There is a famous clip to be found on YouTube of a television reporter roaming the streets of Liverpool informing disbelieving fans that Bill Shankly had announced his retirement.
It was 12 July 1974 when the father of the modern Liverpool took his leave, and while the media moves in vastly different ways almost half a century later, those same emotions will have washed over every Liverpool supporter when manager Jurgen Klopp announced on Friday that he was leaving Anfield at the end of the season.
This was the rarest of beasts in this age, an announcement of huge significance made without the slightest hint in advance, one which stunned the football world to send shockwaves way beyond Anfield.
The bewildered and heartbroken reaction from Liverpool’s followers is an accurate measure of the bond Klopp has formed with them since he walked into Anfield in October 2015, labelling himself “the normal one” as the antithesis of Jose Mourinho’s “special one.”
What has followed has been anything but normal, a thrill ride during which the 56-year-old German has claimed almost all the major honours, including Liverpool’s sixth Champions League in 2019 and the club’s first English title in 30 years 12 months later.
Liverpool have also won the Uefa Super Cup, the Fifa Club World Cup and a domestic double of the League Cup and FA Cup in 2021-22, also losing the Champions League final – Klopp’s third at the club – to Real Madrid in that season.
Klopp has meant, if this is possible, even more than just those glorious successes to Liverpool’s global fanbase.
As he did at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, he instantly tapped into the heartbeat of this most emotional of clubs.
Klopp’s heart-on-sleeve approach, his touchline animation, as well as a sure touch concerning what Liverpool’s fans felt and desired from their football team, places him alongside the likes of Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Sir Kenny Dalglish, who also announced a shock departure in 1991, as one of the most significant figures in the club’s rich history.
Klopp’s departure will leave a huge void, such has been his force of personality and the manner in which everything at the club is viewed through the prism of his brilliant management.
When Klopp left his two previous clubs, there were tears on the terraces and from the manager. It is a safe bet those scenes will be re-enacted when he takes his final Anfield curtain call.
Liverpool were on the decline and had sacked Brendan Rodgers when a call from Anfield persuaded Klopp to interrupt a battery-recharging sabbatical after Dortmund, with the manager admitting he was “on fire” from the moment he was contacted.
Klopp’s success in Germany, with Dortmund winning the Bundesliga twice and reaching the Champions League final in 2013, only to lose Bayern Munich, meant he was welcomed with open arms.
The energy Klopp gave off, as well as his obvious talents, created a new optimism at Liverpool, but every expectation has been exceeded.
In his shortened first season, even with a squad that was struggling under Rodgers, Klopp guided Liverpool to the League Cup final and Europa League final, but lost to Manchester City and Sevilla respectively.
Klopp’s full throttle style of football was an instant winner with Liverpool’s support and things kicked into gear spectacularly when he assembled what will go down as one of the most fearsome attacking triumvirates of the modern age in Roberto Firmino, who was already at Anfield, alongside two new purchases in Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.
The addition of Virgil van Dijk from Southampton for £75m added defensive security, Liverpool rampaging to the Champions League final in 2018, before losing 3-1 to a Gareth Bale-inspired Real in Kyiv.
It was a final where Klopp’s Liverpool paid the price for Salah’s early injury and goalkeeper Loris Karius’ errors – a problem rectified by the summer signing of world-class Brazil keeper Alisson from Roma.
Liverpool, as they were to become so often, were Manchester City’s closest challengers but the real magic of the Klopp era began when the Champions League was won in 2019 with a 2-0 victory against Tottenham in Madrid.
The title, the Holy Grail that eluded Liverpool for three decades, was claimed the following season. It was a magnificent achievement only dampened by the fact they lifted the trophy at a virtually empty Anfield, as it was won during the Covid pandemic.
Klopp’s adoring Liverpool fanbase would love to see it happen again in front of full Anfield at the end of his reign. In fact, they are probably already dreaming about it.
Liverpool chased a quadruple in 2021-22, winning the domestic double of League Cup and FA Cup on penalties against Chelsea, while the title was only conceded to Manchester City on the final day of the season, and Real Madrid were once again the Reds’ nemesis in the Champions League with their 1-0 win in Paris.
In these years, Klopp’s rivalry with City counterpart Pep Guardiola became one the most compelling and competitive sub-plots of the recent Premier League era as they fought fiercely for the major prizes.
If there is an added surprise to Klopp’s decision, and it is hard to be more surprised than we already are, it is that it comes with Liverpool rebuilt – or “reloaded” to use his own phrase – following a disappointing season last term.
Liverpool and Klopp are on a quadruple trail again as Premier League leaders, EFL Cup finalists against Chelsea, in the fourth round of the FA Cup against Norwich City at what is sure to be an emotion-charged Anfield on Sunday, and they are also firm favourites to win the Europa League.
There is every chance there will be a silver-lined end to his reign as manager and players, who will be initially devastated at the thought of life without Klopp, form a united force in a chase of final glories.
Thoughts will, of course, turn to Klopp’s successor and one name stands out above all.
Liverpool’s former Champions League winner Xabi Alonso is doing outstanding work in taking Bayer Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga. He must be the hot favourite and would be warmly welcomed by Liverpool fans.
When Klopp’s journey ends, it will come after giving Liverpool and their supporters memories they will treasure forever, a love affair on and off the field that will surely earn him a permanent memorial at the famous stadium at some point in the future.
One of Klopp’s earliest quotes when he came to Liverpool was that it is not what people think of you when you arrive, it is what people think of you when they leave.
The outpouring of emotion from Liverpool fans on Friday, which will no doubt be repeated when he shares his final day with them, will have told Jurgen Klopp exactly what they think of him.
Source
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. All rights and credits reserved to respective owner(s).
Add Comment