See that man pacing the touchline, intensity and focus etched into his brow.
See that man tearing from the dugout, leaping and punching a fist through the air.
See that man smile and laugh, the gathered masses of the press sat comfortably in the palm of his hand.
That man is Jurgen Klopp, and Liverpool will never be the same again.
I was inclined to say that the arrival of our new manager was something of a breath of fresh air at the club. But that doesn’t quite capture his impact. In fact that falls a long way short. When Jurgen Klopp arrived at Liverpool it was more akin to a tornado ripping through the previously sleepy landscape.
He has proved the shot in the arm the club, the players and the fans so desperately needed after the exhilaration and promise of Rodgers’ almost season turned to despair and anger as the side slipped rapidly back into the old routine of inconsistent performances and sliding fortunes.
Strangely the performances under Klopp can still shift wildly from the sublime to the ridiculous one week to the next, but we can now deal with it so much better because at the helm is a man who is proving more than just a manager. We have a leader. One unafraid to be vocal, unfazed by the media spotlight, willing to go to war for his players and the club. We have a man who seems not only happy to be at Liverpool, but deeply proud to be here. He has instilled a new confidence and bite into the players and, as much as possible, has united a split fan base. There aren’t many could have achieved that.
I could sing the man’s praises all day long. For me he’s the best thing to happen to Liverpool since the arrival of Barnes, Beardsley and Aldridge in my all-time favourite bit of transfer business. Bigger than Rafa, than Xabi, than Suarez. With Klopp the possible rise back to the pinnacle of English, and then European football, seems like it could actually happen.
But now I’m waffling, again. What I’m here to consider might seem a little bit odd in light of the fact that Klopp and Liverpool’s relationship is still in its infancy. But it’s something that has played on my mind since I was swept away in Klopp’s tornado.
Who the hell can possibly sit in the manager’s chair next?
I know that sounds like a daft question. I mean under Klopp the future for Liverpool is a complete unknown. He could continue to galvanise us and lead us to glory, or, it could crumble.
His record as Liverpool manager reads; 17 wins, 14 draws, 9 defeats. Nothing to really crow about, but because he brings something more to the table based upon who he is as a man, his apparent understanding of us as fans and our club, and his deep love for the game, he is already shaping up as an almost impossible act to follow. There isn’t another manager currently plying his trade that I would swap our own for.
Klopp spent seven years at Mainz. He spent seven years at Dortmund. If he reaches a seventh year at Liverpool it would point to success. Very few managers in the English game get that far without it. At Liverpool what would currently be considered success is open for debate. Silverware in the shape of domestic cups, a league title, a sixth European Cup, or consistently making the top four? I would suggest that in the next seven years Klopp has got to achieve two of those four, and I firmly believe he will. And I firmly believe we’ll roll into 2022/23 with him steering the ship. But then what? If history repeats itself we’ll be looking for the next man. And in all honesty there’s only one contender who could come in and not feel like a backwards step. We’d need a hero, a club legend, a passionate football man who holds the club close to his heart. We’d need Steven Gerrard.
Wait! Don’t leave, I haven’t lost the plot…yet.
Because Klopp has had such a huge impact upon the club and myself personally (yep, I’m feeling the first throes of hero worship here), replacing him seems inconceivable, but one day it will have to happen, and the only thing that could ease that pain would be to see Steven Gerrard take his place.
Gerrard’s playing days are numbered now and he’ll be looking at his next move. I truly hope that move sees him back at the club he loves integrated into the coaching staff. Over the coming years he could be learning under the wing of Klopp, and when the time is right, hopefully in the reasonably distant future, he will become the obvious successor.
It’s how we used to do things. Shankly to Paisley, Paisley to Fagan, Fagan to Dalglish, Dalglish to Moran, Moran to Souness, Souness to Evans… alright the wheels come off slightly at the end there, but it still proved a period dripped in silverware, titles and glory. I would have no qualms about the club adopting that approach once again and placing the reigns into the hands of a genuine club legend.
Of course, only after a certain future German legend has said his fond farewells. Way down the line.
he is playing Rodger’s team w/o Suarez, who basically carried the team to almost the title.
Give klopp two transfer windows to really stamp his authority.
I would not want Gerrard to be manager, no track record.
If it was that easy, why don’t Man U ask Giggs to be manager and reason why Gary Neville is having a hard time at Valencia.
I hear what you’re saying, but I don’t mean replace Klopp now. Let’s say Klopp proves to be as big a success as I expect him to be, then six or seven years down the line wants a fresh challenge. That’s time Gerrard could be part of the staff under a successful manager readying himself to take the reigns.
Where was Paisley’s track record, or Dalglish’s? They learnt by working under a great and there aren’t currently many greater than Klopp. My point was not so much about replacing Klopp, but more that he’s such a huge figure and becoming so loved that anyone other than a club legend coming in years down the line is going to feel massively deflating.
It won’t be Gerrard, it’s Carragher.
I WOULD RATHER GO FOR CARRAGHER!! BUT ALSO ONLY IF KLOPP LEAVE THE CLUB WHILE ON A HIGH ELSE A PROVEN MANAGER WILL BE MORE LOGIC CONSIDERING THE HARSHNESS OF THE FOOTBALL WORLD..
This is just nonsense. Nothing to suggest Gerard has the capability to be a manager. This is the guy who gave out cause he didn’t realise there’d be so much flying between games in the MLS! Did he not research before he signed a contract. This is the guy who was annoyed by psycho Pearce dropping him as England captain yet didn’t have the balls to have it out with him. Stevie has been a terrific player for LFC and nothing changes that but would he make a good manager? No chance in my opinion. If he got his badges and proved himself at a lower level and then merited a chance then maybe until then it’s a pointless debate.
Thanks Luke, saved me the bother
I’d suggest completely writing him off as a potential future manager based upon the two examples you’ve offered is equally nonsense. I’d sooner he was at the club working and learning under Klopp than working at a lower level myself.
But it’s all purely speculation and opinion of course.
I could have offered many other examples but I didn’t want to waste my time. You’re entitled to your opinion but my opinion is that Steven Gerard doesn’t have the mentality to be a manager especially not at a huge club like ours. The only evidence you have for his potential is that he was a great player for the club (which he was) and that in the past figures from within the set-up have gone to achieve unbelievable success. Well Ronnie Moran was a decent player for us, by most accounts, and had an extensive career behind the scenes working with many of the Giants of our past. Didn’t see him being offered the managers job (with two honourable exceptions as caretaker, of course). The problem for Stevie is that wanting something and being able to achieve that something are two very different things. To me he comes across as a deeply insecure man, remember the whole chelski debacle anyone?, who has shown no signs over a long and hugely successful career of even coming close to having the temperament for top level management. That’s even before one considers whether he has the smarts for the job. LFC isn’t a finishing school. It’s a destination not a journey.
There is a modern problem with this. Now I don’t have the numbers, but if you look at the trully top managers in the game, last 10 years, Klopp, Guardiola, Mourhinho, Ancellotti, Ferguson, Wegner, how many of them were star players? Even if we add Benitez, Conte, Allegri, Simeone. What connects this coaches is that they paid their dues, went to smaller clubs, paid their dues, overachieved. They also all won something at those lower tier jobs. Also look at the most notable names that are working their way up the coaching ranks and are successful, Laudrup, Koeman, DeBoer, Deshamps, Blanc, Enrique, we looking at former CBs and Midfielders, mostly defensive mids.
I would be most curious how Xabi Alonso does in management, having played under Benitez, Mourhino, Ancelotti, Guardiolla and Del Bosque. That’s a LOT of different philosophies he soaked up. Another type would be Mascherano. Carragher could be interesting, but I think he’s enjoying himself doing TV and I don’t think he wants to go to say blackpool for couple years. We all so how Neville did after going straight from tv into club coaching, I’ll pass on another one.
I think one name that actually does fit the bill is Eddie Howe. If he stays at Bournemouth and actually wins something, he could be the next great manager.
Also watching how great the MU experiment is going with Giggs, I don’t want former players forced on Klopp as coaches, I think it would have detrimental effect on the coaches, players and fans. If a former player wants to be a Liverpool coach, go and prove yourself at a smaller club first.
This is eerie: I was thinking today as I was taking the World’s Greatest Dog for his afternoon walk that Liverpool fans should savor these next few years with Klopp at the helm. For the first time since — who? — we have someone that I have total trust in. I’m geeked to the Nth to see who he brings in and who he lets go — all the while certain it’s going to be okay and that I can plan another trip to England to watch the squad play and challenge for the Top 4.
I want klopp out of anfield club and I want new manager at anfield club today
I want new manager at Anfield replace Klopp