“I don’t think so” – International boss refuses to copy one thing Arne Slot has done this season | OneFootball

An international manager has openly decided against emulating one thing Arne Slot has done at Liverpool in the early stages of this season.

With Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley both encountering injury setbacks in recent weeks, Dominik Szoboszlai has been deployed at right-back, an unorthodox positional adjustment which has thus far worked out quite well for the 24-year-old midfielder and for ther Reds.

Last weekend’s match winner will come up against ex-LFC teammate Caoimhin Kelleher tonight as Hungary begin their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign against Republic of Ireland in Dublin, where we can expect to see our number 8 in his more customary role on the pitch.

Szoboszlai won’t be used at right-back for Hungary

The Magyars’ manager Marco Rossi spoke to the media on Friday ahead of the fixture, and he was asked if he’s planning to follow Slot’s lead by deploying his country’s captain at right-back.

The 60-year-old replied (via RTE): “I don’t think so, to be honest. We will employ him – I do not like this word ‘use’. You cannot ‘use’ persons. We will employ him. We will employ him in the position which is more comfortable for him and more useful for us.”

(Photo by David Balogh/Getty Images)

Szoboszlai has given Slot a pleasant selection headache

Szoboszlai had been utilised at right-back in pre-season, but he hadn’t played there in a competitive fixture until the recent victory over Newcastle – not that you’d have known it from how he’s acclimatised to an unfamiliar role.

Slot indicated that he’s hopeful of having Frimpong available for selection once more after the international break, which could see the Dutchman resume his usual position and necessitate a rethink as to the Hungary captain.

The 24-year-old is obviously most at home in an attacking midfield berth, but it doesn’t seem likely at this stage that Florian Wirtz will be dropped or redeployed.

Szoboszlai’s performances at right-back have presented the Liverpool head coach with a pleasant selection headache, but with a hectic run of seven matches in 21 days coming up, the need for rotation should see most of the Reds’ players being given a decent portion of game-time.

In the meantime, it’ll be compelling to see what our number 8 can produce against Ireland tonight and Portugal on Tuesday.