In the first episode of Sky Sports' new "The Boss" series, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher sits down with Arne Slot, Liverpool FC's new head coach, to discuss his early experiences managing Liverpool FC, the club's transfer market plans, and what the Reds can achieve in the Premier League this season. This is part four of the interview.

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Athletic Bilbao is a club very close to my heart, and I love their traditions. I want to mention this because last season I received an award from them for my loyalty—being a one-club man. You clearly had a similar experience at Athletic Bilbao. I once read something you said, and I thought: this is exactly what I felt when I played for Liverpool FC. You said back then that you didn't enjoy football as much as you should have, or that you put too much pressure on yourself because it was a club you loved. That's how I felt about my career. Now looking back, I think: I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have. I really did put too much pressure on myself. So I find it remarkable that we had the same experience at Athletic Bilbao and Liverpool FC.

When you play for your hometown club that you love, you feel responsible for everything there. You feel like everyone is watching you all the time—every detail. You have to be perfect. You have to show your best side at all times. That means you might not be able to truly enjoy the game freely. You overthink things. When you lose a match, you spend two whole days dwelling on it. I don't want to go anywhere. I don't want to see anyone. I don't want to... So you can't really enjoy football. And I've always said that's why I enjoy my time as a coach so much more. Because after you retire, you go through a transition period of one or two years—maybe two or three years—and then you realize: maybe you weren't as important as you thought. When you stop playing, nobody really cares. You know? Now many people have forgotten you. You might regret not enjoying those moments because they'll never come back. We can't play on the pitch anymore. So now it's too late. And I don't want to make the same mistake as a coach. This is one reason I'm willing to take risks as a coach now, because I don't feel the same pressure I did as a player. From what you've said, I sense you felt very similarly.

When I think back on myself then, I wonder: was it because I was stubborn and emotionally tense on the pitch—and it seems you were the same—that if I'd played for another club, I might have enjoyed it more? Maybe I could have played more freely? But would I have been the same person? I don't know if I'd have been a better player or just an ordinary one. Have you ever thought about that? If you'd relaxed a bit back then, could you have reached an even higher level? Or was it that constant urgency and anxiety that tormented you every day—that drive in your gut—that made you who you were?

Yes, we'll never know the answer. We simply can't know. I think when you're at a club for many years and eventually become captain, you have to set an example in everything. So you always put the club's interests first. You want everyone to feel secure, and you're always thinking of the collective. So I don't know if that helped you or hindered your personal development. We can't change the past. But what's certain is that at a club like Liverpool FC—like Athletic Bilbao—for me, they're very special clubs—all the emotional fluctuations are amplified infinitely. You feel them multiplied. The emotions are completely different.

You mentioned taking more risks as a coach. We know there are many Spanish coaches in the Premier League, especially from the Basque region. It seems like you're about to take over the Premier League. You've said that in Spain, every coach, everywhere, has a different approach—their own unique style. So would you classify yourself as one of the boldest head coaches?

No, I don't want to be labeled as truly bold. Bold sounds like you can't guarantee tactical effectiveness. In reality, our tactical approach is because we strongly believe this is the best way to win—not to make the game exciting. I prefer to build a good team and earn glory. Many people will say, "No, watching your games is exciting, thrilling." But I usually respond: I'd rather you tell me—you're very strong, you're very solid. I want our team—my team—to always be filled with order and discipline. People often like to talk about chaos or similar terms.

Organized chaos

But for me, there's precise organization within it. Everything is driven by clear intent. I want everyone on the team to know what they should do and understand how teammates should work together in different situations. So when something doesn't run smoothly, everyone instinctively looks at the same teammate, knowing in their mind that you should be here, you should be executing that tactic. In this process, they're learning and developing together. And that's the stage we need to reach, isn't it? So everyone understands what their teammates are doing, so that in certain critical moments, they can solve problems on the pitch themselves without needing my intervention.

When you mention it takes time to reach this level, can you give us a rough timeframe? Do you think it will take two or three months to get going? Will it happen quickly, or will it take longer?

No matter what level we reach, it won't be the end point. We have to keep developing, improving, and strengthening continuously. Football is always like this. A tactic you used before might be figured out by opponents quickly and stop working. So you have to do more. You have to do better, faster. This is a process of evolution. How quickly can we reach a specific tactical level... I think the faster we understand and absorb the tactics, the more perfect our team becomes. That means we can adapt in real time during matches based on what happens on the pitch. We don't want to have to wait until halftime to change tactics every time. Because if everyone is ready and understands each other, you just need to make three gestures, and we can change our response on the pitch instantly. But at this stage, we might still be in the early A, B, C phase—far from the level of understanding I ideally want, right? But there will come a time when we can reach that deeper understanding, and then we'll be able to adjust on the pitch more quickly. I still love these moments: when a player rushes over to me during a break and quickly tells me within two minutes: Coach, right now they're defending like this, and I think we should respond like this. When that happens, you know in your mind: okay, we've done it. We've reached that level.

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