New Liverpool manager Arne Slot has a unique way of dealing with players who step out of line.
Slot is all set for his first competitive game in charge of the Reds when they face Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday. The Dutchman will be hoping to get off to the perfect start in Liverpool ’s opening match of the season as they bid to kick off the post- Jurgen Klopp era with three points.
Much has been made of the Dutchman’s appointment over the summer months, with details emerging about his tactics and preferred style of play. He is a manager in a similar mould to Klopp, both in terms of philosophy and temperament – as shown by his approach to discipline. 
According to Colorado Rapids star Cole Bassett, who played under Slot at Feyenoord, the 45-year-old is not one to air his dirty laundry in public. And, what’s more, his way of dealing with ill-discipline goes to the core of the environment he wants to foster at a football club – particularly at Anfield.
“Every team has a few people who step out of line,” said Bassett in an exclusive interview with Mirror Sport. “It’s natural, we’re human beings. There’s a line with him [Slot], but he didn’t want to make too big a deal out of anything to the point where it affected the team or performances, and everybody started talking about it in the media.
“He deals with it internally so it never gets out and you can move on and focus on team things. Sometimes players do things and coaches go out in the media and make a big deal with it, and then the focus isn’t on the team for the game. I think he did well when we did have issues to keep it internal. Everyone makes mistakes and then you move on with it.”
All managers use different techniques to keep players in line. But one of the most common methods of discipline in the dressing room is a fining system.
Klopp allowed his squad to decide on the punishment for anyone adjudged to have broken the rules. According to James Milner, it involved a big inflatable dice and holding a mock court case.
Others, such as former Everton and Chelsea boss Frank Lampard, have been known to operate a more traditional system of punishment. The legendary midfielder would fine those who turned up late for team meetings £500 per minute, while it was £20,000 for arriving late to training.
Slot is believed to operate a system of fines for more general indiscretions, such as being late to training or missing the team bus. But, according to Bassett, he can take a more unique approach to individual cases in order to both teach a lesson, foster team unity and teach the accused a valuable lesson.
“They [Feyenoord] didn’t have a fines system,” Bassett explains. “I thought that was weird, because with so many British guys over here in MLS I’ve always been accustomed to a fines system.
“But when I moved there, we didn’t have a fine system set up. If you went over the top or missed training, you’d get a fine from the club, but there wasn’t a set fines system for the silly little stuff, which is a bit different from what I’m accustomed to because everywhere else we’ve had that.”
Bassett went on: “There was a time when we had an international break and the guys who didn’t get called into their national teams were able to go away for three or four days. One player didn’t come back on time for training on the Monday. Arne did well to sort it out. The player got fined and he had to take us out to a team dinner.
“His punishment was taking everybody out and he had to pay for it. He could have made a big deal of it, but the team bonded, and the player didn’t want to have to pay for a whole team dinner again! He learned his lesson and no-one outside of the group ever knew about it at the time.”
Slot will be hoping no-one falls out of line as he bids to get off to the perfect start as Liverpool manager. But if they do, at least now they know it might cost them.
