After almost years at the helm of the Club and 8 trophies, Jürgen Klopp leaves Liverpool.
He has been one of the greatest transformative coaches in the history of the club and the era of English football.
On the occasion of his departure, The Athletic presents you with the Real Jurgen Klopp, a series that paints the definitive portrait of one of football’s most outstanding figures.
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For part five, James Pearce spoke to more than a dozen current and former players, staff and executives to reveal their control secrets.
Read the rest here:
Pep Lijnders takes his time to think about how to sum up the magnitude of Klopp’s contribution to Liverpool.
What a point of view I had. The Dutchman was there to welcome Klopp when he arrived in 2015 and has been with him at almost every level of his coaching staff ever since.
“In the last 30 or 40 years, a lot of coaches have replaced a club like Jurgen,” Lijnders told The Athletic. “Louis van Gaal to Ajax, Johan Cruyff to Barca, Pep Guardiola to Barca, Arrigo Sacchi to Milan. So, for me, here Jürgen.
“Wherever in the world we had gone, even if we had worn other colours, other people would have recognised what they saw and said, ‘Ah, this is Liverpool Football Club’. As a coach, you can’t get a higher compliment than that.
Ask the same question about Klopp’s influence at Anfield to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, the dynamic full-backs who will be associated with his reign, and you’ll get the same answer: they were much more than trophies.
“Look at the stories we’ve written, the journeys we’ve all taken,” Alexander-Arnold says. “It helped us all become what we dreamed of. He took us to the top.
Robertson, nodding his head beside him, agrees. “From the moment I walked in the door, I can feel the trust everyone had in him. It was a really fun trip. There has been enthusiasm. It’s pretty decorated as far as cutlery goes, but it’s more the story of how he made a club and a fan base believe again.
The owners of the Fenway Sports Group (FSG) also owe a huge debt of gratitude. “He has enthused the club with an unrivalled competitive spirit,” Liverpool chairman Tom Werner said. “There is something about his philosophy of life that has been imbued with Liverpool’s history over the past nine years. Here’s a guy who wasn’t even born in the UK and yet has grown into the Scouser we all love and admire.
No control appointment in Liverpool’s history has aroused such a sense of fervour.
It was just past 5:30 p. m. on Thursday, October 8, 2015, when Klopp arrived at the city’s Hope Street Hotel. After the Mercedes V-Class he was riding in faced enthusiasts outside, he headed to The Sixth convention hall to sign a three-year contract alongside Werner. managing director Ian Ayre and agent Marc Kosicke.
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A week earlier, Klopp had travelled to New York to meet Liverpool at the New York offices of the Shearman law firm.
Werner: “My first impression was that he uses humour to make others feel good. Obviously, the position was vital to him, but he was also enjoying a stay in New York. You might feel his wonderful love of life when we said goodbye.
“After that first meeting, we looked at each other and said, ‘Forget about your tactical strategy, surely you’re the right user for this club. ‘We had interviewed other coaches, but he is extremely charismatic. A lot of big corporations are outside of football. He has this remarkable ability to motivate people.
Lijnders, first-team progression coach, goalkeeping coach John Achterberg and academy director Alex Inglethorpe were among those invited to dinner with Klopp at the Hope Street Hotel after his contract was signed.
Achterberg: “The verbal exchange went smoothly. I felt like I had known him for 10 years. I thought, “yes, I’m going to run for this guy. “
Inglethorpe: “The next day he came here to watch the under-18s play at Stoke in the academy. It was evident that he was really interested in what we’re doing. Many, many coaches communicate their commitment to the progression of young players. However, only a few of them actually believe so. Jürgen’s commitment has never wavered. He made our job easier by making sure the process was transparent. I can’t think of any other manager who has done the exact same thing.
During his presentation at Anfield, Klopp described himself as “the general” and suggested enthusiasts “move from sceptics to believers”.
“If we need it, it might be a very special day,” he said. “If you’re willing to work for it, if you’re patient enough. If I’m here in 4 years, I think we’ll have won. “a name at the time. Otherwise, the next (job) could simply be in Switzerland. “
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Liverpool were tenth in the Premier League with 12 draws in 8 games. They had won just one League Cup since 2006 and had qualified for the Champions League in one of the last six seasons when Brendan Rodgers’ reign crumbled after the heartbreak of missing out on the name in 2013-14.
Klopp waited until the club’s internationals returned to their educational base in Melwood before gathering the team in the press room. Each staff member is invited on-site to stop by and describe their role.
Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet: “Everyone went by like a train. Jürgen said, “Who are all those others?”Everyone said, “It’s the staff. ” He replied: “No, we are all one family: the Liverpool family. “You’ll need to know everyone’s name. These other people are there to help you take action. “Jurgen’s point was that we are all part of the puzzle. This set the tone for everything that followed.
Kenny Grimes, Melwood goalkeeper: “There’s no doubt that the attitude of the players towards us has changed. They used to pass in front of you, but after (the meeting with Klopp) they started tracking a lot more. Everyone seemed happier, more relaxed. There was never an air of grace with Jurgen. Culture has replaced it. It made you feel much more like a component of Liverpool FC.
Klopp, who was joined by assistants Peter Krawietz and Zeljko Buvac, felt the team he inherited was talented but overwhelmed by expectations and pressure. He said to them, “The only complaint you fear is my own. “
He brought new regulations related to players eating in combination and under pressure to make Melwood an office and not for pests. The permit was reduced as the educational program became more extensive to accommodate its gegenpressing strategy.
As he addressed his players, he wrote on the blackboard:
Mignolet: “I told him it was ‘terrible’ what the warring sides were going to feel after 90 minutes of fighting us. He talked about how we were going to outplay the groups in terms of paint and runs.
The defining symbol of their first game in qualifying (a 0-0 draw at Tottenham) is the sight of a damaged Adam Lallana falling into his arms after being substituted.
Lijnders: “I enjoyed your team’s discussions before this game. He said Tottenham’s confidence like a little flower. He gave up and started kicking his foot on the ground!Here’s what I wanted the team to do with the flower!I thought, “It’s going to be a lot of fun to paint with this guy. “
Achterberg: “His strength of personality temporarily replaced the atmosphere of the place. What I liked at the beginning was that Jürgen talked about the point of the players he had inherited. I knew that the window of movement had closed and that I couldn’t replace anything. It soon attracted many more players who were suffering. He told everyone that everyone would have a fair chance.
“The mantra ‘Don’t run forward if you can’t go back’. He said, “I’m guilty of the defeats, you guys are guilty of the victories. “He didn’t harass anyone and demand, but running for Him was very rewarding. He trusted you to do your homework and other people were willing to fight for him.
Defender Martin Skrtel: “There was something about the way he spoke to us as players, the way he motivated us. With Jürgen it’s real. He doesn’t play. It doesn’t communicate your back. That’s why players love it.
Striker Daniel Sturridge: “It was above all to hear his voice in the field of education. The way he conveyed his message resonated with everyone. It’s hard to make players who would go through a brick wall for this guy, but he did.
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“With each and every more level-headed coach, the scenario oscillates between concern and respect. The players will have to respect the boss, but the boss will have to command the respect of the players. You have to look at the situation at the big clubs, and he did that.
Only on the pitch has Klopp had to change his mindset. A month into his tenure, he said he felt “quite lonely” as fans left early as Liverpool trailed Crystal Palace 2-1 at home.
Achterberg: “I had the impression that the fans didn’t fully support the team. Actually, they didn’t. He talked a lot about wanting to replace him, about the fact that he wanted everyone on board.
“Little by little, Anfield has become much more positive. Critics said Jurgen was celebrating a point when they gave the players holding hands in front of Kop after Divock Origi got the overdue equaliser against West Brom, but missed the goal. The first great example was the reaction against Dortmund (in the Europa League). He underlined how much he had taken advantage of the situation’s Anfield strength.
Liverpool trailed 4-2 on aggregate in the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final with 25 minutes remaining, but goals from Philippe Coutinho, Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren Klopp’s former club were on the scoresheet.
Lijnders: “I think the character of the leader becomes the character of the team. You get a passionate guy who really knows what he’s doing and why he’s doing it. He had the experience of knowing what works and came up with new football ideas. People began to see the progression, and the people around him were able to express themselves freely.
In December 2015, the players were hoping their Christmas party would be cancelled after a 3–0 loss to Watford. Instead, they received a message from the coach that said, “Whatever we do together, we’ll do it in the most productive way possible and this night means we’re celebrating. No one is allowed to leave Formby Hall, a spa and golf hotel near Liverpool, until 1 a. m.
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By the end of the season, Liverpool had participated and lost two first finals: the League Cup against Manchester City (on penalties) and the Europa League against Unai Emery’s Sevilla.
Determined to lift spirits in the post-match at Novotel Basel, Klopp took the microphone and said: “Two hours ago you were all feeling. But now I hope you feel better. This is just the beginning for us. We’ll play in a lot more finals. He then introduced a provocative rendition of “We Are Liverpool. “
Achterberg: “Jurgen insisted that the party deserves to be celebrated. He said you have to lose to know how to win.
Midfielder Lucas Leiva: “It’s okay, we lost either of the two finals, but getting there was a real sign of progress. Jürgen was building something special: you can see it, you can feel it. He has found positives in defeats. His control of the men was the most productive I’ve ever had.
Little by little, Klopp built a squad in his image.
Marko Grujic, the first signing of the Klopp era. Bought from Red Star Belgrade for £5. 1 million ($6. 5 million) in January 2016, the young midfielder remained in Serbia on loan for the remainder of the season before joining Liverpool in the summer. He only played 8 games for the club, but even he has been shaped through Klopp’s philosophy.
Grujic: “Going to such a big club probably came too soon for me, but I learned a lot from Jurgen. The hardest thing was the top pressure: so many sprints and changes of direction. He’s become the highlight of the team. “It has become the most powerful weapon, but it took many hours on the educational floor to achieve it.
“Buvac was doing a lot of technical training and he was a big help for me because he spoke my language, but Jurgen was a very smart coach and also a great guy. He made everyone laugh with jokes and had time for everyone, whether it was the girls in the canteen or the guys in the kit.
Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum, Joel Matip and Loris Karius also joined the squad in the summer of 2016, while Klopp bolstered his squad with the signings of fitness director Andreas Kornmayer and nutritionist Mona Nemmer from Bayern Munich.
It was made clear that indiscipline would not be tolerated. Sakho was sent home embarrassed after the preseason trip to the United States after having delayed the team’s flight to California and a team meal, and then failing to show up for a treatment session. We have rules. If someone doesn’t respect them or someone gives me the feeling that they don’t respect them, then I have to react,” Klopp said.
The French finisher had missed the end of last season after testing positive in a UEFA anti-doping test. He was later acquitted, but Klopp was furious that he had taken weight-loss supplements without the club’s knowledge. Sakho joined Crystal Palace, first on loan the following January and never played for Liverpool again.
With Roberto Firmino, who had initially struggled with Rodgers after his arrival from Hoffenheim, remodelled after being moved to a centre-forward position and Mane scoring freely, Liverpool returned to the Champions League by beating Middlesbrough on the final day of the 2016-17 season. It was Lucas’ swan song after a decade of service.
Lucas: “I had a year left on my contract, but the team was evolving, I was betting less and less and I received a smart offer from Lazio. It was hard to leave, but I enjoyed the way Jurgen dealt with everything. We had a fair discussion and I agreed it was best for me and the club.
Developing the ability of youngsters has proven to be a theme of the Klopp era. Alexander-Arnold made his debut at the age of 18 in 2016-17 and the academy graduate temporarily established himself as the first-choice right-back.
Judicious hiring has made it possible to maintain the momentum. In the summer of 2017, Mohamed Salah was signed from Roma for £43. 9 million. Klopp first sought out Julian Brandt from Bayer Leverkusen, but sporting director Michael Edwards convinced him that the Egyptian striker, who Chelsea had signed in the past, was the most productive option available.
The signing of players with a point to be achieved has seduced Klopp. Robertson arrived in the same window for £10 million after being relegated with Hull City. Wijnaldum suffered the same fate with Newcastle United.
Robertson: “It’s pretty rare for a big club to sign you for something like this. The first time I met Jurgen was at Melwood; he had just returned from Asia with the team. He came over, gave me a big hug and welcomed me. He took me to the club. He explained to me what he thought of me as a player, the spaces he thought I could fill and how he wanted me to play. I believed each and every word he said.
“The club had just returned to the Champions League and these are the first steps of the journey. You can see how much everyone believed in him. The whole Club was connected. Before, from the outside, it didn’t look like that. From that he recruits clever characters: other people who maybe just deliver their messages in the locker room because their eyes can’t be everywhere.
Salah, Mane and Firmino scored 91 goals between them in 2017-18. Salah, crowned PFA Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year, set a new league record of 32 goals in a 38-game season by scoring 44 goals in all competitions.
When Coutinho belatedly fulfilled his wish and was sold to Barcelona for £142m in January 2018, there were fears that Liverpool’s allegations could be derailed, but Klopp failed to provide them. the artistic spark and that without it they would be more unpredictable.
He’s right. It helped that £75m of the payment was spent on the transformative signing of Virgil van Dijk from Southampton.
Lijnders: “With Virgil we can play in a higher line, more competitive because of his handling of the box and longer balls. “
Under Van Dijk, Liverpool exceeded all expectations by reaching the Champions League final in Kiev. Before the game against Real Madrid, Klopp sought to ease the tension at a team meeting by raising his most sensible to reveal that he was wearing Cristiano Ronaldo-branded boxer shorts. .
Wijnaldum: “Everyone was laughing out loud. The ice was broken. Normally, in those situations, everyone is serious and focused. But he was relaxed. He’s a father figure to the players and a special guy to me. He cares about a player’s well-being and needs to get to know you outside of football.
Tears flowed in the Liverpool dressing room after the 3-1 loss to Zinedine Zidane. Karius sat with his head in his hands after giving Madrid two goals with glaring errors. Salah is discouraged after being forced off the pitch with a shoulder injury.
Alexander-Arnold: “In terms of the team discussions, the most important thing for me is the message Jürgen gave us after Kiev. He said, “This defeat is not going to defeat us. As a group, we’re going to come back here. “. That’s where we need to be.
When Klopp finally returned to his home in Formby shortly after 6 a. m. , the beer flowed and he sang with old friends, including Krawietz, Campino, the lead singer of the German punk rock band Die Toten Hosen, and Johannes B Kerner, a well-known German television personality.
It’s typical of Klopp, no pessimism, no self-pity. Movement plans were already well underway. Naby Keita arrived from RB Leipzig for £52. 75m and, two days after Kyiv, they finalised a £40m move for Monaco midfielder Fabinho.
The big dilemma for the coach was the situation of the goalkeeper and how to deal with a distraught Karius. His intuition of compassion was to embrace him and rehabilitate his Liverpool career rather than show him the door.
Four days after the final, Klopp received a call from German legend Franz Beckenbauer, who alerted him to the possibility that Karius may have suffered a concussion from a blow to the head delivered by Sergio Ramos shortly before his first costly mistake of the final. .
Karius, who was vacationing in the United States, sent a specialist to Boston. Brain scans have shown that Karius suffers from “visual-spatial dysfunction,” which can lead to an inability to judge where objects are. “We don’t use it as an excuse: we use it as an explanation,” insisted Klopp, who called Ramos a “brutal fighter. “
Publicly, Klopp spoke of a fresh start for Karius, but the goalkeeper felt like a bag of nerves in the following pre-season. Their trust has been broken.
Behind the scenes, Liverpool were looking for a replacement ahead of the Champions League final. Klopp did not have full confidence in either Mignolet or Karius, which created uncertainty and some resentment between the two goalkeepers.
Achterberg: “For Jurgen and for all of us it was a really complicated situation. We played against Chester in the first friendly after Kiev. I threw the ball to Loris in the warm-up and it went straight through his hands and legs all the way into the net. Someone filmed it and the video went viral on social media. Then we played Tranmere and he dropped the ball and they scored.
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“I’ve been closely following Alisson’s progress ever since (former Roma and Liverpool goalkeeper) Alexander Doni told me about this guy who had played for Brazil’s Internacional. The challenge was that he didn’t have a European passport, which meant we couldn’t have signed him when he went to Rome in 2016.
“When we played Ali in a pre-season friendly in the United States (in August 2016), I said to Jurgen, ‘This is the one I’m talking about. ‘I continued to watch and write reports on each and every match he played. I told all the scouts about it.
“There was a meeting in January 2018 with Ali’s agent when we told him how much we were comparing him. That summer, the club were set to sign Lyon midfielder Nabil Fekir, but he was dropped due to a serious knee injury (a payment of £62 million). had been agreed).
“If the deal with Fekir had been closed, would we have had the money to sign Alisson?In fact, things went well. I told the boss it was Ali. We had to act temporarily in mid-July because we knew that Thibaut Courtois was leaving Chelsea (to sign for Madrid) and that they needed a replacement.
Initially priced at £90 million via Roma, Edwards negotiated a £65 million deal for Alisson. It’s the last piece of the puzzle.
In his first season at Anfield, he won the Premier League Golden Glove for the most blanks (21) and was crowned UEFA and FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year. Klopp strolling through Melwood singing a song “All you want is Al-i-sson Beck-er” to the Radio Ga Ga song by Queen.
There has also been significant replacement in the backstage staff. Lijnders had left Liverpool in January 2018 to manage Dutch side NEC Nijmegen, but returned four months later after Klopp offered him the job as assistant manager. The position became vacant after his salida. de Buvac, who found himself increasingly estranged as relations with other staff members became strained.
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Lijnders: “Jürgen gave me responsibility for the entire educational procedure and that is very important to me. I wouldn’t have come back just because of my old job. It meant that I could continue to do the things I loved: making education plans, imparting education, devising tactical and strategic plans. We challenge each other.
“I’ve known him for nine years and he still surprises me every day. I’ve enjoyed the meetings at Jurgen’s workplace the day before each game. This is where you decide who starts, how we’re going to build the game, how we’re going to push them, what the messages are going to be for the players. Things become transparent in our heads before we communicate them to the team.
Klopp then made some sophisticated adjustments to Liverpool’s plan. “We want more control and control of the game,” he explained. Everyone talks about our intensity, but when we’re running like hell I have to say, ‘Come on, please calm down. ‘”. “
Prior to 2018-19, he prioritised improving Liverpool’s output from set pieces. Lijnders and Krawietz were tasked with coming up with the routines to make them count. By the end of the season, Liverpool were top of the Premier League set-piece goals table with 29.
Klopp, the innovator, was looking for marginal gains. That summer, he recruited lineout specialist coach Thomas Gronnemark after reading about his paintings in a German newspaper.
Gronnemark: “Before I faced Jurgen, it was frustrating. I had all this wisdom about how to maintain ownership of lineouts and create opportunities, but others didn’t need to listen to me. They were just looking for long touches. The first club to have everything incorporated into Liverpool. It says a lot about the mentality and culture Jurgen has created in Liverpool.
Fast forward to May 7, 2019, and Liverpool qualified for the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona at Anfield 3-0 and needed a miracle to end the season empty-handed.
The day before, title rivals Manchester City had beaten Leicester City thanks to a goal from Vincent Kompany to stay within their destiny. In the attack against Barça, Salah was out with a concussion and Firmino was injured.
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Robertson: “The morning of the game against Barcelona is memorable for me. The way he spoke and came close to Kompany’s goal, which still ended the race for the name. It was like, “Well, does anyone need to say something about what happened?Last night? No, it’s true, let’s go. “
“Then, at the team assembly in the hotel, he said, ‘For anyone else it’s impossible, but since it’s all of you, there’s a chance. ‘A trust that builds over the hours. You might just feel it. ” You might not wait until you get to Anfield. The pre-game locker room is the loudest I’ve ever been in. “
Achterberg: “He told the kids, ‘Close your eyes and believe in the most productive game you’ve ever played. Go ahead and write a story to tell your grandchildren someday. The words were perfect. It was the most productive evening ever held at Anfield.
The 3-0 deficit had already been erased when an Alexander-Arnold corner left Barcelona taking a nap and Origi swept away Liverpool’s fourth goal.
Alexander-Arnold: “That night he embodied what Jurgen had created. The mindset he instilled in us that no matter what position we are in, no matter who we are up against, we simply know that anything is possible. It’s happened so many times. All those answers, all those overdue victors.
Werner: “I was watching the game with John Henry in Boston. It will be etched in our memory. The fourth goal was just crazy.
“The sense of unity created through Jurgen is clear. One day, I had the privilege of seeing education and Jurgen put everyone in a circle to tell them it was Sadio Mané’s birthday. He asked Sadio to sing “Happy Birthday” in his local language. Then he turned to Virgil and said, “Why don’t you sing it in Dutch?”He continued and everyone laughed. I just thought, “What a glorious way to start the day. “
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Despite a club-record 97 goals and a league defeat in a game all season, the Premier League name slipped away from Liverpool on the final matchday as City finished one point ahead. “It’s our first chance to win, not our last,” Klopp said. their players.
The three weeks leading up to the Champions League final in Madrid were not ideal, but a friendly with Benfica’s B team was organised at Liverpool’s educational camp in Marbella, as their taste and training were considered similar to those of their Tottenham opponents.
Klopp, who is looking to end a six-game losing streak in the final as manager, is so comfortable that he slept two hours in his hotel room on the afternoon of the final.
Robertson: “The night before, at the stadium, he put us all in a circle. He said: “This is where we become Champions League night winners. “This made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. You just thought, “yes, that’s it. “From last year’s pain in Kyiv, the feeling was: “Take us to this game, do our homework and get this trophy in our hands. “
“We talked about six o’clock, baby,” Klopp smiled after Salah’s early penalty and Origi’s goal sealed the club’s sixth European Cup. “Have you ever noticed a team like this, fighting, with no fuel in the tank?They suffer for me. They deserve it more than anyone.
The celebrations within the club’s personal party at the Eurostars Hotel in Madrid continued into the early hours of the morning. There was a symbolic moment when Klopp and his friends, as well as Campino, headed to a room next door to record an impromptu follow-up to their song from a year earlier. :
Around 750,000 more people flocked to Liverpool for the reunion parade. “If you had put all the emotions, all the enthusiasm, all the love in the air that day and repressed, the world would be a better place. “Klopp said.
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With Captain Jordan Henderson and Vice Captain James Milner, there was never any threat of the criteria failing. The 2019-2020 season was marked by ruthless and relentless consistency. There is no race for names, only a procession. Klopp’s men took 79 problems out of the most sensible 81. And along the way he won the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup. Everyone did their part, but the full-backs had a lot of influence thanks to their quality in the wide areas.
Robertson: “It was intense, but the way the manager sought to get us to play suited Trent and I in terms of artistic endeavors. That’s been a big component of our success, overloading the broad areas, having the three of us: me, Gini. and Sadio – further to the left, and then Trent, Hendo and Mo to the right, looking to create overloads.
“But we also had to be part of a strong defense. When Jürgen first arrived, they were winning 5-4 games like the one against Norwich. More than anything, that doesn’t win you any titles. You have to be able to stay. ” Your clean sheets.
“There are a lot of elements in his philosophy, like when we lose the ball, reacting temporarily to get it back. This is especially vital as opposed to the lack of consistency with low-blocking teams. That’s when spaces open up because, perhaps, one of them is consistent with rarely very positioned. Full speed ahead. You knew you had to be 100 percent consistent in every game. It wasn’t as controlled as other teams, but you knew that when you played against us, you had to run faster. We and you were looking more than we were for a chance.
Lijnders: “If the players feel inspired, if they feel like they’re improving, there’s nothing better. If you play with the same organization for a long time, you want to dress well. Same if you’re married. ” You have to find new tactics to inspire. The reason we were such a success is that our players had an incredible character, outlook and attitude. We created stability by keeping Jurgen, the staff and the players together, doing the same kind of work. the field of education.
“In the most productive games, it was our counter-pressing that made the big difference, not waiting for things to happen. When feelings are running high, players worry about the tactical plan. It’s education and repetition that makes the difference.
In the summer of 2019, Klopp recruited functional psychologist Lee Richardson. He also invited German surfer Sebastian Steudtner to talk to the players about tension management and teach them breathing techniques.
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Richardson: “Jurgen is the most productive communicator I’ve ever seen. Liverpool’s leading psychologist is Jurgen in many ways. He is the one who affects other people the most with each and every one of the things he does, with each and every one of the team speeches he gives, each and every one of the resolutions he makes. The role of the true psychologist is to be an aid to other things that the manager can’t handle.
Just as Liverpool were on the verge of ending their 30-year drought in March 2020, the season was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Players were piling up in the Melwood canteen when Klopp told them: “Don’t worry about football just yet. “You are the most productive team in England and the most deserving champions who have ever lived.
The victory came late on June 25, 2020 after Manchester City’s loss to Chelsea. Liverpool were 23 points behind City with seven games remaining.
Alexander-Arnold: “We knew there was a possibility it would just happen, so Jurgen was given all together for a barbecue. You never grow up dreaming of becoming a Premier League champion sitting in Formby Hall in the middle of a global pandemic!You think of a last-minute winner snatching it away, a full space at Anfield, celebrating with the fans.
“But it’s still a special time for us. It was such a dominant season. We outperformed all the groups. Looking back on this season, I don’t see how a team could have beaten us with the mentality we had. We win partidos. de many other ways.
Klopp broke down in tears as he hugged his players. His ability to make even those on the sidelines feel vital was highlighted on the night Liverpool won the Premier League trophy after beating Chelsea at Anfield. said: “Andy Lonergan, English champion, European champion, world champion. What a guy!”
The players responded by chanting the call of someone who had not appeared alone for the club.
GO FURTHER
Liverpool’s 30 years of suffering
After reaching such heights, Liverpool temporarily slipped, despite the arrivals of Wolves’ Diogo Jota and Bayern Munich’s Thiago. For a team that thrived on the emotional power of the stands, playing behind closed doors during the pandemic was a complicated and soulless task. .
Klopp has also had to deal with the personal anguish of losing his mother Elizabeth and not being able to return home to Germany for the funeral due to restrictions. On the pitch, Liverpool have had a crisis at centre-back after Van Dijk. , Joe Gomez and Matip all suffered season-ending injuries. Playing with Henderson and Fabinho on the backline didn’t work because it weakened the midfield. Klopp turned to rookies Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams to help them salvage their first four hopes.
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Phillips: “I look back on that moment with a lot of pride, it makes me smile. He had only played once for Liverpool before this season: the FA Cup draw against Everton the year before, when Curtis Jones scored a brilliant goal. . Jurgen, trusting me and trusting me has been a huge boost. It was reassuring. He was very complimentary of me in the press. It made me feel like I deserved to be there.
“Before I got to know first-team football, I felt like there would be big personalities and big egos in it. But what stood out to me was that no one in that locker room had any idea they were better than the others.
Lijnders: “We had to stay positive with each other. The moment I became negative, Jurgen became positive. When it was negative, I stayed positive; That’s the most productive way to describe it. The mindset has been, “What do we have?” And not: “What don’t we have?”
Robertson: “Even in difficult times, I don’t think anyone doubted the coach; It looked like he would find a way out. Of course, there were days when its power wasn’t so high, the effects weren’t great, and sometimes when it had to be raised.
“At the start of this season, if you had said we were counting on Nat and Rhys to take us to the Champions League, I don’t think many would have believed you. But Jurgen has figured out a way. After all the upheavals we’ve faced, it’s a huge achievement for us.
Liverpool suffered 26 problems from the last 30 and are bidding to finish third in 2020-21. The highlight of the run was Alisson’s header at West Bromwich Albion in the final minute of stoppage time. He became the first goalkeeper to score a goal. competitive purpose in the club’s 129-year history.
Achterberg: “I thought Ali might be a nuisance in his cubicle, but I didn’t expect it!There’s a lot of fans on the bench because we were looking to win a lot. Ali’s role in the story is very important. Had it not been for the delay against Napoli (against Arkadiusz Milik in the organisation of the Champions League in December 2018), there would have been no run in Madrid, no European Cup, no Super Cup or Club World Cup.
“Jurgen joked that if he had known Ali so well, he would have paid him twice as much. With Caoimhin Kelleher we have created the most productive goaltending branch the Club has ever had.
Klopp’s “monsters of mentality” started a 2021-2022 season breathless. Both domestic cups were won with consequences against Chelsea at Wembley, and the manager praised the “incredible impact” of Neuro11, the German neuroscientists who had been recruited. to paintings with players in set-piece situations. Liverpool scored 17 of their 18 shots on target on both shots on target.
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Quadruple talks accelerated, but Liverpool missed out on the two biggest costs by the largest of margins. Once again, the race for the name dragged on until the last day. City’s late 2-0 reaction to beat Aston Villa 3-2 saw them come to an end. with a one-point advantage.
Achterberg: “Jurgen never talked about the City. Su attitude was, ‘We only play them twice a season, so why worry?You can’t influence what they do. We knew City had a lot more resources, but we were very close to winning. “the lot that year.
That same night, Liverpool beat Villarreal to reach a third Champions League final under Klopp, and Phillips, on loan, celebrated helping Bournemouth win promotion to the top flight.
Phillips: “My phone rang with a message from Jurgen. He thanked me and Rhys for the role we had played in taking them to the Champions League last season. The fact that he thought of us at the time says a lot about him.
The chaos outside the Stade de France ruined the big occasion in Paris. On the pitch, Liverpool were thwarted by the heroics of Real Madrid goalkeeper Courtois and Vinicius Júnior’s goal.
Werner: “We spent a lot of time with Jürgen in Paris after that defeat. It was very discouraging because that night we all felt like we were the better team. If we play this match 10 times, we will probably win eight. But Jürgen is also positive about the future. He is much happier than any of us.
“He has such an exclusive perspective. There is a prominent quote that says that “football is the most vital of the least vital things in life”. Jürgen knows that football, at its best, is a real tonic for people. He still cherishes the wins. It helps keep losses in perspective. It expresses itself after a defeat in such a way as to relieve pain. Bring this balance. This shows in his relationships with the team, his staff, the fans and the city. an understanding of the broader role.
After building a wonderful team, Klopp set about building another. The front line has evolved with the signings of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo. But he overrated what some unflinching servants had left on his legs after a grueling 63-game campaign. .
The 2022-23 season has been a bleak one, as an aging midfielder has been outplayed several times and injuries have deeply injured him. The tactical replacement of moving Alexander-Arnold to the centre while Liverpool owned triggered a belated restart, but to no avail as they failed to finish in the top four.
Henderson and Fabinho were lured through the riches of Saudi Arabia, following the departures of Milner, Keita, Firmino and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as free agents. The midfield revamp has seen the signings of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch.
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Lijnders: “Jurgen and I had intelligent conversations last summer about the future. We said, “Okay, let’s do it another year and see how it goes. “At the start of pre-season I told all the guys: “The first one, that’s negative, I’m punching him in the face!”We had to reboot with new players and it worked well. It must have been late October or November when Jurgen and I had intelligent conversations.
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“We came to the conclusion that the right thing to do was to go through at the end of the season. Jürgen had made his decision and I was quite transparent that it was the right time to chart my own course. We wanted to leave the club with a Champions League and a team that the next coach can take care of. I think we did the right thing.
When Van Dijk’s extra-time header secured Carabao Cup glory against Chelsea at Wembley in February, Klopp described it as “by far the greatest special trophy I’ve ever won”. At the time, he was suffering from an injury crisis and turned to youth. Harvey Elliott, Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah, Bobby Clark, James McConnell and Jayden Danns played their roles.
After Klopp publicly announced his decision to resign and take a break from football at the end of January, there was a moment when it looked like he would have a better farewell as Liverpool rode a wave of excitement. However, they couldn’t, and their challenge for additional honors faded.
But its prestige remains intact. What an adventure it has been and what a legacy it leaves behind, a legacy that will be celebrated on Sunday at Anfield through many other people who shared this journey.
Alexander-Arnold: “It’s going to be a challenging transition for us as players. It’s an emotional thing. It’s going to be very difficult to say goodbye. It’s something I’ll never be willing to do, to be honest. The only thing I can say “thank you” is. Everything I’ve achieved depends on him and the opportunities he gives me. When I’m done with football, I’ll look back and remember the years we spent together. as the most fun, the most productive and the most important.
Achterberg: “Look at where Liverpool were when Jürgen arrived and where they are now. In addition to the trophies, check out the new educational stadium and the redevelopment of Anfield. He won everything and fulfilled all our dreams. Football has never been noticed and has given joy to many.
Werner: “This goes far beyond trophies. Look at the number of young homegrown players who have exceeded expectations. Jürgen is a very altruistic man. Part of the love other people have for him is because he understands the club and the dates he has with the fans. The idea of him coaching another Premier League team is absurd. It just wouldn’t happen. He has the LFC tattooed on his heart.
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Robertson: “Without him, what I’ve achieved in football wouldn’t have been possible. It gave us the most productive time of our lives. When my children were born, he was one of the first to congratulate me and make sure my wife was okay. It’s the kind of thing you don’t forget. In the seven years I’ve been here, a lot has happened in my life and he’s been key on and off the pitch. I’ll remember him when I’m old and gray, and I’ll think, “Without him, this wouldn’t have been possible. “
Lijnders: “‘Unforgettable’ is the word I would use. I feel fortunate that we can stay at a club for so long and win so many major trophies. What an honour it has been to work with Jurgen Klopp, to be part of something. so beautiful.
(Top photos: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)