‘He lives it’ – Craig Bellamy reveals shock at Arne Slot impact and doubts over replacing ‘personality of Jurgen Klopp’

CRAIG BELLAMY has hailed “incredible” Arne Slot for matching the high-energy personality of Jurgen Klopp.

The Liverpool boss bids to breathe new life into a stunning debut season with his first silverware for the club after the midweek Champions League penalty shootout exit to Paris Saint-Germain. 

Slot has had an impressive first season with Liverpool; 15 points clear in the Prem and a League Cup final appearance at Wembley

The ex-Feyenoord boss replaced high-energy Jurgen Klopp on Merseyside last summerGETTY

Slot, 46, leads his impressive Reds in today’s Carabao Cup final against Newcastle at Wembley.

And the Dutchman already has one hand firmly on the Premier League title as his runaway leaders are a mammoth 15 points clear of nearest rivals Arsenal.

Bellamy, who played for both of today’s finalists, says he never thought anyone could rival giant-like figure Klopp.

But the Wales manager has admired ex-Feyenoord chief Slot for his sheer enthusiasm since replacing the German on Merseyside last summer.

Bellamy said: “I’ve been impressed with Arne. All day. First season at the biggest club in the world, he’s been incredible.

“I just didn’t know if anyone could replace the personality of Klopp. 

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“They are not coming from two different worlds in terms of coaching. It’s quite similar in how they play.

“Of course, Slot has his own influences but it was more the personality. How do you replace that type of profile and person of Klopp?

“He was 100-mile an hour. Managers like that live it with you.

“I feel that it’s quite important that someone breathes it with you.

Bellamy, now the manager of Wales, played in the Premier League for both Liverpool and NewcastleAlamy

“Klopp would grip you with a bear hug after a match – he’s living it with you. And you could see the affection that they had for him.

“Slot is different. He shows it in a different way but to have the season he’s had has been incredible. Nothing short of that.”

So what attribute has really stood-out for boyhood Liverpool fan Bellamy?

Bellamy, who had two one-season stints at Anfield in 2006 and 2011 – and then won the League Cup with Liverpool against hometown club Cardiff in 2012, replied: “Energy. He lives it. How do you find that? To be able to find that twice a week – I find that really impressive.”

Student of the game Bellamy has tracked Slot’s path before his arrival in the Premier League.

The 45-year-old is a big fan of Dutch football having spent a week in the Netherlands as a kid when he was just a budding footballer.

Bellamy added: “I was impressed with Slot before when he was at Feyenoord. I have a soft spot for them.

“It’s mad. I love the De Kuip. It’s one of my favourite stadiums. I scored there for Newcastle in the Champions League.

“It seemed every European tournament that I watched as a kid had the final at that ground. It always felt like an amazing stadium.

“I spent a week there as a kid. We went to Feyenoord and Ajax as well. Ajax were such an amazing team at the time.

“But there’s something about Feyenoord, Rotterdam and De Kuip.

“So it was really nice watching Slot with them over the last few seasons and then to watch him take Liverpool.”

Bellamy will watch his old teams do battle in the first domestic final of the season at Wales’ Vale of Glamorgan HQ on the outskirts of Cardiff.

The Dragons boss will be preparing for his nation’s opening World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign against Kazakhstan next Saturday night.

Then Wales follow that up with a trip to North Macedonia three days later.

But, before his Welsh players start arriving late on Sunday, Bellamy, who had a four-year spell at Newcastle between 2001-05, is excited to tune in.

When asked how he saw the final panning out, he joked: “I couldn’t care. No Welsh players. I hope football is the winner.”

But Bellamy then raised a smile and added: “It’s a good game. I really like them both. I love the intensity that they go at.

“It will be nice to watch. I’m not going to give you a prediction but it doesn’t interfere with my game so I’ll watch it. I’m actually quite excited for the game.”