Since ex-Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers was dismissed from his post just under a week ago, it’s been all Jurgen Klopp all the time around Anfield with the new Reds boss unveiled to the world on Friday morning. Although the Northern Irishman was given a chance to prove himself after the disappointment of last season, with the club languishing mid-table after 8-matches played and struggling at both ends of the pitch, the need for change was quite obvious.
“We have thought about him for a long time and everyone who knows football knows he is an outstanding manager,” said Liverpool chairman Tom Werner after meeting Klopp at Anfield. “Obviously he motivates players and when we spoke to him we saw there was a great connection between his vision and what we want to do moving forward,” he continued. “It is very attractive, attacking football and he has said today that he doesn’t want to put too much expectation on the near future but we all expect the players are going to respond to him.”
This, of course, begs the question of just how long the club has been chasing the German with rumours circulating as early as the summer that they were eyeing both the ex-Borussia Dortmund manager and former Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti as potential replacements for Rodgers. After three-years at the helm, he failed to add to the Liverpool’s trophy cabinet and finished within the top four only once — something that has always been seen as the bare minimum goal for the Anfield outfit. That being said, there appears to be no ill will between the Reds hierarchy and the 42-year old.
“I don’t want to talk too much about the past. I thought Brendan’s comments at the end were very classy and we have a lot of respect for Brendan,” said Werner. “There were some challenges that dealt with injuries and we brought in some new players that Brendan recommended that we thought would take us forward. We are where we are. Brendan is an outstanding manager and we decided to move in a different direction and I am very optimistic,” explained the American businessman. “Obviously we have a challenge this season and Jurgen said it right. None of the supporters are satisfied with our position right now and we believe that Jurgen is the right manager to take us forward. As you all know we came into this situation with great ambition and I would rather focus on the future.”
