Liverpool boss Arne Slot gives emotional demand to players after Jota death

Irish Daily Mirror

a day ago

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has opened up about his emotional directive for the players to "be themselves" in their first game since Diogo Jota's passing, while confessing that "nothing seems important" following the heartbreaking loss of the 28 year old.
Jota's life was cut tragically short in Spain due to a car accident alongside his brother Andre earlier this month, after a tyre blowout during an overtaking manoeuvre caused their Lamborghini to catch fire.
The sudden death of Jota, who is survived by his wife Rute Cardoso and three young children, has sent waves of grief through the football community, prompting nearly all Liverpool players to join in mourning at his funeral in Gondomar, Portugal.
Captain Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson held wreaths shaped like a Liverpool football shirt with the number 20 on it and now the players plan to make a further tribute to Jota at their first pre-season friendly against Preston on Sunday.
A minute's silence will be observed, while You'll Never Walk Alone will also be played and a wreath laid down, with Liverpool stars set to wear black armbands.
As Liverpool look to start their new football season while still in mourning, Slot has urged his players to carry on as usual - because that's exactly what Jota would have done too.
"Nothing seems to be important if we think of what has happened," the Dutchman said. "But we are a football club and we need to train and we need to play again, if we want it or not. What I've said to the players, I can say it here as well. It's very difficult to find the right words because we constantly debate what is appropriate.
"What is appropriate in our actions? What is appropriate [for] what we have to say? Can we train again? Can we laugh again? Can we be angry if there's a wrong decision? And I've said to them, maybe the best thing for us to do is handle this situation like Jota was.
"And what I meant with that is that Jota was always himself, it didn't matter if he was talking to me, to his teammates, to the staff, he was always himself. So let us try to be ourselves as well. So, if we want to laugh we laugh; if we want to cry we're going to cry. If they want to train they can train, if they don't want to train they can not train. But be yourself, don't think you have to be different than your emotions tell you."
Slot also urged the Reds to be like Jota by finding courage in "very difficult times" as he praised his ability to offer something special when Liverpool were chasing a game.
It comes after Liverpool decided to retire Jota's number 20 shirt in his memory and Slot said it was the least the club could do as they continue to come to terms with his death.
"We will always carry him with us in our hearts, in our thoughts, wherever we go," he said. "Maybe especially in difficult moments.
"But in any moment we are here, we will carry him with us in our thoughts and in our hearts. To retire his shirt is the one thing we could, should and have done."