WHAT a strange sensation: setting an alarm to watch an interview with a football manager. This is what Jürgen Klopp has done to us. From people on Twitter talking about dreading the match, to everyone on Twitter bouncing out of bed to talk collectively about a man talking about football.
You’ll have probably seen it by now. Or at least seen the best quotes. So I won’t re-hash the whole thing here. So what was interesting?
I found it fascinating how he bounced from the need to be realistic and the need to be ambitious, sometimes in the very same sentence. He’d try and temper expectations and then he’d inflame them, because he just can’t help himself. He wants you to know that there is lots of work to be done, but then he didn’t rule out having the best season in Liverpool’s history.
Jürgen Klopp "We are here together, it feels like a dream" https://t.co/GWELpBOi1Y
— The Anfield Wrap (@TheAnfieldWrap) October 9, 2015
He did mention expectation being like a 20kg weight on your back. He talked about the need to communicate what expectations should be with the fans, which was very interesting as Paul Cope and Sean Rogers discussed this very thing on The Tuesday Review this week. Jürgen Klopp understands the difference between believing you can achieve anything but not expecting it all to come in one day. Just because you are cautious about tomorrow, doesn’t mean you don’t dream of next week.
People have questioned whether his methods can translate from the Bundesliga, but he doesn’t think he needs to adapt. He talked about football being the same universally. He more or less rehashed the famous Bill Shankly quote of “football is a simple game, complicated by idiots.”
Many Liverpool fans will enjoy this. Some managers, rightly or wrongly, alienated a section of our support with how they talked about the game. Jürgen Klopp comes from the Liverpool old-school in this regard. Even if you are doing something complicated, people don’t need to know. Just tell them its simple. Because of the simple way he speaks about the game, he is able to excite everyone. In the studio Mark Lawrenson teased Claire Rourke, who conducted the interview for LFC TV, for beaming throughout the interview, before admitting he was excited too. And if you can get Lawro going…
Kloppo on writing a 'new story', channelling Lennon https://t.co/kYjNHUER5p
— The Anfield Wrap (@TheAnfieldWrap) October 9, 2015
His determination to make Liverpool “the hardest team to beat in the world” will be music to many ears too. It was notable how he talked about defence though. As a platform for greater things, rather than a goal in itself. He talked about the confidence players can lose from not believing in what was behind them. Knowing that every good move from the opposition would lead to a goal. This has certainly happened at Liverpool. Midfielders unsure whether to stick or twist, aware that any move forward will quickly need a surge back.
Finally, he understands that football is about fans. That 22 lads in a park playing footy is great, but it’s the 45,000 who turn up to watch that make it special. This is what makes him love the game. He laughed more in that interview than I’ve ever seen a manager who is just starting a massive job. Good. Football is meant to be a laugh.
Klopp "Football is not so important, we don't save lives, it is our job to help supporters forget their problems for 90 minutes."
— The Anfield Wrap (@TheAnfieldWrap) October 9, 2015
Klopp wants to bring us many laughs. He clearly thinks he can.
“We have to change from doubter, to believer…..now.”
Is right Jurgen, lad.
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Pics: PA Images/Propaganda Photo
Doubters to believers, great new slogan
‘And if you can get Lawro going’ – Priceless. (Not). :-)
Translated by an English Language lecturer from Dortmund who lived 20 years in Liverpool:
“I understand football. If the people are not interested in football, we can put some sticks in the park and play football. It’s still the perfect game, it’s still the same game, but it’s only this game [professional] because of the fans. That’s what I know, what I think, what I feel. We have to entertain them – we have to make their lives better. That’s what we have to do because football is not so important – we don’t save lives or things like that, we are not doctors. It’s our job to let them forget their problems for 90 minutes and then they can talk for three days about the last game and talk for two days about the next game. That’s how I want to live – if I am not a manager, that’s the way I would live because I love this game so much. That’s why I try to be as close as possible to the fans, but it’s not always so possible to be close to the fans because of the job. I have to work and I need time to work, so it’s not always as the fans want but it’s as often as possible.”
I’m a believer. Kloppo for PM!
We have to change in many ways.
Firstly, our support in the ground has to change. Klopp is used to being supported by the Dortmund crowd. He needs it. If we cant get behind the team then we all need to be pro-active and start battering the negative ones so they stop going.
Secondly, we have to give him a chance. Seems everyone will for now, but if he doesn’t succeed then its clearly a club status issue and not the manager, as in, no manager will succeed under the current conditions if he can’t. We can’t be turning on him in 6 months, 18 months etc. It has to stop.
This is the turning point which means we can all start enjoying our football again. There’s no excuses now. If you can’t raise your game then fuck off because we can’t carry on like this. We’re partly responsible for our misfortune. We’ve made it a nightmare job and a nightmare place to play. It’s time to rewind the clock and start supporting the club.
It doesn’t get any better than this. It’s what we all wanted. Get on board but more importantly, stay on board.
Spot on, Mr Crimes.
Wind the clock back a few years is all, before the days of social media and skywriting.
Give him time, like we used to. Reject the trolling from rival support and stirring from insatiable gossip-based media masquerading as football journalism.
Maybe we need to be more like a family, sort out our pettiness and stop feeding trolls in comments sections, on twitter, etc.
One thing I really hope we don’t do is start getting personal if it doesn’t all go right immediately. JK has got a particular style that works as a winner but can easily be mocked in desperate circumstances: The wackiness. The gurning. The eyes. The new age talk.
Things got far too personal with Brendan, I hope we show Jürgen a bit more respect. Remember who we are, what we used to stand for.
Great post. Sadly Robin there are some (thankfully incredibly few) lfc fans who arent on board and are unlikeky to ever get on board, regardless of what success he brings.
Some are complaining because they have a hatred for all things German or because they don’t like his image (rather ironic when these same people criticised those fans who got personal with the previous manager over his appearence). Some are saying anything Klopp achieves will be on the back of the hard work of Rodgers. They have even made up stories about him that are completely untrue and are deliberately trying to damage his reputation before he’s had his first game as Liverpool manager. These same people say they might, just might, support him if he does this, that and the other, i.e. get into the champions league and qualify from the group – despite them supporting the previous boss wholeheartedly who never achieved these things they now demand.
It makes you wonder if some liverpool fans like being miserable. I mean, I gave Rodgers a chance. It was only through his poor job performance and not learning from his mistakes after more than two and a bit years in charge did I say he wasnt the one for us. I never had to get personal – the performances and results spoke for themselves. But some people are already hoping a superior manager with a track record of success fails so they can say Rodgers should have been given yet more time and money.
Its sad…..but only if you dwell on it. Thankfully 90%+ of our fans are well up for this, because if you can’t get excited by this, if you can’t dream what might lie agead, what’s the point?
I’m having a seriously hard time believing any of that. Surely the fan base was previously split on BR whether you either liked him, or didn’t. All the people who didn’t, must surely be delighted, and most of the people who did like him were pragmatic enough to realise results were not good enough. Klopp is a bit of an upgrade.
I’m not sure any of those people you have mentioned are actually Liverpool fans. I mean, have you ever had a drink with a German ?, they’re a right laugh, they love beer and football. They’re exactly like us.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news Sean, but these lfc fans actually exist. I know you are thinking I simply must be making people like this up, that this cannot be real, but I am not and it is.
They use the preseason friendly in which we beat a depleted Dortmund 4-0 as some sort of proof bringing Klopp in and not sticking with Rodgers is a mistake. They even try to put our new boss down by continually pointing towards his Germaness, always referring to him as Herr Klopp, or pointing towards his nations militaristic past by constantly referring to Zelijko Bucac and Peter Krawietz as his “lieutenants.” This is quite dark in my opinion.
If you don’t believe me, twitter search “Brendan slaughtered 4-0” “herr klopp and his lieutenants” or “don’t bomb out of cl in group stage maybe I’ll be convinced”
Then realise these people are in a tiny minority & be excited about what Jurgen will bring us.
If that’s the case then fuck all of those pricks, they don’t even deserve to be acknowledged. Pay them no heed, they’re probably just after confirmation that they’re relevant.
One swallow, does not a summer make.
Wankers.
Geez, you read some unmitigated tripe on football blogs – I’ve no doubt contributed some of it – but this takes the cake.
A confirmed insomniac, I have this week wiled away the wee small hours reading every Liverpool/Klopp related story/blog I can find. I have read thousands of comments and the only one I have seen intimating that Klopp will be undermined is yours.
Sadly, among those thousands, I have read hundreds from so-called Liverpool fans who can’t just celebrate Klopps arrival, but use it as an excuse to dance on Rodgers’ grave – just like you.
This is just revisionist rubbish; a lame attempt to paint the supporters who chose to back Rodgers rather than slag him mercilessly as the driving force behind the negative commentary emanating from the Liverpool fan base of late.
Don’t listen to the voices in your head, they don’t have your best interests at heart.
Not sure what your problem is Jase – all Im doing is pointing out the truth that these people exist. I consider them as ridiculous as the next person but that doesnt mean I have to live in a fantasy land were they don’t exist, spew lies and mock our new manager. If you want to deny reality thats up to you. If you don’t I’ve already told you where to find them by doing a twitter search. To take offense at someone telling the truth is desperate stuff.
Too right! Klopp said it. It’s a new day. Let it be so.
What a man, what a character. A breath of fresh air. Looks absolutely delighted to be here. We’ll get him but he gets us too. Can’t wait to get going.
4 years to win the league. I suspect Klopp will do this a lot sooner.
Compare Klopp’s arrival to Rodgers arrival. Rodgers was only talking about how bad things were at Anfield, he said that’s why he was asked to come, and that it may take 5 years just to get back in the Champions League.
Klopp is rightly aiming a lot higher. We are Liverpool FC. We finally have a manager who gets that.
Mick, all supporters (I think) are uplifted by Klopp’s appointment and I fully agree with your first 2 paragraphs. But any chance, maybe it’s time you put the Rodgers comparisons to bed now? He tried his best, had some good luck and bad luck along the way and unfortunately he ultimately failed to get Liverpool back to where all supporters would like them to be and paid for it with his job.
But let’s just look to the future now.
Well said Gerry.
Agreed mate. Enjoyed the ride with Brendan. Sometimes was watching from behind the sofa, sometimes was dancing on the table, but 101 goals in a season was great to watch and I wish him well
This is just a shot in the dark, but I’m not sure Klopp would have much truck with people who go out of their way to undermine a man who is doing his best for their football club.
To be honest, I don’t think Klopp would ‘get you’ at all.
You’re right, it was a shot in the dark. You haven’t got a clue what Klopp thinks. So keep a lid on it drama queen.
I could quite easily say Klopp wouldn’t have much truck on a manager who in fact didn’t do his best for the club, choosing instead to believe his own hype and conducting himself on and off the pitch in a manner totally opposite to Klopp.
“The wackiness. The gurning. The eyes. The new age talk. ”
– stop point it out. stop looking for it. stop thinking. close your
eyes. listen.feel.rejoice.
Made up!
‘Mick the Prick’ AKA Mr Hind Sight.
‘Cox the cock’ still smarting at useless Brenda being sacked? Didums, at least we now have a manager worthy of the title.
Brenda? Oh I see what you’ve done there..hehe well done Mr Hind Sight.
Lets see how long you stick with our new manager, you are the modern fan so you’ll probably turn at the first dip in form. Have you devised a derogatory nickname for
Klopp yet just in case ?
Prick.