It was never in Liverpool’s nature to change managers of the club in short spaces of time very often, particularly in comparison to Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley. However, since Paisley, the reds longest serving managers have only lasted a maximum of 6-years. Kenny Dalglish (1985-91), Gerard Houllier (1998-2004) and Rafa Benitez (2004-2010) were the few who served the club the longest since Paisley’s reign came to an end in 1983. After Brendan Rodgers’s era concluded in October 2015 after his appointment in the Summer of 2012. Jürgen Klopp’s arrival could see him reach the heights of becoming one of the clubs longest ever serving managers.
Since the German’s appointment in October 2015 following the sacking of Brendan Rodgers, Jürgen Klopp has made an immediate impact on and off the field. Reaching two cup finals in his first 7-months at Anfield & taking the Reds to 3rd place so far this campaign, on the verge of Champions League qualification. Klopp, who signed an extension to his contract in the Summer which would see him all the way to 2022, has claimed that Liverpool may be his last managerial Job in an interview with German Magazine, Sport1.
When I heard this news today, it gave me full on Goosebumps. To think that just shy of half-a-century-old, the 49-year-old, if all goes well, will at least be at the Mighty Reds until 2022. I can’t stop feeling excited that the German could be at Liverpool for 5-years. When I think about it, surely he would still have many more years in him, certainly beyond the point of his current end-of-contract date.
Klopp has stated his ambitions of long-term projects;
“It is always quite easy for me to fully commit to what I am doing because they are often long-term projects.”
After a 7-year spell at FSV Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga, and another 7-years at Borussia Dortmund, it bodes well for our club that success is in a non-naïve way, inevitable. As stated by Klopp;
“If I fulfil my contract with Liverpool, then there is a good chance I will have won something here.”
You can say that it is because, as a Liverpool fan, I want it, I mean we all do. It has felt like a lifetime since we were competing in big European games and playing in finals and winning trophies. What is different is that I feel it with Klopp. We have seen glimpses of it already.
Ever since his first press-conference as Reds boss, that famous quote, changing Liverpool fans “from doubters, to believers.” I feel that this is our chance to become one of the greats in England and in Europe again. In Klopp’s interview with German magazine Sport1, he said it himself;
“We can’t have any doubts, but rather work on making it one day. If you are convinced that the right folks work on it, then you can also believe in it. I believe that this joint effort makes it significantly more likely.”
With just 5-games left in the Premier League and sitting 3rd in the table, Champions League football looks likely that it could be back once more thanks to Klopp. Though I want the success now, I am enjoying the journey that this man is already, and will continue to take us on to get there. Hopefully the next step being, playing in the Champions League.
