Anyone who has come into contact with the club says that Liverpool is special. The history surrounding the club both on and off the pitch is incredible and the club’s fans revel in every part of it. A club like Liverpool needs a special manager, and they have had them in the past, Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley put the club on the map of European soccer in the 1960s and 1970s. Kenny Dalglish won trophies with Liverpool as a player-manager in the 1980s. Rafael Benitez restored the club’s place in Europe when he won the UEFA Champions League in dramatic fashion in 2005. So after a run of disappointing seasons, Liverpool were again in need of someone special to take the helm.
Jurgen Klopp is that man.
The German tactician started his managerial career with FC Mainz 05, a club that was a perennial second-division club. He took them to the Bundesliga, the top-flight of German soccer. Soon after that success, he was hired at Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund had financial troubles, meaning they were struggling to sign players and even keep the lights on. Klopp turned the club’s troubles around, winning the Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal in the 2010-11 season. He then led Dortmund to the UEFA Champions League final in 2012-13, ultimately finishing as the runner-up.
In 2015, it was announced that Klopp would be leaving Dortmund for Liverpool. The scenes after his last match as manager for Dortmund were heartwarming, to say the least. Fans raised tifos before the match, players made a guard of honor following the match, and “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” the Liverpool club anthem, could be heard in the streets as fans were leaving. Not many managers receive that type of praise upon leaving a club, and it wasn’t just because he was an unbelievably smart manager. The likes of Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho are just as soccer savvy as Klopp is, but Klopp’s personality is what sets him apart. His infectious smile and wise sense of humor makes it difficult not to like the guy, and the way he talks about the sport and his tactics appeals to the working class.
And that is why he was the perfect fit for Liverpool.
Liverpool is a blue-collar port city. They love their soccer and they expect success. Anfield is known for being one of the best atmospheres in all of soccer, and now it has the product to match. Klopp has brought a high-press, fast-paced brand of soccer to Liverpool and has had success with it so far. Although they lost out on the English Premier League title last season by just one point, they won last year’s Champions League and currently sit 22 points ahead of second-place Manchester City, last year’s EPL champions. The club finished at the top of their UCL group and have drawn Spanish side Atletico Madrid.
Both the present and future look bright with Klopp contracted to be at the helm until 2024. The Liverpool youth system is rated so highly in his eyes that he has started full teams of academy players for FA and Carabao Cup matches and regularly calls youngsters in for EPL matches when the stars need rest. In their current form, Liverpool look to be back atop their perch. Take that Sir Alex Ferguson.
Picture courtesy of: https://www.hindustantimes.com/football/jurgen-klopp-agrees-new-deal-with-liverpool-until-2024/story-OuDcgP0vhC1m9w6biB5s8K.html
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