Liverpool have been a force to be reckoned with in the 2024/25 season. The Reds’ win over Manchester City at the end of February gave them what looks to be an almost unassailable lead of 11 points to second-placed Arsenal, and despite an early-season loss to Nottingham Forest, have remained unbeaten in the Premier League this season.
This feat is made all the more impressive by the fact that this is just Liverpool manager, Arne Slot’s first season in charge. Having filled the vacant role left by Jurgen Klopp in the summer of 2024, Slot has quickly been able to implement his style and philosophy, turning his side into a fearsome attacking machine that now has a comfortable lead at the top of the table.
In part, this success is down to the smooth transition the club has achieved in going from one manager to another. Thanks to a carefully curated continuity plan, Slot has been able to pick up where Klopp left off and push for even greater results.
Such a smooth transition is by no means guaranteed. You only have to look back to Manchester United’s 2013/14 season when, after Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure, the unfortunate David Moyes led the club to its worst start to a league campaign in 24 years.
A smooth succession strategy like this is powerful in football, especially when it comes to your life off the pitch. Indeed, when the time comes for you to retire from playing professionally and think about what comes next, you could take a leaf out of the Liverpool book and prepare so that you are able to successfully make the leap from your playing career to your new purpose in retirement.
Read on to find out what you can learn from the success of Slot’s all-but-crowned title winners.
Klopp left behind a fantastic team that was ready to succeed – and prepared for the future too
There is little doubt that a great deal of Slot and Liverpool’s success this season is in part thanks to the work of his predecessor, Klopp.
Slot inherited an excellent side that Klopp assembled, and those players have continued to perform at a remarkable level this season.
Crucially, Klopp started thinking about the future early on and began preparing the squad for life beyond his tenure. From January 2023 (around 18 months before his departure) Klopp made five signings:
- Cody Gakpo
- Alex Mac Allister
- Dominik Szoboszlai
- Wataru Endo
- Ryan Gravenberch
All five of these players have cemented their place within Liverpool’s matchday squad, many of them regularly featuring in the starting 11.
This underlines the importance of early planning in the face of a significant transition like this. Getting everything prepared ahead of time is vital, so that by the time you reach the crucial deadline, you are ready to hit the ground running.
At ProSport, we can help you prepare for your future in this way. Since 2009, we have helped professional athletes set and achieve their financial goals, guiding them toward long-term security with our holistic approach to financial planning that puts your targets at the centre.
From retirement planning to investments, tax, mortgages, and insurance, we can help you achieve financial stability through our comprehensive range of services.
Working with an experienced professional can offer psychological benefits as well as financial ones. Having a sound, thought-out, and comprehensive financial and career plan can offer you immense reassurance during this drastic life change, giving you confidence that you will continue to be financially secure long after you have hung up your boots.
Importantly, taking the Klopp approach and thinking about this early is key. The sooner you start working with us, the more time you will give yourself to put strategies in place that ensure a straightforward move from playing professionally to whatever comes next.
You need to surround yourself with the right team
The combination of manager and backroom staff is another huge element in what makes a successful transition.
This is one of the major criticisms that has been aimed at David Moyes in his short tenure at Manchester United. As ESPN reported in 2016, former United captain Bryan Robson noted how Moyes removed the existing backroom team at the club before installing his own staff, who did not have experience of winning trophies.
While Slot did bring in his own backroom staff on joining Liverpool, these individuals are some of his most trusted sidekicks – including Sipke Hulshoff, who Slot has worked with in various roles throughout his managerial career. Notably, Hulshoff has been Slot’s number two since 2022, including in the 2022/23 Eredivisie season when Slot and Hulshoff led Feyenoord to the title.
Slot has achieved continuity for himself in this transition by choosing a trusted ally, as well as bringing valuable experience of winning titles that has no doubt been instrumental in Liverpool’s success.
Choosing a financial planner is much like choosing your club’s manager and backroom staff all in one. You need a wealth manager who can provide the support and guidance that helps facilitate that seamless transition into life after playing professionally. That’s exactly what you get with us at ProSport.
Working with us means picking a financial planning firm at the very top of its game. We have been awarded Chartered status – the “gold standard” of the advice profession – and achieved significant industry recognition, being included in the FTAdviser Top 10 and the Citywire New Model Adviser Top 100 Financial Advice Firms.
Perhaps even more importantly, we know football. We have worked with players at all levels of the professional game, and intimately understand the unique financial challenges you could face throughout your career.
Additionally, we have long-standing relationships with the PFA and The Players Foundation, offering independent advice to football professionals.
When you work with us, you can be confident you are getting Slot and his tight-knit team of staff, supporting you in continued financial success.
Get in touch
If you would like to find out how we can help you plan for your future after professional football, please get in touch.
Email enquiries@prosportwealth.co.uk or call 01204 602909 to speak to a member of our team today.
Please note
This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.
All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.
Please do not act based on anything you might read in this article. All contents are based on our understanding of HMRC legislation, which is subject to change.
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