Arne Slot takes another unnecessary dig at one of his own players

"A properly media trained coach rarely offers entertaining responses in public interviews. Predictable answers are the core of standard coach speak for a reason - too much openness, honesty, and detail can be a violation of team trust. It invites pressure from the outside. Some things are better left unsaid, or at the very least, kept within the dressing room."

"Just last month, Slot offered a callous response when asked about Calvin Ramsay's potential role in the first team. "When someone is really unlucky with the injuries we are having, there's always a player that benefits from that and Calvin is one of them, so he's with us." Slot said. "But I still think I have better options to play." Allowing for the fact that English isn't Slot's first language, there's a better way to say this."

Media-trained coaches prioritize predictable, guarded answers to protect team trust and limit external pressure. Excessive openness and detailed honesty can undermine player confidence and invite scrutiny. Arne Slot speaks directly and often pairs opinion with perceived facts, which can be refreshing but sometimes crosses into damaging bluntness. A recent example saw Slot label Calvin Ramsay as benefiting from injuries and as a lesser option, remarks that could harm Ramsay's confidence. Managers should build players up; constructive criticism should aim to improve performance rather than publicly diminish a player's standing. A subsequent question about Curtis Jones presented an opportunity for praise that was not seized.

Read at Rush The Kop