Ones to Watch: Potential Klopp Replacements
Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp shocked the world on Friday, announcing his plans to leave the club at the end of the season.
Some of Europe’s most exciting managers have already been linked, with Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso being the early favourite for the job. Brighton’ Roberto De Zerbi and Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann are also tipped to be high on the list.
However, there a few coaches in Europe who could be dark horses in Liverpool’s search for a new head coach. Today we’re going to be looking deeper and rating a few of these options…
A Familiar Foe:
One outside shout for the soon-to-be vacant position, is Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel. The former Chelsea boss proved to be tricky opposition to Klopp on multiple occasions- most notably the two domestic cup finals that the Reds ultimately won on penalties.
In terms of similarities to Klopp, there are few as similar as Tuchel. Both Germans made a name for themselves at Mainz before moving on to Borussia Dortmund and going on to winning a UEFA Champions League during their time in England. Obviously, Klopp achieved a lot more than Tuchel but there are definitely similarities.
Tuchel hasn’t quite hit the ground running at Bayern Munich, with rumours that the German side could look to Xabi Alonso as a potential replacement. This would ultimately make Tuchel available by the time Klopp leaves Liverpool.
However, Tuchel’s style of play is nowhere near as exciting or progressive as the likes of Alonso and De Zerbi’s, which could prove a serious stumbling block at Anfield.
Rating- 7.5/10
Another Current Premier League Option:
Although Brighton’s De Zerbi is reportedly high on Liverpool’s list of options, there is another in Brentford’s Thomas Frank. The Danish manager has achieved huge success during his time in West London.
After getting the Bees promoted from the Championship, Frank has also managed to transform his side into an established Premier League club. His achievements made even more impressive due to the style of recruitment and the tight budget he’s working with.
Importantly, Frank has the exact sort of personality and passion that has always been admired by the Anfield faithful. Very few managers could have the personality to preserve the atmosphere built up by Klopp over the years, but Frank could be one of them.
Rating- 6.5/10
More Bundesliga Talent:
Current RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose could be a potential dark horse in Liverpool’s search for their next head coach. The 47-year-old has racked up a fair amount of experience since earning his first managerial role in 2017.
Some Liverpool supporters will remember Rose’s RB Salzburg side, which contained the likes of Erling Haaland, Dominik Szoboszlai and Taki Minamino. His brilliant work in Austria led him to the likes of Borussia Mochengladbach and Borrusia Dortmund.
Rose was sacked by Dortmund in 2022 after just one season in charge, but has since revamped his career by building an exciting RB Leipzig side. His style of play would certainly be more admired than the likes of Tuchel, but staff at Anfield may be put off by that sacking at Dortmund.
Rating- 7/10
