Arne Slot was blocked from hiring first-choice set-piece coach at Liverpool

Liverpool have conceded 12 goals from set-pieces in 18 Premier League matches this season - the joint-worst record in Europe's top five leagues - whilst scoring just three from dead-ball situations

(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside, Offside via Getty Images)

Arne Slot was prevented from appointing his first choice Liverpool set-piece coach when he succeeded Jurgen Klopp in the summer of 2024, it’s been claimed.

Despite this, the Dutchman guided the Reds to Premier League glory in his debut season at the helm. This achievement came after assembling a fresh backroom team, following the departure of most of Klopp's staff who chose to end their Anfield careers alongside the German.

Sipke Hulshoff made the move from Feyenoord to join Liverpool as assistant coach, accompanying Slot. John Heitinga also took up an assistant coach role after leaving West Ham United.

Fabian Otte was brought on board as the club's new head of goalkeeping, while Ruben Peeters joined the Anfield outfit as the first team performance coach. Additionally, Aaron Briggs was appointed as the first team development coach.

Just 18 months into Slot's tenure at Liverpool, there have already been several changes to his initial backroom team, with Briggs being the latest to exit. Last season, Briggs was given responsibility for set pieces in addition to his development coach duties and was subsequently named the Reds' specialist set-piece coach in the summer.

However, it was confirmed on Tuesday that he had left the club by mutual consent amid increasing criticism of Liverpool's set-piece struggles this season.

Slot's team has let in 12 goals from set-pieces in 18 league matches this season, while they've only managed to score three times from such situations. Its defensive record from set pieces is currently the joint-worst among Europe's top five leagues.

Feyenoord assistant coach Etienne Reijnen was wanted at Liverpool by Arne Slot(Image: ANP)

Briggs' exit follows Heitinga and Otte's departures last summer, along with the remaining goalkeeping coach, Claudio Taffarel. The Dutchman stepped down to take up the head coach role at Ajax, while the German later joined Tottenham Hotspur as head of goalkeeping.

Liverpool filled these vacancies with Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Xavi Valero, respectively, while Luis Fernando Iubel took over Briggs' original role as first-team development coach.

Before assigning Briggs with set-piece responsibilities, Liverpool had advertised for a full-time set-piece coach on LinkedIn. However, no replacement has been lined up following his departure.

Consequently, the responsibility now falls on Slot and his coaching staff to improve Liverpool's performance in set pieces.

When Slot initially moved to Anfield in the summer of 2024, he wanted to bring another coach from Feyenoord alongside him and Hulshoff.

Arne Slot enjoyed huge success with his backroom team at Feyenoord.(Image: Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images)

However, his plans to hire Etienne Reijnen were thwarted due to work permit issues. The 36-year-old didn't possess the necessary coaching qualifications to move to the Premier League, resulting in difficulties obtaining the required work visa.

Reijnen stayed at Feyenoord as a consequence, where he continues to work as assistant coach under Robin van Persie.

However, in a conversation with Algemeen Dagblad last December, Slot disclosed that his former coach also retained responsibility for set-pieces at the Eredivisie club.

"The fact that the people I brought with me to Feyenoord are also praised is also special," he said. "Marino Pusic came and went to Shakhtar Donetsk, which plays in the Champions League.

"Everyone knows how enthusiastic I am about Sipke Hulshoff. But others saw that too. He did so well that he became an assistant for the Dutch national team under Ronald Koeman.

"Etienne Reijnen is still at Feyenoord, and I recently read that Brian Priske praised him. The set-pieces are a strength at Feyenoord, and Reijnen still takes care of them.

"At Liverpool, they see that John Heitinga is doing a good job. The fact that Sven Mislintat didn't choose Heitinga as head coach at the time, and that he left Ajax for that reason, is now benefiting Liverpool."

Fast forward 12 months and Feyenoord have netted eight non-penalty set-pieces this campaign while conceding just once from dead-ball scenarios.

Liverpool's struggles from set-pieces this season, by comparison, have become an increasing source of frustration, culminating in Briggs' exit.

Given his appointment as set-piece coach was unconventional from the outset, only time will reveal how the Reds will tackle such a situation moving forward. In the interim, Slot and his coaching staff will shoulder the burden.

However, considering Reijnen's responsibilities under the Liverpool head coach during their tenure at Feyenoord - and his ongoing role in charge of set-pieces at De Kuip - it does raise questions about what Liverpool's record might have been if work permit issues hadn't prevented them from hiring the coach initially.