Sports Writer, Harry John, reflects on Jurgen Klopp’s tenure as Liverpool Manager, with the possible effects of his departure announcement being demonstrated on the pitch as we enter the final stages of the Premier League Season.
Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, is set to leave the club at the end of the 23/24 season, bringing his 9-year tenure to a shocking and seemingly premature close. Klopp’s exit has taken the footballing world by storm, with his sombre message being delivered just two days after Liverpool booked their place at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final following their 3-2 victory against Fulham (on aggregate). Coming in the middle of what could be a historic season for Liverpool, the timing of Klopp’s announcement and his decision is very precarious.
Klopp inherited a dissonant Liverpool side in 2015, where the relationship between the fans and players was disjointed. Not only did Klopp rekindle this relationship, but he quickly made himself irreplaceable, realigning Liverpool with their history as European giants and title challengers. After a few seasons at the reins of Liverpool, Klopp has transcended the club, becoming an almost God-like figure within the city. He further ratified his status by winning Liverpool’s sixth European Cup in 2019, their first League title in over 30 years in 2020, and a plethora of other trophies including the FA and League Cup.
Liverpool went punch for punch with Pep Guardiola’s formidable Manchester City for consecutive years and together, Klopp and Pep elevated the standards and points needed to win the Premier League to unforeseen heights. As a result of the success, he promised and delivered, Klopp has developed a symbiotic relationship with the Liverpool fanbase, one which exudes passion for both the club and the city. Imagining Liverpool FC without Klopp at the helm has become an almost impossible task.
Following a disappointing 2022/23 campaign, the Reds have seemingly rebuilt their squad, drastically improving their quality in midfield, creating a watertight defence, and reinventing their heavy metal style of play. With Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah returning to their exceptional best, adjacent to the reinvention of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s role within the team, Liverpool are well and truly back to their scintillating best. Despite this ostensible rejuvenation, in his announcement, Klopp claims to be running out of energy and believes he is no longer the right man to drive this Liverpool team forward. Despite his claims appearing valid, they are somewhat hard to believe due to the energy which has pulsed through Liverpool this season. The side are recently mounting a convincing title charge, having only registered two defeats this season. One being their 2-1 loss to Spurs which is perhaps the most controversial game the Premier League has seen in some years; and their recent trip to the Emirates which saw them emphatically lose 3-1 to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal team – Liverpool’s worst performance of the 23/24 League campaign to date.
It is hard to see where exactly Klopp is lacking the resources to continue motivating this Liverpool side for the foreseeable future, but if any manager has earned the right to leave his managerial role on his own terms, it certainly is Jurgen Klopp. Although it is hard to comprehend, Klopp has repeatedly earned the trust of Liverpool fans, turning doubters into believers, winning every possible major trophy in English football; so why should they doubt him now?
Liverpool are still fighting on all four fronts, with the potential to win four trophies and give the Klopp era it’s fairy-tale ending which Liverpool fans are yearning for. Can Liverpool use this heart-breaking news to galvanise the squad and motivate them to create their most historic season in the modern era? Or will Klopp’s resignation undermine their effort, and leave the fans in even more dismay than when they first learned of his planned departure?
Regardless of the ending, football is losing an iconic figure, with Klopp still being the only manager to overcome Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City super team, and without him, we may never have witnessed some of the greatest title races in Premier League history. Klopp’s journey to English and European glory and his accession to becoming the greatest Liverpool manager in the Premier League era is simply sensational and unforgettable. After creating one of the Premier League’s most entertaining and dominant teams which contained arguably the most pre-eminent front three in the history of the league, he has also began crafting it’s next generation; an evolution which is primed to accrue even more silverware for the Red’s beyond Klopp’s imminent departure.
Liverpool have Klopp and his entourage to thank for the memories and success he delivered consistently for almost a decade. Jurgen Klopp is simply irreplaceable, his tactical astuteness, personality, passion, and connection with the fans cannot be replicated, yet someone must fill the blackhole in which he will most definitely leave.
