Glen Johnson Exclusive Interview with WDW Bingo
Glen Johnson is a former professional footballer who played for Liverpool, Chelsea, West Ham, Portsmouth, Stoke City and others, making 366 club appearances and earning 54 caps for England, scoring 16 career goals.
He spoke exclusively to WDW Bingo on the 13th of May 2025.
Q: It’s been a great season for Liverpool, despite it seemingly fizzling out a bit now that there’s nothing to play for. What have you made of Arne Slot’s first season in charge?
Glen Johnson: “Arne Slot has had an amazing first season in charge of Liverpool, it’s been pretty much faultless. I think it would have been easy for him to come into the job, try to stamp his authority on the squad, and change the things that Jürgen Klopp put in place, but he didn’t do that at all.
“Slot kept many things the same, which was beneficial for the players and explains exactly why they did so well this season, despite it being his first year in charge. He inherited a fantastic squad, but he had big boots to fill, so getting the players on board early was key for Slot.
“Players thrive on routine, and Slot kept Liverpool’s the same as when Klopp was at the club. Then, once they got wins under their belt and believed in the manager more, he made subtle changes which only seemed to help them more, and they won the league at a canter first time of asking. It’s been a special season.”
Q: Will Liverpool retain the Premier League next season? Who are their biggest rivals for the title? How many teams could win it?
GJ: “Liverpool can absolutely retain the title next year, but it’ll be tough and a big ask, especially because fans will expect cup runs as well. But I would expect Liverpool to improve further next season, so I don’t see why they couldn’t win back-to-back titles.
“They will know that if they improve, the teams chasing them will improve, which happens every season and is why the Premier League is great. Teams will be looking to hunt them down and close the gap next season, as the title this year felt wrapped up a long time ago.
“I expect Arsenal to be on Liverpool’s heels next season, especially if they make a few signings, and Man City will definitely bounce back from this lacklustre season. I think this Liverpool team can retain the title, but we will know how realistic that is at around Christmas time, when we can gauge their competition and how Liverpool themselves are playing.”
Q: What did you make of Liverpool fans booing Trent Alexander-Arnold at the weekend?
GJ: “The Liverpool fans booing Trent Alexander-Arnold against Arsenal at the weekend was crazy to me. I can understand fans being upset with the situation, but Trent has been a fantastic servant who has played a key part in every trophy Liverpool have won in recent times.
“Things got out of hand with the way Trent’s situation has played out, and it could have been handled better by all parties. However, the club never offered him a contract he was happy with, and when that happens, players move on, no matter who you are. He has given everything to Liverpool, he’s been there since he was a child and won almost every trophy. There isn’t much more for him to achieve at Liverpool, so I can understand why he made the decision.
“I think booing him was unfair, especially when he’s from Liverpool and one of their own, but fans are clearly upset by the whole situation.”
Q: When Trent leaves, it will be the first time in 10 years the club will be in the market for a right-back – who should they be looking at? Can Conor Bradley step up to the plate?
GJ: “Connor Bradley is more than capable of filling Trent’s boots next season. Every time he has been called upon this season, he has put in great performances. At times this season, when I’ve watched him, I thought he’s been better than Trent, especially when defending. So, you never know, he could potentially develop into a better player than Trent.
“Liverpool definitely don’t need to sign anyone to replace Trent, but they could do with signing someone who can push Connor. I’m not sure if anyone in the academy can step up to challenge Connor, but signing someone who could just keep him on his toes would be great. Liverpool did something similar a few years ago, signing Konstantinos Tsimikas to challenge Andy Robertson.
“Connor deserves his chance next season for all the brilliant performances he put in this season, I think he’s been great. I hope he takes his chance and runs with it.”
Q: How does Arne Slot get that creativity back in the side that Trent’s departure will leave?
GJ: “When any team loses a top player, especially a title-winning team, it will affect the creativity of the squad. But I don’t think Liverpool will struggle too much without Trent. He has seven assists in the league this year, which is great, and he brings so much more than assists in terms of his passing range, but no single player won Liverpool this title.
“Every player in the squad is capable of being creative, and other players will step up to the plate next year and match his creativity. Liverpool have a well-rounded team, and they have just won the title. I don’t think they will miss him too much.”
Q: What should Joe Gomez do this summer? Is he fulfilling his potential currently as a Liverpool player?
GJ: “Joe Gomez just needs to play football. He needs to stay fit and get game time because he is a fantastic player who is plagued by injuries a little bit. I think he has a lot to give, and I would be surprised if he is allowed to leave the club without a significant offer coming in.
“He’s a versatile footballer who can play anywhere across the back line, which is valuable to a manager. Gomez is Premier League quality. It would be a mistake to let him go to a rival team in England, and that’s what will happen if he leaves this summer. I hope he stays, has an injury-free season next year and proves to everyone how good a defender he is.”
Q: Are you surprised Liverpool are in the market for a striker, given the form of Diego Jota and Darwin Núñez?
GJ: “Not at all, when you’re a club as big as Liverpool, you always have to be in the market for talent in every position. This is because you always need to upgrade to keep pace with the teams hunting you down. When you win trophies, other big clubs come sniffing around your players, and if people get tempted and leave, you must replace them.”
Q: You said recently strikers like Ollie Watkins, Benjamin Sesko, and Liam Delap aren’t worth the price tag for Liverpool to sign. Which striker do you think is worth spending the money on?
GJ: “Honestly, I’m still not sure. I just don’t want Liverpool to feel pressured into signing someone for the sake of it this summer, just because their strikers have been underwhelming this season. Nobody around the world is really banging the door down for me as a Liverpool striker, because playing in this team and system is about much more than scoring goals.
“If they rush into signing someone, they could end up blowing a lot of money on someone who turns out to be poor, as they have done in the past. I don’t think Liverpool are in desperate need of a striker signing right now.”
Q: There are some strong rumours that Liverpool will be signing a new left-back in the summer, and Milos Kerkez is the strongest rumour. Do you think he is the ideal signing? Or do you think Antonee Robinson from Fulham or even Marc Cucurella for Chelsea are being overlooked?
GJ: “It’s really important that Liverpool get this signing right this summer. They need a player who can fit right in with the players, match their attitude and not get lost in the dressing room. Milos Kerkez seems to be the player that has been linked the most, but I’m not sure he is the right fit.
“If I were Liverpool, I would be doing everything I could to sign Marc Cucurella, he would be my first choice Robertson replacement. I’m not sure if he is available, but he is by far the best left-back in the Premier League, and everyone is available for the right price. He has really kicked on since the Euros last year, and the best I have seen him play was against Liverpool a few weeks ago, up against the best winger in the league.
“He is a live wire, he seems to be buzzing about all over the pitch all game long. He defends really well, is great on the ball, but he is also capable of popping up in the opponent’s box and contributing goals and assists. Cucurella is being massively overlooked by Liverpool in their search for a left-back, but I doubt Chelsea would be keen to let him go.”
Q: Was this season the best Van Dijk has played in his career?
GJ: “I think Virgil van Dijk has been exceptional again this season. You need your top players to perform if you want to win league titles, and he was brilliant all season. He stayed fit, which was key for Liverpool because you can’t lose a defender and leader like him and coast to the title like they have this season.
“Granted, he has made a few mistakes this season, but even the best defenders sometimes give away chances and goals. Players play so many games in a season that there are bound to be some mistakes, but Van Dijk’s errors get highlighted more often than others because he has been so good for so long.
“Signing him to a new deal was as important as resigning Mohamed Salah. He will play a key role in Liverpool’s attempt to retain the title next year. The club did a good job getting two of the three players to resign for next season.”
Q: Chelsea will have had a pretty good season if they finish in the Champions League places and win the UEFA Conference League. Do you expect them to achieve this?
GJ: “It’ll be an amazing season for Chelsea if they finish in the top four and win the Conference League. It’s a huge few weeks coming up for them, but I back them to do both. However, if they do neither, then the season will become disappointing, similar to the past few years.
“They have the opportunity in front of them to have an unbelievable season, and both the club and the fans would have bitten their arm off to be in this position at the beginning of the season. If they achieve one of the two, they’ll be happy, and I imagine their main target will be securing Champions League football for next season.”
Q: Enzo Maresca stepped into what is known to be a very difficult job as Chelsea manager. How impressed have you been with him and the style he has imprinted on this team so quickly?
GJ: “Enzo Maresca has done a really good job this season. The team has been a lot more consistent than we have seen in recent years, despite dropping quite a lot of points early in the season. He has made them much more solid defensively than they have looked in the past, which is the key to any team improving long-term.
“Maresca seems to have turned the club around in his short reign. They have the Conference League final coming up in a few weeks, which they should win, and they should have Champions League football this season, what more could fans want? They’ve had good players for years now, Chelsea, but no manager has seemed to get them to play together like a team, and Maresca is nailing that and keeping everyone happy by rotating in the Conference League.”
Q: How good of a season has Enzo Fernández had for Chelsea this year?
GJ: “Enzo Fernández has had a brilliant season this year and is one of the key reasons Chelsea are playing so well. He has been contributing defensively, linking up play, and scoring goals, which is the key for a well-rounded midfielder.
“There’s never been any doubt in his footballing ability, but sometimes players need a season to get into it. Chelsea as a team has improved significantly this season, which will also be helping his game as players are matching his effort and energy now. So it’s great for Enzo that he is having a standout season, but also great for Chelsea as it shows the club is heading in the right direction.”
Q: It has been rumoured that Chelsea will be paying the £5 million fee to send Jadon Sancho back to Man United. Do you think this is the right move for the club?
GJ: “It is certainly the right move to offload Jadon Sancho back to Man United after his loan is over, but spending £5 million to send him back sounds crazy. Although it would be better than paying £25 million to keep him at the club, as he has been underwhelming since joining in January, despite having his moments.
“The loan certainly hasn’t gone the way either party planned, and I don’t know what he is like to have around in the dressing room, but if they are paying United to send him back, they clearly don’t think he could contribute to Chelsea in the future.”
Q: Do you think Chelsea should be in the conversation for a new big-name striker this summer? Liverpool, Man United, and Arsenal are all being linked with names like Victor Osimhen, Viktor Gyökeres and Ollie Watkins. Do Chelsea need to be in these conversations?
GJ: “On his day, I think Nicolas Jackson is good enough to lead the line for Chelsea, and at times this season, he has looked a brilliant striker. When he first came to the club, there was a lot of chaos, so I’m not surprised it took him a while to settle in and get among the goals. I’m still not sure if he is ever going to be your 20+ goal a season striker who will win you a title. But he’s young and could develop into that type of player.
“In this day and age, every top team needs to keep their eyes peeled for upgrades, so I am sure Chelsea will be scouting strikers. They do need another striker at the club, whether it is someone to replace Jackson or someone who can push him to become a better player. Either way, the competition will be healthy next season and improve Chelsea as an overall team.”
Q: Christopher Nkunku and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have both been linked with moves away from Chelsea this summer. Do you think they should all be offloaded, or do you see potential in any of them?
GJ: “Both Christopher Nkunku and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are talented players who have struggled for game time this season. Game time isn’t a given, just because you have signed for big money, especially at Chelsea. You need to earn the respect of your teammates on the training pitch, impress the manager and then nail down your position when you get the chance to play.
“They are both young, so they have time on their side to prove themselves to the manager. However, there is obviously something that makes Maresca not trust them with starts, or he just has better options available, which I think is more likely the case. Only eleven players get to start every game, and there is tough competition, especially at Chelsea, who have a lot of players at their disposal.”
Q: Would you enjoy playing in this new inverted full-back role some Premier League teams seemed to have adopted?
GJ: “I would have loved to have played as an inverted full-back. There were times in my career when I played in midfield and really enjoyed it, so I think this new role would have been the best of both worlds for me. I would have loved the freedom some of the full-backs get nowadays to wander into advanced positions and end up in the box more often, scoring goals. I think it would have suited my game, and I enjoy watching other players play the role now.”
Q: You were an FA Cup winner with Portsmouth in the 2007/08 season. How did it feel to play on such a momentous occasion and win? How do you see this weekend’s final playing out?
GJ: “As a kid playing football, everyone dreams of growing up and winning the FA Cup, and I was lucky enough to do that. It was a special moment for me to lift that trophy as a Pompey player in front of those amazing fans in a packed stadium. I loved every minute of it.
“I think this weekend’s game is more open than what people may anticipate. Normally, in a fixture like this, you would expect Man City to win comfortably, but I think this final is a bit different. City will be favourites and very hard to stop, but right now, Crystal Palace are playing some good football, and they have players who are capable of hurting any opposition.
“I expect it to be an open game, and if we get a game where City have a lot of the ball and Palace play on the counter, it’ll be a fun watch. If Palace got off to a fast start and grabbed an early goal, then who knows, the underdog might just win.”
Q: Which players do you think have been underrated in the Premier League this season?
GJ: “Chris Wood has been the most underrated player in the Premier League this season. I know he has had plenty of plaudits, but compared to some players who play for the ‘bigger’ clubs, he hasn’t had what he deserves.
“Nottingham Forest will obviously be appreciative of what he has accomplished, keeping them in the fight for the Champions League places. But he hasn’t had all that much service to feed off, and to have scored 20 goals in a team that doesn’t create many chances is no small feat.”
Q: West Ham have had a very up-and-down season. What have you made of Graham Potter’s reign so far?
GJ: “When Graham Potter first took over as manager, his task was quite simply to keep West Ham in the Premier League, which he has achieved, so you have to say it’s a job well done so far. It’s hard to have much influence over a team when you are in a relegation battle, as every player is in survival mode, doing anything they can to win points and avoid the drop.
“Now all the focus is on next season. Potter has a fantastic football brain, and he will have time with the players to prepare them for how he wants them to play next season. Hopefully, he will get a few new signings of his own, which will only help matters. He will have a full preseason to work with the players, and I expect the club to improve significantly next season under Potter.”
Q: Where do you think West Ham are capable of finishing in the league next season?
GJ: “West Ham are capable of finishing in the top half of the table next season. If they get a few signings through the door and buy into Potter’s style and tactics, they will be a stronger force than people expect next year.
“It’s always tight in the middle of the table, there are always five or six teams close on points battling for between eighth and fourteenth, and I don’t see why West Ham can’t be in that conversation next season. They have far too good of a squad to be just surviving every season, and I expect them to succeed under Potter.”
Q: Will West Ham struggle to keep star player Jarrod Bowen in the summer or do you think he is the type to be loyal and stay at West Ham for the rest of his career?
GJ: “It doesn’t happen often these days, when players join a club fairly early in their career and play there until they retire, but I can see this happening with Jarrod Bowen. He is a brilliant player, vital to the future of West Ham and is now starting to get England caps, which is fantastic.
“But I’m not sure he has done enough yet to force one of the biggest clubs in England to come in and spend a lot of money on him like Declan Rice did when he left for Arsenal.
Therefore, I can see him staying at West Ham for the rest of his career and becoming a club legend.”
Q: Portsmouth finished their season strong and avoided relegation comfortably by five points in the end. What did you make of their season?
GJ: “It’s been a tough year for Pompey, but they have done the most important thing and survived. The first season after you have been promoted is always the hardest, and the players and manager have done a great job surviving. The Championship is a tough league, it’s a battle to stay in, but also hard to get out of. It’s so close every season that anything can happen.
“It’s a great club and hopefully they can attract some more Championship-calibre players over the summer and become a mainstay in the Championship. They’ve got a great fan base, and it’s been a shame to see the club go through tough times recently, but hopefully this is the start of things turning around for Pompey.”
Q: Stoke City also avoided relegation by a couple of points. What did you make of their season?
GJ: “Stoke have also had a tough year, they have really struggled to score goals, and if you can’t score goals, you will be down the bottom of the table. But they have survived, and that is all that matters now. They can build on this season next year when Mark Robins has had a full preseason and transfer window with the squad. Hopefully, if they invest and buy a striker capable of scoring 15+ goals in the league, Stoke will soon find themselves further up the table.”
Q: How important is it for owners of teams down at the bottom of the Championship to invest in players if they want to make progress up the table next season?
GJ: “It’s super important as the Championship is one of the most competitive leagues in the world, and everyone in the league wants to sign the best players from League One and secure the best loanees from the Premier League. Therefore, if the owners don’t allow you to compete with your rivals, then it’s inevitable that you will struggle to compete at the top of the league.
“However, the clubs must make themselves attractive for players, because good players will have multiple offers, and you need to make them choose your club. Unfortunately, the more money you have to build a squad or offer for wages makes you more attractive, so it isn’t always easy for clubs with financial difficulties to see progress in the Championship.”