Jurgen Klopp’s tenure at Anfield ended. He and the players hugged and started to sing a song about his replacement and the Reds’ next manager, Arne Slot, who will try to fill in the void following the German’s departure.
That’s going to be tough, you know. Because there aren’t too many guys (and we aren’t saying managers) like Jurgen. If Mourinho is the “Special One,” then Klopp’s “Normal One” fits perfectly.
With a meaningless 2-0 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers and a lot of emotions, Klopp said goodbye to his beloved club after nine years, 491 matches, and eight trophies. This included the final “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” a final speech that evoked both sadness and tribute from all sides, and his exit with his hand over his heart and a red sweater bearing the inscription “I’ll never walk alone again.”
Going with a trophy could have been sweeter, but Liverpool’s disastrous finish ruined all that. To be precisely clear, Darwin Nunez’s incompetence and Mohamed Salah’s ego destroyed this season for the team from Anfield, along with injuries, but these two players can be labeled as the top targets to be blamed—first for not being able to score from seven feet and second for his toxic influence on the locker room.
This might be one of Klopp’s all-time lows in his career, and he has had some before. Like when he lost to Bayern in the UEFA Champions League Finals with Borussia. Or, when he lost against Sevilla in the UEFA Europa League, when Liverpool led at halftime. Or when he lost the title against City in 2019, having 97 points!!!
Though there were highs as well. Bringing back the Premiership to Anfield after three decades. Winning the UCL with Liverpool, eliminating Barcelona after a 3-0 deficit from the first game – Oh, my Lord, Origi’s goal still lives rent-free in my head.
In his 23-year managerial career, Klopp led only three teams – Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool. That’s supposed to be a sign of loyalty. And everywhere he went, he lifted things to another level.
Gegenpressing. A style of play that he perfected. That’s something why he stands as one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years. Klopp showed that wherever you play, this can be applied successfully. Mainz became a stable Bundesliga unit, while Borussia defied Bayern’s establishment, winning back-to-back titles with him, all because of Gegenpressing. Of course, and because of a touch of his magic, which united the fans, the team, and the community.
When mentioning the community, we can’t describe how much Klopp means to Liverpool. He brought back the glory days and revived Liverpool’s reputation, backing it up with trophies and success not only in the past.
His rivalry with Guardiola may not be as intense outside the pitch as some others because neither Klopp nor Pep don’t have an aggressive and provocative approach to one another but respect instead. In short, it wasn’t a reality show, but a true sportsmanship.
What now after leaving Liverpool? One thing is certain: Klopp will take some time off. He stated that he wants to live a little bit, but knowing his passion for football, we expect him to be back at some point. Where? We don’t know.
Maybe the German national team. Hm? Doesn’t sound that bad at all.
