German boss Jurgen Klopp is reportedly close to joining Liverpool
According to reports from various sources, including , Liverpool is hoping to agree a deal in the next 48 hours with highly-rated German Jurgen Klopp to become the Reds next boss.
The former-Dortmund boss was the frontrunner to be Brendan Rodgers’ replacement even before the Northern Irishman was sacked on Sunday.
The 48-year-old seems like a man that fits the bill well, having helped BVB in a similar situation in his last job.
Charismatic
Klopp is a guy with a big personality and that is what Liverpool need right now. Former-boss Rodgers liked to talk, but often talked too much in the media for Reds fans liking.
When Klopp talks people listen and he talks a lot of sense about the game. During his time in German football he was a regular analysis on television and earned acclaim for his views.
Successful
Klopp was extremely successful in Germany, firstly guiding Mainz to the Bundesliga for the first time and then the UEFA Cup, before the club were relegated to the second tier of German football. Klopp then resigned when he could not help FSV achieve promotion back to the top-flight.
His appointment as Dortmund boss in 2008 was probably regarded as a gamble by the BVB hierarchy, but Klopp displayed obvious managerial talent at Mainz, despite the club not being able to sustain their top-flight status.
The decision to appoint Klopp as their boss was an inspired one by Dortmund. The season before Klopp took control BVB had finished 13th in the Bundesliga table. He guided the club to sixth and fifth place finishes, but then came the ultimate success of claiming consecutive Bundesliga titles.
In season 2011/12 BVB won the club’s first ever league and cup double by defeating arch-rivals Bayern Munich 5-2 in the DFB-Pokal Cup. In season 2012/13 Dortmund were disappointing in the Bundesliga, but made it to the Champions League final, only to suffer a 2-1 defeat in the final against Bayern.
The following season BVB finished as runners-up in the Bundesliga, before last season saw an inexplicable collapse, which saw the club slump to the bottom of the table at one point.
However, the team’s form improved eventually and BVB finished seventh in the table. He announced in April 2015 that he was leaving the club to take a sabbatical.
Style
Klopp’s team’s style of play during those title winning years was highly praised. Klopp is a big believer in his team playing fast, passing, expansive football. He is also a fan of the high press, also used by Barcelona during their glory days under Pep Guardiola.
While Guardiola’s team was playing passing football, it was arguably more patient than the style of football that Klopp had instilled in his team. Klopp’s team played slightly more direct and with a more physical style.
Brendan Rodgers arrived at Liverpool with a football philosophy, but that philosophy seemed to be lost this season. Klopp is unlikely to abandon his philosophy if he is appointed as the next Liverpool boss, and the Anfield faithful will no doubt appreciate his style of play.
Tactics
Klopp is regarded as a thinker. He is a highly-rated tactician, who did not have to spend big to turn Dortmund into German champions and outfox rivals Bayern. The fact that Klopp managed to bring success to BVB was largely down to his philosophy and his tactical nous.
A man who played a big part in Klopp’s success at Mainz and Dortmund was assistant Zeljko Buvac, who is expected to be reunited with Klopp on Merseyside.
Buvac has the nickname ‘The Brain’ because of his tactical knowledge and Klopp once described the Bosnian as a ‘master of every form of training’. It is fair to say Buvac is pretty highly-rated.
Challenge
Whoever takes the Liverpool managers job then they face a challenge in resurrecting the great old club. Rodgers has assembled a decent, if not world-class squad on Merseyside and should give his successor a decent foundation.
It seems Jurgen Klopp is about to take up that challenge and his managerial past suggests that he could be highly-successful at Anfield. He may just be the man capable of bringing back the glory days to Anfield.
Is Jurgen Klopp the man to bring back the glory days to Liverpool?
