Klopp Leaves Lasting Legacy After Restoring Liverpool to Elite

AFP/APP

Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp will leave Anfield on Sunday as a living legend, having restored Liverpool to the elite of English and European football while building a lasting bond with the city and its people.

Ever since the manager in January announced the shock decision he would be stepping down at the end of the season, the sense of loss that has enveloped Merseyside has been palpable.

The raw emotion is testament to a transformation that Liverpool had not seen since the days of Bill Shankly decades ago.

On Klopp’s first day in charge at Anfield in October 2015 he modestly declared himself as “a Normal One”, in stark contrast to Jose Mourinho’s bombastic “Special One” arrival as Chelsea boss a decade earlier.

Yet the German would prove he was anything but normal, becoming the only Liverpool manager to complete the collection of Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, Club World Cup and Community Shield during his tenure.

The 56-year-old had made a name for himself before arriving in England, overcoming the might of Bayern Munich to win back-to-back Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund.

Liverpool in doldrums

But confidence was not high that he could turn around the fortunes of a global giant that had spent decades in the doldrums.

Klopp arrived with Liverpool 10th in the Premier League table and without a league title in 25 years.

Yet his force of personality, charisma and coaching nous soon began to enchant a highly emotive fanbase.

“This is a very, very special club. I didn’t make them believe, I reminded them that it helps when you believe,” said Klopp earlier this month.

“Everybody was ready to push the train. That’s what we did now for eight-and-a-half years.”

Liverpool’s history has been marked by tragedy and triumph. The 1989 Hillsborough disaster, which resulted in the deaths of 97 fans, has left indelible scars.

“A great communicator, a showman and the leader of the pack,” said former Liverpool captain and manager Graeme Souness of Klopp. “He is a great fit for Liverpool because he feels the emotion of the place.

“Liverpool is an extremely emotional football club, with its history, its tragedies. You get that emotion when you go to Anfield and hear ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ (the club’s anthem).”