Szoboszlai: Slot has proven he can win EPL, no one has lost faith in him

Beijing time (CET+7) 19:30 tomorrow night, Liverpool will usher in the 36th round of the Premier League home game against Chelsea. Before the game, Szoboszlai accepted an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, talking about the controversy of juggling the ball at Old Trafford, his views on Slot, and other issues.

The typical Hungarian is direct, enthusiastic, friendly and pessimistic. What about you?

"So, I don't think badly, I don't at all, because that will also bring negative emotions. But I think I am a straightforward person, so I say what I think, what is the other one? Friendly?"

"If you know me, you will think I am very friendly, but if you don't know me, you may think I am not very friendly. As for being straightforward? I like to be frank and tell the truth, even if you may not agree with my opinion, I will still insist on saying it, and then we will argue."

Just in the last few days, you and Curtis Jones, Wirtz, and Frimpong were accused of juggling the ball in the player tunnel at Old Trafford before the game. They said it was disrespectful to Manchester United.

"What people don't know is that we do this before every game, last season and this season. We do it every game, we just don't want to change it, we are not disrespecting anyone, we just want to play football, just want to be with each other."

"I think it's better to kick a one-touch warm-up together than to stay in the locker room alone without talking to each other. There was still an hour before the game started. Believe me, everyone is ready 10 minutes before the game starts, it doesn't matter whether you juggle the ball or not."

The criticism always revolves around a common theme: the players are not serious enough, and the critics think you have too much rest time and are not committed enough.

"In general, criticism is completely normal. We are trying to build a new team, because some players have left, and we have also introduced some new players, so I think we must treat this season as a period of reconstruction."

"But the fans must understand that we are equally dissatisfied with this season. We do this for them, because without them, playing football is meaningless, we really care about them."

"If they knew how many consultations we had to find a solution, they would be surprised. So we are working hard, and I also see some things about what we do in our spare time."

"Well, we are also ordinary people, and we occasionally take a few days off. Although it's not as much as everyone thinks, we also want to enjoy these holidays, because even if we love our job, we also need to relax."

You left home at the age of 15 to develop your career in Austria, and therefore missed the time with your sister. Now, all your free time is spent with your wife and young daughter.

"My goal is to strive to be a role model for every little boy who starts playing football so that they can understand that no matter where you start, where you come from, as long as you put in enough effort, time, and sacrifice into what you do, you can achieve anything."

"It doesn't matter, it doesn't have to be an achievement in football, it can be something else, and, I want to be the best dad in my daughter's mind, to accompany her and help her when she needs me."

The photos you posted on social media before also caused some controversy, because you wore an expensive watch when you went to report to the national team. Do you think you are very likeable?

"I don't know what that means, but if you don't know me, you will form an opinion of me based on what you see on social media, which is completely normal, but I think I have shown the fans what it means to me to play here."

"I go all out every week, every game, and give everything for the team, for the club, for them, so, if I post something on social media or wear something, it's just part of the game, part of me, that's who I am.

"The most important thing is my performance on the field, not what I wear off the field, because if my performance declines, or I no longer try my best every week, I can understand their disappointment, and I will listen to their opinions. I have proven to them that no matter what I do off the field, I am always ready on the field."

Many Liverpool fans are calling for Slot to be sacked, even though he led the team to their first league title challenge last season, and even though the team is in a period of transition.

"This is not a problem at all, he is our coach. This is now his second season, and don't forget that in his first season, we won the Premier League, so no one here has lost faith in him."

"Rumors come and go, but he has proven that he has the ability to win the Premier League, and we as a team, a coaching staff, and a club have also proven that we have the ability to win the Premier League, so now we just need to continue to work hard and try again next year."

"It's not my job to tell you what's wrong and what's done right, that's why we have a head coach, and he has a coaching staff behind him, whose job it is to find out how we get out of this situation and tell the players what we have to do to go down a different path."

"Personally, I feel like I was a little neglected last season. I did everything for the team, and I still do. But last season I neglected myself a little, and this season I didn't. I'm still doing everything for the team like I did last season, but now I'm also doing what I'm good at."

"For next season, I don't want to have too much hope. I am now only focused on the next three games, because that is the most important thing. We have not yet qualified for the Champions League, hopefully we can do it on Saturday, and then, if the season is over, we will consider the direction of future development."

You also suffered other setbacks. Last November, Hungary played Ireland at home. You only needed a draw to qualify for the play-offs, but you unfortunately lost 2-3.

"I have never felt so sad, but, yeah, that's life."