Klopp is just Mourinho ‘without the success’ and Liverpool should make ‘hilarious’ Emery appointment
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is getting tributes and grief in the Saturday Mailbox after announcing his departure on Friday, while there’s speculation about who could replace him at Anfield…
Send your thoughts on Klopp, Liverpool and anything else in to theeditor@football365.com…
Banter Outcome
I feel like we’re missing a name when we look at possible replacements for Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. Unai Emery
I’m sure there’s a football argument to be made but I mainly think it would be hilarious for Stevie G to be overlooked in favour if the guy who so quickly and ruthlessly exposed how piss poor a job he’d done at Aston Villa.
Arsenal fans might have fun reactions too.
Yours etc
Liam, Tallaght, Dublin
My Irreplaceable One
I can’t be the only one who noticed that Al-LFC’s list of irreplaceable managers started with Shankly and Paisley, Paisley being the one who literally did replace Shankly. Had to smile at that.
Seriously though, as a non-Liverpool fan, Klopp was really something special. His teams were always capable of going toe-to-toe with any other teams on the planet (although obviously didn’t win every time) and did it in an exciting way. They never knew when they were beat and were devastating at times on the attack. Klopp’s record was a bit too good against my team so, like Fergie, I was always going to be a bit annoyed with him. But like Fergie you’d have loved to have him manage your team.
Best of luck in the next thing
Derek from Dundalk
Well that was a surprise.
Honestly I’m not the type to moan about it, he’s made his decision and our job now as a club and fanbase is facilitate his exit as best we can while showing out utmost gratitude for what he has done.
But what has he done?
Well I want to talk about that and leave out the trophies for a minute. Trophies are important but he did something far far more important.
After Rodgers final efforts this was a broken fan base of people who were starting to believe it would never happen. The club seemed to have little to no direction and while well meaning at times fsg didnt seem to fully understand what was needed. There was also not much prestige about the managers job at Liverpool due to the years of almost being good and financial and commercial mismanagement.
We were extremely lucky to get a manager of jurgens ability but also a manager who immediately understood the job was a little bit more than just picking the right players and tactics. A little like United now the club needed to be nursed back to strength and needed someone to unify and galvanise everyone.
That’s what’s Jürgen did. I remember people laughing at him fist pumping a 2-2 draw but that was the moment it changed in my opinion. We saw his desire and motivation and it bled through to the fanbase and we became believers.
Fast forward to today and we are now somewhat successful, stable, with a good team of players who can clearly play at the top level. He has left the job as an infinitely more attractive prospect than the one he walked into and that is what Liverpool fans have to really be grateful for. Because replacing Jürgen will be a little easier than finding him thanks to his efforts on and off the pitch.
Thanks Jürgen for repairing the clubs prestige and healing it’s unbelieving and sometimes a little bitter soul.
Lee
I did not realize Klopp would wake up, read my morning mail and decide to pack it in. All jokes aside, I did make an error in my point however, Man Utd during the period I listed have actually won one more trophy than LFC during Klopp’s years – a league cup. Oliver, I was not comparing the league cup to the CL trophy. I meant that was the only trophy Klopp won that United didnt during that period, but the Europa league is the only trophy Klopp hasn’t won during his 9 years (Maybe this year). Even going by the Fitz scale, it’s LFC: 21, Man Utd: 27 points awarded during the period I reference.
That said, in all honesty I would have loved had Klopp accepted Fergies offer back in 2013, but he didn’t want Disneyland, and the rest is history. Klopp brought a new style and way of playing to the EPL, for better or worse. He made United’s decline since Fergie left twice as unbearable as he made LFC a good team again.
The only team I put ahead of LFC as a football force I love to see get beat on the grand scale as a United supporter is Barca. Seeing Klopp’s team absolutely annihilate them in 2019 were games that truly blew me away, and will live long in the memory. That was peak Klopp for me. A truly unstoppable force making pro’s look like children when insync. A bit like Mike Tyson in his prime. The greatest ever? No. One Of the most thrilling ever? Absolutely.
The best period for LFC in the last 30 years will be this one, and it is a great period for their fans’ memories. My original point is when the dust settles, time has passed and new champions are crowned, they will be compared by what they achieved, not how they played. Man Utd got the 3 Champions league finals in just four years during the end of Fergie’s reign, but due to Pep’s Barca, that decade is owned by them on the grand stage. You rarely, if ever, hear how glorious Everton or Villa were in the 80’s either.
This is all the past however, what matters now is the future. Get it right, and LFC have the foundations to keep pushing City. Get it wrong, a la Moyes/United, and it may bring another 30 years of misery. I suspect more of the former as FSG tends to plan well, and this has been known since November. I hope talk of Xabi Alonso doesn’t derail their Bundesliga campaign, but – full Schadenfreude here – I do hope this does derail LFC’s.
But thank you Jurgen, at your best, you are a remarkable man and coach, tactician and leader. I appreciated all the thrilling games you brought to the PL, and F U for the 7-0. I hope you enjoy coaching Germany, Bayern, Real or whatever comes next, they will deserve you, and I look forward to our final encounter in April.
Calvino (Who saw Klopp becoming the interim manager?)
Klopps announcement of his departure today was devastating but ultimately no one has died.
My friend asked me this morning, “did you hear the news about Jurgen?” And my first thought was “is he dead?” Followed by “did he have a heart attack or does he have cancer?” When I heard he was leaving I felt shocked but strangely relieved that he was well. He feels like a family member or at the very least a close friend and I am glad he is well. If leaving Liverpool is the right thing for him so be it, I feel nothing but gratitude and love for the man. He is one of the best human beings I know of and I will miss him so much in my life.
But I also wonder, why Jurgen? Is everything ok. Low energy and feeling like you can’t give the job your all are very legitimate reasons to leave and this job is incredibly intense so that makes sense. But I wonder if you’ll regret this.
For me this squad that Liverpool have assembled look like they can win a lot of trophies in the next 3-4 years. City potentially are going to be slapped with a serious punishment by the premier league, it looks like there are a few more leagues there with your name on them and that for me is what your work deserves, objective and unquestionable evidence of your brilliance. I hope we win the league this year for you. But even if we do I think that is the bare minimum you deserve. I want you to have more.
Remember when Coutinho was leaving the club and you told him that if he stayed they would build him a statue. You’ll always be an Anfield legend for the rest of you life but I just worry you’re going two years too soon.
Honestly, you don’t look that tired this year.
Thank you Jurgen and good luck my friend.
Dave LFC
Jurgen has played a blinder
Wow. Was listening to five lives traitors preview when the news broke, amazing they had a Liverpool fan in at the time and Wolf’s reaction summed it up.
I am fully aware that I am the archetypal plastic and make no apologies as I am not a tribalistic twat. I am not from the area, fell in love with football in the early eighties, got the glorious 85/86 adidas kit one Christmas and bam – I’ve had a weird emotional connection to them that I’ll never understand ever since. I barely even watch them live these days but still can’t shift it. I was devastated when King Kenny left and yesterday felt very much the same – but on (deep and long) reflection has Jurgen played a blinder? Despite the steady, periodical flow of trophies (and a lot of money) no manager has come close to What Klopp has achieved but he is right, he can’t go on forever. Nor can Pep. Big Ange is the real deal but he’s going now where, beyond him, where is the next big thing? Tuchel, not for me, and going Klopp 2.0 will never work, there is only one place to look, and by announcing it now Jurgen has put Liverpool in the driving seat for the one manager who seems to have what it takes to be the next super manager a la Klopp, a la Guardiola. Step forward one Xabi Alonso. Granted its early days in his career but it does not feel like Gerrard at Rangers, from what I have read and seen, Leverkusens (short term) success is built on something more and I for one would love to see him at Anfield again. It’s certainly worth a punt, after Shankly came Bob, after Klopp…
FSG make it happen!
Back to Klopp, it wasn’t the trophies, it was the feeling, his bond, his passion. He obviously didn’t win any where near as much as Fergie but in my opinion he is up there just for the transformative effective he has had. Yes he got it wrong every now and again but he was always honest and genuine despite certain people trying to paint him as a villain. Big love to the German, whether it will happen or not he deserves a trophy or two to sign off with.
Tom. Traitors by the way, bloody hell!
Right of Klopp
There will be several in-depth opinions and analysis about Klopp’s decision. But we’re assured that he’s leaving us in very, very good shape. Provided we land the right successor. No xabidea about who that could be.
Taz
Massive underachievement?
I cannot be the only one delighted that the Gurning German is going?? His pathetic facade, as fake as his Turkey teeth, of jolly, nice, jovial guy has increasingly given way to his moronic whinging, blaming everything from the wind to the length of the grass for his utter failure. Four actual trophies with the Liverpool teams he’s had is massive underachievement and he knows it, hence his more and more volatile outbursts and picking on journos.
Maybe with the time off he can learn some manners and how to deal with people who are doing their jobs and are under pressure as he is. I for one won’t miss him at all. He’s literally Mourinho without the success.
Weldoninhio, BAC
“Jurgen Klopp will leave a Liverpool legacy like Arsene Wenger’s“
He won just one league title, and he didn’t go undefeated. So, no, he will not leave a legacy like Wenger’s.
Michael Pacholek, East Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
Top 10 Premier League managers
It’d be really great to end the narrative that Rafael Benitez ‘combusted’ under the mind games of Sir Alex Ferguson – repeated again in your top 10 premier league managers article. In 2009 with utd 4 points clear of Chelsea and Liverpool and a game in hand with games running out the title race was over What happened next?
1. Rafa read out a prepared statement highlighting some inconsistencies in the fixture list – A somewhat wonky thing to do admittedly – entirely in keeping with his personality. This was accentuated by his Brent-esque use of the word ‘facts’. He kept his passion below the surface though and it’s as far from Kevin Keegan’s rant as you can get
2. What happened Liverpool afterwards? They went to Old Trafford and won 4-1. Looking galvanized they went on a scintillating run with Torres virtually unplayable in wins over Blackburn and Villa. What had never been a title race at that point suddenly became one. Andriy Arshavin performance in a crazy 4-4 draw stoping Liverpools momentum just in time (from utds perspective)
3. What happened Utd afterwards? Liverpool went to Old Trafford and won 4-1. A stunned United lost their game in hand and what had never been a title race suddenly became one. A stuttering utd were rescued by Federico Machedas late winner against Villa and got back on track just in time
4. Any other business? Brad Friedal unfairly getting sent off against Liverpool and having his card rescinded to play against utd.
Sir Alex with an outburst against Benitez for a typically quirky reaction to a goal against Blackburn.
History records who won the title but maybe this time Sir Alex didn’t win the mind games
Tom , Galway (not be be confused with Galatasaray)
Omar Berrada
This might get lost in a sea of Klopp but I wanted to come back to Mark SK2 regarding Berrada. As we’re both grown ups I had a look into what you wrote about fraudulent accounting etc and how this might land our new CEO in court. However, from what I can learn it seems Berrada wasn’t really involved much in the commercial side of the business and wasn’t even at City Group in the early 2010’s when most of the suspect deals under investigation were formed. The key players who might be held accountable are Khaldoon, Pearce, and Soriano along with ex COO Graham Wallace and head of finance Andrew Widdowson.
A chunk of my information comes from Dan Harris at Sporting Intel, whose name might well be mud to many City fans but there isn’t anyone who covers this subject in better detail. He wrote recently “in all the hundreds of pages of documents and leaks and emails I’ve seen over the years about apparently strange dealings, I’ve never seen his name [Berrada] in any of them”.
Coming back to the original argument made by the ever entertaining Levenshulme Blue, ‘United must have done due diligence on Berrada and decided City are innocent so its ok to hire’. Perhaps his point is broadly correct but his conclusion backwards. United probably have done their due diligence upon hiring Berrada but concluded that he’s not really involved in the dodgy stuff and is thus unlikely to face any sanction if/when City are punished. When viewed this way the seemingly small risk of hiring him is easily outweighed by the potential reward.
Dave, Manchester
