Liverpool fans look away because it’s really happening. Like most football fans, it was quite a shock to hear the announcement made by Jürgen Klopp last week in which he conveyed that he will be resigning from his current position at the end of this season. This news literally came out of nowhere especially because the English Premier League (EPL) has reached just about the halfway point in the 2023/24 season and Liverpool currently sit on top of the table.
Impact and Achievements
The German manager has spent eight-and-a-half successful years at the club, and will no doubt be leaving the club in a better state than it was when he arrived. Prior to his arrival in Liverpool, Jürgen Klopp established himself at German club Borussia Dortmund by winning back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012. Klopp also won the DFB-Pokal in 2012 and claimed runners-up consecutively in 2013 and 2014.
He also managed to take Dortmund to the UEFA Champions League final in 2013, however lost against domestic rivals Bayern Munich. These accomplishments are extremely impressive because Dortmund has always been a tightly budgeted club who rely on young prospects from their own academy so naturally Klopp’s managerial credentials were unquestionable, and this made him highly sought after in Europe.
As an Arsenal fan, I had always admired Klopp during his Dortmund days and wished that he would one day manage the Gunners. When it was announced that he would be joining Liverpool, I was gutted to see him join a rival club, however at the same time as I was excited to see what he would do week-in week-out in the ‘toughest league’ in the world. During his tenure so far, similar to what he did at Dortmund, Klopp completely transformed the Liverpool team who were struggling in mid-table positions before he took over.
With a transformation in philosophy, tactics, culture and of course financial backing from the owners, the prolific German manager made Liverpool title contenders once again and won every possible trophy including the UEFA Champions League (UCL), UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, EPL, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and the FA Community Shield. Expectedly, Klopp brought his trademark ‘Gegenpressing’ style to England and Liverpool have been a threat ever since. This is undoubtedly one of the most successful and dominant reigns of any manager I have witnessed in recent times.
Besides the trophies, Klopp’s Liverpool team was incredibly competitive not just domestically in England but also internationally across Europe. During seasons where they did not win any major trophy, the team continued to put pressure on their rivals and compete at the highest level. For instance, in his first season with The Reds, he managed to take an average team to the Europa League final despite only claiming the runners-up position.
Apart from the UEFA Champions League trophy Liverpool claimed, Klopp also took Liverpool to the UCL final on two other occasions, however they came up short and claimed runners-up. Nevertheless, taking a team to the UCL final three times in eight-and-a-half years while still winning major trophies is a commendable feat for any manager. The Premier League was also treated to an explosive and intense rivalry between Manchester City managed by Pep Guardiola and Klopp’s Liverpool which began in 2018.
The two clubs have been going head-to-head for the EPL title and domestic trophies every season with one of the two having won every EPL title, 6 FA Cups and 5 out of 6 EFL Cups till date. Players from both clubs have also dominated the individual awards and both clubs and managers are still fighting it out in Klopp’s final season as manager with Liverpool currently sitting on top of the league table and Manchester City right on their tail in second place.
Sufficed to say, Klopp’s Liverpool era is marked by outstanding success with potentially more as Liverpool still have four trophies to play for this season. The German will certainly be remembered as one of The Reds’ greatest managers and even as a rival fan, I’m glad I got to witness it!
Why has Klopp Decided to Leave Liverpool?
Usually when a manager decides to leave a football club, it’s down to numerous reasons. Some might leave because they received a better job at a better club. A recent example of this is Graham Potter leaving mid-table club Brighton to join top-4 side Chelsea. Another reason why managers may choose to leave a club is due to illness or simply because they are too old to do the job any longer. More often than not…managers are sacked by their club when they fail to deliver consistently adequate performances.
However, Klopp’s reason for leaving Liverpool is a different one. Last season was arguably Klopp’s worst season in charge despite starting the 2022/23 season by winning the FA Community Shield against rivals Manchester City. Liverpool started the season strongly, however they ran out of steam and some of their key players were injured throughout critical periods of the campaign and some players were out of form as well. This resulted in The Reds narrowly missing out of UEFA Champions League qualification and concluding the season without any major trophy.
Because of Klopp’s good relationship with the Liverpool owners, he did not get the sack and instead they backed him in the summer transfer window to sign key players that would fit his style of play. Despite this, Klopp decided to announce his resignation. The German has been ‘running out of energy’ and he realised his burnout in September when the club began planning for upcoming transfer windows and their approach for the next season. He realised that he cannot manage the club at 100% anymore because he’s run out of steam.
The same thing happened to him at Dortmund, when he announced his decision to leave the club, he was quoted saying “I really think the decision is the right one. This club deserves to be coached from the 100% right manager”. With similar words this time around, we can understand that Klopp is an extremely passionate manager and he wants to continue coaching when he is able to give 100% to the club, the players, the fans and the mission but the job also demands a lot from a person and because he has been doing this for nearly 9 years at Liverpool, he is burnt out and needs a break now.
During his recent announcement, he even stated that upon leaving he will not be coaching a club or an international team for at least a year. Clearly, the weight of the job has finally caught up to the German and he is brutally honest about it. The timing of the announcement is definitely strategic because with Liverpool competing for every possible trophy, the players and fans will band together to try and win some major trophies as a perfect farewell. Of course Klopp had to play mind games till the very end!
Watch the full interview below:
