from that of Mauricio Pochettino's entertaining Tottenham team, fans are desperate for the return of exciting football that is easy on the eye.
Now on the search for a new head coach after Conte's exit at the end of March, Feyenoord boss Arne Slot is currently odds-on with the bookmakers to replace the Italian in the hotseat. The 44-year-old perhaps isn't the biggest name to be linked with the vacancy but he would certainly help give the fans what they want after his success in the Netherlands with AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord.
READ MORE: Why Arne Slot will be well prepared for huge Tottenham transfer rebuild required this summer
Leading his current club to the Europa Conference League final last season and Eredivisie title glory this term, Slot has made quite a big name for himself and he has achieved silverware off the back of a major rebuild at Feyenoord. So what exactly can Spurs expect from Slot and how will his team play if he's appointed head coach? football.london takes a look at some of his previous comments below.
Speaking ahead of their Europa Conference League final against Roma last May, Slot opened up on Feyenoord's style of play both in and out of possession.
"We [Feyenoord] are an attack-minded team that likes to have a lot of the ball, and we play with a lot of intensity," he told UEFA.com. "When we don't have the ball, we want to win it back as quickly as possible by being aggressive and pressing to win back possession. I think we are a team that is difficult to beat.
"You [have to] focus on your opponent, the qualities they have and their weaknesses. That is what the match plan is for, but it would be strange to play a different system for the final. We will play our usual system and with the players you'd expect, as long as they are all fit."
Two months after their Europa Conference League final defeat, Slot was rewarded for a fine first year in Rotterdam with a new contract until the summer of 2025. Discussing his first 12 months at the helm and what he had achieved so far, he also opened up on their impending rebuild and the need to "build on a strong and talented team that entertains the crowd with attractive football".
As important as the results are for Slot and his team, an "attractive, infectious way of playing" is clearly a top priority for him as he is intent on entertaining supporters.
"The unexpectedly rapid success last season strengthened my feeling that our approach can work well in Rotterdam. I feel it’s a privilege for me to be able to do that here with such a high-quality staff and excellent facilities," he told the club's official website.
"What’s more, I feel that our work is greatly appreciated within the club and among the fans, not only because of the results but above all with regard to the development of players and the attractive, infectious way of playing the fans clearly enjoy. We made great strides last season on the new course Feyenoord has taken.
"After the departure of several players the big challenge for next season is again to get to and build on a strong and talented team that entertains the crowd with attractive football. Creating value remains the goal, while we obviously want to couple this with results, because ultimately in elite sport you want to win trophies.
"Everyone at the club, from the club management to the people on and around the pitch every day, are working hard to achieve that. That’s precisely why I have made a long-term commitment to this club."
It's perhaps no surprise to see Slot adopt a style very similar to that of Pep Guardiola. Someone the Dutchman clearly worships after forming incredible teams at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now Man City, Slot has mentioned the Spaniard on a couple of occasions in interviews.
Speaking ahead of Feyenoord's recent Europa League tie against Mourinho's Roma, Slot was asked about if he had been watching his counterpart's team but instead namechecked Guardiola.
"I am a fan of another football," he admitted. "I can appreciate Mourinho, despite being a Guardiola fan. If you really enjoy watching Guardiola's football, that doesn't mean you can't appreciate what another manager is doing. Mourinho's trophy case speaks for itself."
In a recent interview with Dutch publication Voetbal International, Slot again mentioned Guardiola when discussing the 52-year-old and the football his own Feyenoord team play.
"He gives me the ultimate pleasure in football," said Slot. "City has - and then it is not the intention to compare us with them - a similar way of playing how we want to do with Feyenoord: 4-3-3, building backwards, wanting to put pressure quickly."
A disciple of Guardiola and with his teams playing attractive football that is intense and aggressive, Tottenham fans have plenty to look forward to next season if Slot is appointed as Spurs' next head coach.
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