This October 8, Jürgen Klopp celebrated the seventh anniversary of his appointment at Liverpool. A longevity that has become extraordinary in modern football, yet usual for the coach.
393. This Sunday, against Manchester City, Jürgen Klopp will lead the Liverpool team for the 393rd time. A record among the current 20 Premier League managers. Pep Guardiola, the German coach’s best enemy, closely follows his friend with 365 games led on the SkyBlues bench. Thomas Frank, who has been at Brentford for four years, is the only other Premier League manager to exceed 200 games managed (201).
Jürgen Klopp is a customary of the fact. In more than 20 years of career as main manager, the former right-back, who sometimes played in attack, has known only three clubs. A heresy in modern football. On February 28, 2001, the historic player from Mainz (eleven seasons at the club) was promoted to coach of the first team at just 33 years old. Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, first launched by Klopp on January 7, 2019, was just 28 days old.
Read alsoAll-Star Game and ‘Harlem Globetrotters’: Klopp scoffs at Chelsea owner’s idea
«The beginning of Jürgen Klopp’s coaching career in Mainz was extremely unusual, since a few days before he was himself a player“, Details Elmar Neveling, German journalist and author of “Jürgen Klopp: the biography”. “He says he was always prepared for this call and it was the call he was waiting for because he knew he would be a better coach than a better player.“Analyse for his part Alexandre Alain, author of the only biography in French on the German coach. “I had the talent for the Landesliga (German amateur league) and the head for the Bundesliga“, regularly explained the main interested party.
Overnight, from player to coach
In Mainz, Jürgen Klopp is growing and maturing as a coach. He remains at the head of Mainz 05 for seven seasons with, already, convincing results: the team goes back to the first division and then discovers the Europa League for the first time in its history. In 2008, the Stuttgart-born coach left his lifelong club. Eleven years as a player, seven as head coach. “Klopp is still a legend at Mainz“says Elmar Neveling, 46-year-old journalist, now based in Dortmund. When he left, the club’s history gave a speech in front of thousands of supporters, in tears. The one who began his training as a coach when he was only 21 joined, 20 years later, a historic club in the German championship.
The great merit of Jürgen Klopp is to have managed, not only to create a new euphoria in Dortmund, but also to have stabilized the club on the sporting and economic levels.
Elmar Neveling, pour Le Figaro
During the 2008-2009 off-season, Jürgen Klopp arrived in Dortmund to straighten out the club. “The BVB was not only steeped in sporting mediocrity, but also suffered from difficult economic conditions. The club had even recently been on the verge of bankruptcyrecalls the German journalist. “The great merit of Jürgen Klopp is to have managed, not only to create a new euphoria in Dortmund, but also to have stabilized the club on the sporting and economic levels», pursues Elmar Neveling. «In Dortmund, he is a total idol. He’s the man who put the club back on topadds Alexandre Alain, author of the book “Jürgen Klopp: from Mainz to Liverpool, the secrets of success”. The former Mainz will put the BVB at the top of Germany. Two league titles (2011, 2012), a German Cup (2012) and above all a Champions League final (2013).
Read alsoChampions League: Darmanin attacks Klopp for the presence of English fans without tickets
Leaving in amazement
Yet in 2015, when he extended his contract until 2018 shortly before, Jürgen Klopp will surprise everyone. In April, the coach officially announces leaving the club at the end of the season. “He was tired, drained from his seven seasons at Dortmund. He also needed to change, analyzes Alexandre Alain. He is the one leaving but he announces it well in advance so that the club can prepare.” Big class. During his announcement, the coach also explains that he is taking a year off, away from football. A resolution that will only last a few weeks.
On October 8, 2015, Jürgen Klopp arrived in Liverpool, replacing Brendan Rodgers. “When he takes on Liverpool, it’s a club in a crisis of results. He finds a project similar to that of Dortmund. It’s a club that suited him wellanalyzes the French journalist. “He couldn’t refuse Liverpool, proclaims the German journalist for his part. This “match” between the two was simply too good.” On the banks of the Mersey, the German will build his team. With other means. Those of the English clubs.
Read alsoPremier League: Luis Diaz (Liverpool) will not return until after the World Cup
7 years, 7 titles
When he arrived, Jürgen Klopp had to do without Raheem Sterling who left for the enemy city, but with Christian Benteke, Roberto Firmino, Joe Gomez or even James Milner, who had arrived a few weeks earlier. From next year, arrive Sadio Mané, Georginio Wijnaldum or Joël Matip. The apotheosis comes during the 2017-2018 off-season with the arrivals of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Virgil Van Dijk. Good “inexpensive” pickaxes. Alone, the Dutch defender arrives against a sum greater than 47 million euros (84.6).
A very human management. With his players, he talks about things other than football. It’s an iron fist in a velvet glove.
Alexandre Alain, for Le Figaro
Little by little, the German tactician shapes “his” team with “his” players. Europa League finalist in his first season, the native of Stuttgart takes his family to the Champions League final two years later, before the European grail in 2019 and to lift the Premier League in 2020. In total, seven trophies gleaned in seven years on the Mersey.
A longevity in his clubs which is explained in particular by the personality of the German. “It is a very human management, confirms the French biographer. With his players, he talks about something other than football. It’s a bit of an iron fist in a velvet glove.An opinion shared by Elmar Neveling. “The energy he carries within him can be transmitted to his players. He creates an enormous bond of trust with his peers. That’s why you never hear an ex-player say bad things about him.»
Read also“Is Haaland a robot?” : a petition to “exclude” the Mancunian from England collects 2 million signatures
If Jürgen Klopp stays so long in his clubs and creates amazement and sadness when he leaves, it is also by his choices. And not just those of his players. “He is also excellent at finding his staff and surrounding himself with the best in their respective fields.adds the German journalist. Career choices that are also consistent for Alexandre Alain. “He chooses his clubs well. In some clubs you have less time to work and he just needs time to establish his style of play.The German manager who also knows how to change, and not be stubborn, to adapt better. “It also manages to renew itself. At Liverpool, he renewed his game and his style. At first it was total football like in Germany and now it’s a team with possessioncontinues the French author.
The last in Liverpool?
Despite his permanent renewal, Jürgen Klopp seems to be struggling at the start of the 2022-2023 season, for his seventh year at Liverpool FC. After nine days, the Reds (who are one game behind) are only tenth in the Premier League, with only two wins. In the Champions League, Jordan Henderson’s teammates have three wins in four games and should easily qualify for the future.
If the seventh season often rhymes with the end for Jürgen Klopp, our experts do not hear it that way. “I think his squad hasn’t renewed enough but he still has a lot to give to Liverpool“says Alexandre Alain. Same story for Elmar Neveling. “If Jürgen Klopp feels he can’t improve his squad any further, then it would be possible for him to take a similar step to Dortmund. But so far, he claims the situation is not comparable to that of Dortmund in 2015.»
Read alsoPremier League: Enock Mwepu, of Brighton, stops his career due to a heart problem
And the love story between the German and England could last a few more years. Jürgen Klopp is linked with the Reds until 2026. A contract extended on April 28.