JÜRGEN Klopp at Liverpool for six years? I’ll take that. I’ll take that all day.
For days now I’ve been writing and rewriting an article for this site that isn’t really working how I’d like it so far. The idea was that it would accompany our recent podcast about Liverpool FC’s identity. The problem is that what makes up Liverpool FC’s identity is so wide ranging.
Part of it is ambition. Of wanting to win. It’s why we have endless debates on who we buy and who we don’t. We want the big name. The statement of intent. We want balls slapped on the table and two fingers stuck in the air. “We’re Liverpool. Fuck off.” That kind of thing. There hasn’t been enough of it. And there’s been too much of the opposite.
When Brendan Rodgers was sacked some fans celebrated the fact. They had grown sick of him. They magnified his faults and kicked away the good bits. Others did the opposite. What was clear was that from day one he wasn’t an appointment that could unite the fans. Even when his stock was at its highest, still some scowled at the salesman demeanour.
When his stock was at its lowest, Rodgers remained. A man who had overseen one of the worst Liverpool defeats in a lifetime remained in post. Then, fans looked above him. At the men who appointed him in the first place. At the men seemingly sitting on their hands and accepting the status quo after Stoke had hit a once proud club for six.
Now, those same men have recognised Liverpool are onto a good thing and made a very public statement about their belief. Jürgen Klopp is the man is what a six-year contract at Liverpool says. He is the leader. The be all and end all. The nouveaux Bill Shankly who can revamp and restructure a club struggling for relevance at the very top of the game.
Listen: Klopp contract reaction special
Klopp may end up being none of those things, of course that is always a possibility. But for now this is a Liverpool that will be built in the personality of a man who is loved, admired and, crucially, respected throughout the football world.
Some will say making him almost bulletproof is a dangerous game. But waiting around wondering has proved equally dangerous for Liverpool in the past. Right now I’m glad of the decisiveness. It helps to create a feeling that Liverpool have a direction. A vision. A plan.
For what feels like a very long time conversations around the club have come back to it appearing to be rudderless. Of it spinning around without a captain able to take control. Of too many people in too many places rowing in different directions leaving Liverpool floundering nowhere.
FSG have made Klopp all powerful with this decision — an old-school figurehead in a game increasingly obsessed with middle managers.
Can he handle it? Time will tell. But he’s signed it and he’s happy. And history and the evidence of last season suggests a man with the will to make things happen. This isn’t a chancer who has sold his way to a fortune with smoke and mirrors. This is Jürgen Klopp — a winner, and a man described as the most wanted manager in the world shortly before his Anfield appointment; a man with standing in the game, who commands respect and takes no shit.
All of that matters. The fans are united on the manager. The club is too. There are still ways out if the worst happens but how about we presume it doesn’t?
Klopp can now surely weed out anyone at the club that contributes to the playing side that can’t cut it. For everything else that might need doing might he need the help of a top-class football administrator? Someone with similar clout in the less public circles of the game as he has? He might. And it just so happens that Liverpool have a vacancy to fill on that score with the – albeit prolonged – departure of Ian Ayre.
When the conversations continue to find that person, as surely they have already started, won’t Liverpool now be speaking from a stronger position with Klopp contracted until 2022? With a bigger ground and a respected manager, doesn’t that make Liverpool FC of 2016 a more attractive proposition than the one of just a short time ago?
I’ll finish that identity piece one day. In the meantime, I’m happy that we have one of the best managers about on board, committed and contracted for the long term. It doesn’t fix everything, it doesn’t make it all alright overnight. But surely, even for the biggest misery arses out there, it can be seen as a step in the right direction?
I’d rather have Klopp wielding more power at Liverpool FC than a bloke who can’t even be arsed to do an interview and tell us what he thinks about the club. Hi, Mike Gordon. One day, yeah?
It feels like Klopp gets us. And now we get to keep Klopp. If we have more nights like Dortmund, more games like City away, more atmospheres like United in the Europa League then that will tell you all you need to know. That he’s getting it right. And if he gets it right, he will become the longest serving Liverpool manager since Bob Paisley.
Klopp asked us to believe and I’m believing. And I’m enjoying it. Jurgen Norbert Klopp? Boss tha’.
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While I love Klopp, love his passion and love what is seemingly a natural fit is it smart giving a manager, any manager, a new contract after 9 months?
Is it wise not to?
Is it wise not to?!?!
He’s tied to a 3 yr contract with an option for another.
He’s shown no signs of discontent.
By all counts there’s no increase in money.
Look at this critically.
£5m a year is good going for a manager with limited victorieson his CV.
Far cheaper than players.
Make the manager the focus, you save cash on players, especially if the supporters believe the managers can we work his magic, like Brendan’s “philosophy” and turn cheap players into world class.
well that depends on who the manager is doesn’t it. A chancer like a pardew? Unproven like Rodgers then clearly not. A guy coveted and named one of the best managers in the world? with an excellent track record? Hell yes get him sighed up and let him have the time and the resources to get to work.
Some Liverpool fans on here and in the media make me fucking laugh. They will always, always find something to be whining about.
Obviously, £5m a year is a good salary for a manager without regular league victories across multiple clubs and leagues or a CL victory on his CV.
Mushrolmwhatever prefers to deal in far flung conspiracy.
I prefer to deal with fucking reality.
Or is it a conspiracy Klopp has not yet won major European honours?
It’s ok though Matthew, I assume you are school age, hence not actually making any constructive comment.
Pros and con I guess – presumably Klopp have presented a “Vision” if you like – backed up by an plan of action on how to achieve the stated goals. And that could have convinced the owners – who knows?. On the flip side football in general these days seam to be dictated by lack of patience and some rash decisions.
Example: what to expect this season?
(Up front we should always with no exception be aiming to win the league)
However you are competing against Chelsea (strong squad tactically smart manager), Man city (Guardiola and massive budget), Man U Morinho and top budget, Arsenal have been in top 4 for +15 years running, Spurs who up until the last 8 games looked a force to the recon with, Leicester who if they can keep their player should be in top 8, the puffing team who punch above their weight (West ham or Southampton) and then you have Liverpool.
I think the league will be more competitive than ever. So if Liverpool were to finish 5th say 9 point behind the league winner will he then be sacked – who knows? Even if this constitute an improvement.
My hope is that FSG now recognize that there is no substitute for time when building a team. The alternative is to buy a team and on that front FSG can not compete. And I think that is the reason they signed Klopp long term and that can only be a good thing – YNWA
FSG know all about time. They have been here 6 years and we are further off winning the league that at any other time in the past 50 years. It’s going to take time..the LFC brand has about 10 years left in it before it’s with the same as the bitters.
And the prize goes too…
the league is competitive and has always been competitive. but why does everyone thinks to win it you need to spend big after what Leicester achieved last season n even our 13/14 heroics before that. this is a man who has proven he can be competitive without big names n big signings. we have only one option. yea only one – trust him and support the team.
“Stoke had hit a once proud club for six.”
Once proud?!?
Still am mate.
So am I. Which is why Rodgers should have gone after that result.
Identity and the culture of Liverpool FC has always been built around the cult of the manager calling all the shots. Its one of the things that sets us apart. Its our greatest strength and greatest weakness. When we get it wrong with Souness or the Twat that read books it feels like the world collapses. When it goes well its the glory years and Istanbul. What FSG have tried to do in the first five years is eliminate risk and have checks and balances. It has not worked, because they have not had the correct manager, they could have built a team of coaches around Kenny but got rid of him (I would have preferred Brendan to come in as an assistant manager and coach with Steve Clarke). Whats great about Klopp is that he has his team of coaches, like Rafa had (but with more stability). The model of a brains trust (bootroom) with a manager that takes responsibility and decisions is a model that we as fans are comfortable with, and the owners signs the cheques. This is our identity, whats not to like.
This contract doesn’t ensure he’ll be here for 6 years. If things go tits up then he’ll still get sacked. If another club comes in for him and he wants to go then he’ll still leave.
All this contract does, in real terms, is ensure greater compensation if he’s poached and far greater cost if he’s sacked. The cynic in me, looking at how we’ve never lost a manager to another club but have sacked our last 7, would suggest the latter is far more likely.
what about the fact that Klopp has never been sacked at any club he has managed. that equates the latter. so move on, believe n hope for the best n the best will surely come.
First good news I’ve had in a while. Very happy.
6 years isn’t long enough. There is no other manager in the foreseeable future that I want to see at Liverpool other than Klopp.
I think this is wholly good news. Not because of any extra security provided one way or the other to club or manager, but rather because of what it says about the long term intent of club and manager.
We get a continuous stream of nonsense internet driven rumours suggesting that the owners are looking short term and will flip the club for a profit to Arab or Chinese buyers in the near future. Yet every on the record statement, every account from informed sources, and actions such as this new contract point to a longer term commitment and plan.
Great news but the first thing i thought was “is right! but strange,why now?”
Takeover on the horizon and this contract extension is another price hiker on future sale of the club like the new Main Stand?
Klopp likes buying cheap and developing player and our owners are more than happy to have found the one top class manager who doesnt want mega spending funds to be a success?
Without reading the specifics of the contract, it’s not even worth thinking about. A 6 year contract in modern football is as meaningless as a “permanent job” post Brexit…or pre Brexit for that matter.
Giving Klopp a 6 year contract is, however, a cost effective way of keeping the fans happy and distracting from the fact that we are stuck with the core squad that achieved nothing last season.
Second is nothing, especially in a second tier competition.
Go ‘ed , fucking crawl and grovel and pick up the crumbs FSG throw!!?
Come on Mushroom what’s really troubling you? This constant moaning and anger about the owners is clearly displacement.
What is it you are really angry about in your life, relationship? career problems, low self esteem? Perhaps you should see someone? Your GP should be able to recommend someone who can help with some sort of therapy.
Good luck. Let us all know how it goes.
Just pissed off with season after season of average, mediocre mid table footy, being served up by a fucking burger franchise. Without much realistic hope of us ever winning anything of substance, which is why so naively expect us doing a Leicester next year. It’s desperation.
Just because you are fucking elated at 8th place don’t be fucking insinuating mental illness you horrible cunt. What a fucking arse licking gobbler. Bet you hated on those supporters who marched against this shower putting ticket prices up.
Do you not get pissed off at watching the likes of Mignolet wear the shirt of this great club and represent your City?
Mate, your second paragraph is a bit much – try and keep a lid on it – no-one is interested in reading a response like that. Cheers
Sorry mate I will keep a fucking lid on it future
No way are FSG selling whilst the brand has value.
In 10 years though, when we are a different coloured Everton, they will sell.
what the fuck are you on?has someone wearing a Liverpool shirt and driving a car with FS& G in the reg plate been slotting your missus?
I am on a reality check mate.
Open your eyes. FSG don’t give a fuck about the sporting performance of the club. Only the cash.Otherwise they would be at the games and securing the signings required to take us to the top.
You should perhaps look at FSG and thier track record more closely.
Every bitter I know I quaking with fear and envy over our transfer business. Honest.
Bloody hell Mushroom, change the record you miserable sod! It’s like drinking with a blue nose listening to you :) Great manager, new keeper, new CB, new winger, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, what’s not too love ?
Back on Topic. Just in case everything goes brilliantly next year, if we hadn’t offered him a new contract, he’d only have been 12 months away from moving on, and might well have been persuaded elsewhere if other teams seasons don’t go as well. Great move, and he signed, all appears well at present.
Shit season last season, basically the same squad, still no depth , signings same as per.
So all things being equal, which they are not as both manc teams have “great managers” , Leicester have kept Vardy, last year’s top 4 will be stronger, bitters have a new manager….
Tell me, what the fuck is to love?
I bet you were one of them who honestly believed themselves when they said “losing the Europa was positive because we can concentrate on the League”
Sorry mate I cant take you or your deluded ilk seriously.
Crikey, if all the other teams implode, and we win the league at a canter, you’d still complain and say the manager got lucky.
It wasn’t a shit season, but it does need to be better in terms of the league, but lets look at the positives. Two finals. Granted we lost them badly in the end, but the first 45 mins of the Europa League final was pretty good and we could easily have gone in at half time a couple of goals to the good, and then it’s a different game.
At the start of the season, we were having huge problems scoring. But since Klopp took over, we’ve become much better at that aspect, mainly because Firmino found his scoring boots and Coutinho stopped shooting on sight. Don’t forget the injuries, we were literally so depleted, we had to go and get Steven Caulker in on loan – Steven Caulker……. it’s unlikely that our injury problems will be anywhere near as bad this year.
You passionately hate our keeper, but we’ve bought another one… considered second only to Neuer (spell ?) in Germany.
So what if the top 4 have improved, so have we, although arguably Leicester haven’t yet, and really, bringing Everton into it ? Lol, Koeman is good, but he’s not a miracle worker.
And finally Klopp.
“All you need is love, love is all you need”
Other teams won’t implode.
There were some good performances in the Europa league. The final was shit , the second half embarrassing.
You feel free to lap up mediocrity. 8th places finishes and the odd Europa runners up medal.
But let those who think that’s shit have thier opinion and let those who think a club this size deserves. squad that cam compete on more than one front and have depth in quality.
But you’ve already written this season off. You’ve written Mane off. You’ve slated Klopp for not having won enough. You call people deluded for having one iota of optimism.
You just think it’s all shite, the players, the club, the manager, the owners. You refuse to believe that anything good could happen. It’s just persistent and unshakeable negativity – which must surely make you just as deluded as any of the optimistic people ?
Jurgen Klopp, hey hey top of the pops or something more naturally colloquial to the Scouse heart. I must admit a fearful bit of what I say may have been related to me via Top Gear and I’m not going to stand here as any sort of man who wears his shorts with sense would claim to do and state that isn’t deeply troubling me on several levels. But hurrah. It’s what, I don’t really “do” dates or times and so if my approximations are correct we’ll have had Klopp for basically 7 years when my tenses actually rhyme up. Aye, I’ll be 40 then and hopefully looking forward to new ground but I’ll be chuffed if that personal sell-on date comes we’re all dressed in red and Klopp sits down and takes in the moment like it was Black and Yellow and beautiful. But I see in Klopp a long game. Call it the Obama, the patience of a man who can see ups and downs and always keep us a relevant name in world football. Say what you will about FSG but they realize Liverpool have one truly world class draw left (aside from the perpetual pull that Anfield has over footballers: maybe we stumble across another Suarez. Maybe.) but they saw and they conquered and now Klopp is Liverpool in many a young player’s mind. Klopp wants hungry players, those who aren’t scared of the “step down”(ahem Göetse) but rather those who look at Barca and don’t give a toss because they are here to win something for a change. Riise is excited and I think he might relate a little to what I’m driving at. The premier league is set for a possible change in epoch with as many as 7 or even 8 teams clawing tooth and nail each year for those 4 precious spots and with Kopp we have our best shot at eating our cake with silverware ontop.
Get in.
NOW BACK HIM IN THE TRANSFER MARKET. WHOEVER HE WANTS…MAKE IT SO!!! I’m happy we are going this way, but we can’t do it half arsed. If we do it we do it full throttle. Gamble/risk – may be. But the alternative isn’t worth doing.
We bagged 2 of 6 final places; and had something to support till May . We avoided CL. We avoided Europa League. Newcastle away/home, Watford away and a couple of others were the only other performance glum-spots in the league. Whilst a top-drawer Coach gets a quick 60 games under his belt to get as much of a feel for our club in a short a time as we could expect. Targets on the back of that? 9 more points in League minimum, perhaps. A cup win and a laugh at Conte and Mourinho burning each other’s heads out.
So tell me mushroom, how would you go about getting top world class players at Liverpool?? Bear in mind this isn’t football manager 2016 and there are no cheats available.
Do we kidnap the players agent and blackmail them? Force the player to play for us??
I’m genuinely interested to know how you would do it.
If I was a top player and I had a choice between barca, real Madrid, PSG, atletico, arsenal and Liverpool, and I wanted to win trophies and get picked by my national side. Would I go to a top 2-3 club or an inconsistent top 8 club.
If we want to compete with the best, then we either look for little gems like klopp Has done before or we recruit from youth.
If you can’t back the board, manager and players then maybe LFC isn’t for you
Micky I am holding my breath and waiting for a reply from Mushroom “I forget to take my anger management pill”. The you have it – I just saved you. I am certain that by now Mushroom are making “Hyperbeat” woodoo attempting to convince himself that I am an incarnation of Brendan Rodgers cloned with Hodgson created by satan himself.
Just a guess on my part regarding the extension but if I were FSC it would be in my best interest to maximize value for a sale by retaining my executive talent on long term contracts.