Arne Slot captured the world’s attention by winning the Premier League in his first season, and his former psychologist at Feyenoord has offered further insight into his coaching.

Slot has shown an impressive ability to bounce back from defeats across his senior coaching career, with Liverpool’s recent run marking the first time he has lost three games on the spin.

It is new territory for the Dutchman, who will be finding the spotlight a little different to last season after an unexpected title triumph.

His former psychologist at Feyenoord, Daniel Abrahams, with whom he worked for two seasons has, however, offered an interesting insight into five of his coaching characteristics.

Taking to XAbrahams underlines traits we have come to know, but also expands on other elements of his coaching supporters that do not always get to see. This is what was said:

“1. Open yet closed – he was open-minded to speak with me and utilise me as the consultant sport psychologist to the club. Yet he checked and challenged most of what I said.

“It became obvious that as I spoke he was sense-making my ideas to judge and make a decision whether to use my suggestions.

“This is great – you don’t want a coach to accept everything…yet you do want a coach to listen, ask questions, and make appropriate judgements. You want them open and closed!

“2. Work ethic + presence – he had a sense of positivity about him without engaging in ‘toxic positivity’.

“He certainly gave the impression that he was confident in his approach, yet this confidence didn’t come across as mindless. He worked incredibly hard and this work ethic combined with his presence (built from his confidence) certainly rubbed off on his players.

“Work ethic + presence!

“3. Coaches as psychologists – he wanted his coaches to up-skill themselves in delivering on my suggestions (the ones he wanted to utilise).

“Coaches were present in my small group meetings and he wanted them to reinforce the points I made.

“For him, his coaches (and all the staff) were delivering the psychology. (Note: coaches aren’t psychologists…but they do do psychology in their role at all times!)

“4. Leadership and teamwork – he was certainly the ‘boss’ and he certainly laid down the game plans. But he appreciated the importance of leadership and teamwork…thus gave players the opportunity to practice these in training.

“Team huddles during and in-between activities game players the opportunity to solve problems together, guide, give advice, share, and motivate each other.

“A keen combination of coach-driven and player-centered felt like the approach during his reign at Feyenoord. Psycho-social skills are important to Arne.

“5. Tactical thoroughness and player meetings – psychology IS tactics and tactics ARE psychology. Intuitively Arne knows this and so the thoroughness in his tactical approach is shown through the numerous meetings he had with players (on a group and individual level).

“Certainty drives High Performance Mindset and evades Low Performance Mindset. And that is very much a mantra we had at Feyenoord. Everything we do works towards individual and team High Performance Mindsets. His tactical thoroughness drove player and team certainty which drove High Performance Mindsets.

“(Note: this is my lens of the world from my experiences at Feyenoord for two seasons. Much of what I did is confidential…but above offers a positive and important view of a very good coach).”