Dominic Dawes
@PessimisticRed_
Jurgen Klopp
What can we expect?
A deal to bring the German to the club is not yet done but looks increasingly likely and may
even be completed before the end of the week with talks said to be going well. So, if
appointed, just what can we expect from the former-BVB man?
1. Big name = more pulling power
Whether you liked Rodgers or not towards the end of his reign, if you claim to have known
much about him before he took over at anfield, chances are youre probably lying. As a
foreign, up-and-coming player looking a new challenge, Liverpool probably dont top the list
of clubs you can expect to join for guaranteed silverware. Having not won a trophy since
the 2012 Carling Cup (on penalties against Cardiff) The Reds have little to boast about and
fans often have to talk up past success in a bid to prove that the club is still relevant; which
isnt too much of a hard case to argue, we have won 5 European cups just in case you
werent aware.
Whats Klopp got to do with it? Well, without the trophies or a wealth of world class players
to show off, Liverpool need something to convince top players to join the club - something
other than money that is. Not only does bringing in a manager with the experience of Klopp
significantly increase the club's chances of success, his stature gives the club bigger pulling
power.
Try approaching a fast-developing footballer and trying to convince him to make the Anfield
switch by telling him weve not won a trophy of much importance since 2006, you probably
dont know who our manager is (Brendan Rodgers), youre probably aware that our biggest
stars have departed the club recently but I can assure you, this club is going places. Hell
probably laugh in your face before opting to sign a contract extension at his current club
until a real big club comes along.
Now try telling the same player a former European superpower has just acquired one of
the best managers in world football and wants to add you to its pool of young talent. Im
sure itll be somewhat more convincing. In a nutshell, having lost big players and won
nothing in recent years, we need a big name like Klopp to prove that we are still as big as
we claim to be.
2. Charisma
Charisma, energy, passion, eccentricism, enthusiasm or just total madness. Whatever you
want to call it, Klopp has it. Much like performances at Liverpool since Suarezs departure,
Brendan Rodgers lacked personality. The mellow Northern-Irishman irritated many fans
with his cautious, repetitive post-match interviews towards the end of his tenure as he
often spoke of the terrific effort that the players had put in or the dreaded great
character that they had shown to hang in the game following unacceptable results and
performances. Of course, a manager isnt expected to slate his team. But a bit of honesty
wouldnt go amiss as opposed to the same half-hearted drivel week in, week out.
Klopp, on the other hand, is not a man to mince his words. Whether or not his outspoken
nature will lead to more issues than it solves remains to be seen, but with Gerrard gone,
Henderson injured and Boring James Milner taking over temporarily as club captain,
inspirational leadership is missing at the club. It wasnt until this weekend that the fans
were able to experience a brief reminder of what it was like to have a bit of passion for the
club on show; this time in the shape of self-proclaimed Scouser and caged Lion, Mamadou
Sakho. Flat performances from uninspired players due to a failure to motivate by Brendan
Rodgers is undoubtedly one of the factors in the recent death of the famous Anfield
atmosphere and I, for one, believe that Jurgen is capable of getting Anfield bouncing again.
3. European expertise
In addition to shambolic transfer dealings and domestic bottle-jobs, Brendan Rodgers held
an atrocious European record at Liverpool Football Club. This season has been no better
with the Reds third in their Europa League group following two lousy draws against weaker
opposition - FC Bordeaux and FC Sion. For whatever reason, Rodgers has always struggled
to get Liverpool to perform in any European competition. Im not sure if Ive mentioned it
before but Liverpool Football Club have won 5 European cups and were, and still are, the
English Kings of Europe with a trophy cabinet bettered by none in England and only a
handful of teams elsewhere.
This is a reputation that fans are extremely proud of and is one that they definitely want to
keep. Rodgers European failures were damaging the credibility that the club holds on a
European scale, so much so that they are currently ranked as the 54th best team in Europe,
one above APOEL FC and one below KRC Genk - woeful. Klopp - the man that took Borussia
Dortmund to the champions league final and were desperately unlucky not to at least go to
extra time following a last-gasp winner from Arjen Robben - does not have the same
European problem that Rodgers does.
4. Fresh ideas on current players
Nothing that Rodgers has tried since the departure of Suarez and unfortunate loss of
Daniel Sturridge to injury has worked well enough. From the 3-4-1-2, to Sterling as the
leading striker to a 4-3-3 despite only having one winger at the club, Rodgers wasnt able to
get it right. With over 300m spent since Rodgers arrival, Klopp is unlikely to receive
shedloads of money to spend should be become the next Liverpool boss. So, hell have use
the tools that he has inherited from the departed Irishman.
Aside from the probable introduction of the gegenpressing philosophy that worked so well
at Dortmund, we cannot know for sure yet what Klopp will do tactically. One thing that we
can expect to see the back of though is good players played into bad form because theyve
been forced into an unfamiliar position - Ibe at wingback, Can at centre back and Ings on
the wing are all recent examples of this. Having worked with Nuri Sahin at BVB before his
departure to Real Madrid and following loan to Liverpool - a loan which was cut short
following Sahins struggle to add much to the team - Klopp knows a bit about the player. He
spoke to German media outlets at the time of Sahins contract termination to express his
annoyance and confusion that Rodgers was attempting to play Nuri Sahin, a deep-lying
midfielder, as a number 10 in an attacking midfield position. Perhaps in their correct
positions, Jurgen will be able to get more out of the current crop of players.
5. An outside chance of some Dortmund players
