Klopp’s revolution
Photo credit: Charanjit Chana
Jurgen Klopp signed for Liverpool FC in October 2015 after Brendan Rodgers was sacked at the beginning of the Premier League season. Twelve points in 10 games ended the tolerance of the club, which decided to bring in a man who’d bring expectations to the fans.
Even when he referred to himself as “the normal one,” there was mysticism and excitement around Anfield after Klopp was officially announced as LFC´s new manager.
“When we obviously started the search it was important that we found somebody we believe could bring success to the club,” said then-Liverpool CEO Ian Ayre at Klopp’s first press conference. “It was important that we brought somebody who could take on the size, the might and the ambition of the club, and Jurgen certainly ticks those boxes.”
Klopp’s first season was experimental. With a squad that wasn’t built by him, Liverpool didn’t pressure Klopp and focused more on the midterm project. Since the day he arrived to Liverpool, Klopp always asked for patience. “Please give us the time,” he said at his first presser.
Klopp already knew that time was the solution to every problem. And that same afforded time — and hard work — brought Liverpool back to the Champions League in the 2017-2018 campaign. The Reds finished in fourth place in the Premier League, one point above Arsenal and seven points above Manchester United.
And here they are, ready to play in the UEFA Champions League final after eliminating Roma in the semifinals.
Liverpool FC is pure entertainment; it is a team that fútbol fanatics should enjoy watching. The football that Liverpool displays is based on the speed of their attacking players, balanced with three “power” midfielders, players that have a simple knowledge of game action — recover and distribute.
It was only a matter of time before the aesthetic of Klopp’s game translated into results. Once his players developed an understanding of their collective roles, he molded them into an ensemble that transformed Liverpool’s historic past into a modern reality.
There was a specific reason why journalists, former players and Liverpool fans were excited after the announcement of Jurgen Klopp as the new LFC manager. They knew that a revolution was coming.
Like Ayre said at the press conference after he and the owners met with Klopp: “It’s like in a relationship I guess, there’s a connection and there’s an understanding of the culture of this football club. It was good to feel like from Jurgen, he really understood the size, the reach and the ambition of the club, and that makes for a great relationship.”
Follow Luis on Twitter: @LFulloa.
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