Jurgen Klopp

When Jurgen Klopp entered the building for the first time. He took control of a sleeping giant. Not that we were in a bad place by any means. Yet the ground was old-ish. The training facilities were modern-ish. The players were pretty good but we couldn't keep hold of the better ones and no one had tapped into the global phenomenon that is Liverpool FC.

Fast forward to last Sunday and the picture is so so different. Those final fist pumps were raining blows at two shiny new state of the art stands. The Main Stand that is just epic inside and out. The new Anny Road backs it up nicely and looks huge. 15 thousand and the rest more fans are in the ground on match days. Well before kick off in the numerous bars and seating ares. As well as the added hospitality on offer this is something the owners too must take some credit but this is Jurgen's moment..

Let's stay in the ground as we look at the players. Virg & Trent in particular who are quite literally the best players in the world along with the vast majority of their team mates. In tears cos the boss is leaving. Not us fans devo'd cos a rival has come in to nick em.. The coaching staff we sent off to pastures new were top of their game. Backed up by the whole team behind the scenes everything runs with that German fuelled mentality. Everything looked and felt so professional..

As we were watching the goodbye ceremony play out no one even thought about who had won the league. We were discussing how many more people were watching this rather than those lifting the trophy. The numbers came out later and the contrast was amazing. Which told you that this man holds a place in all real football fans hearts. Wolves fans stayed behind to be a part of it (Respect.. Love that) and our fans. WOW.. The Positivity.. The Unity.. and The Togetherness is the main fundamental Klopp wanted to instil.. and it was there for all to see..

Thanks Boss

I mean these 9 years etc have just flown by and you can pin point numerous moments during that time where things took a leap for the better.. It feels like only yesterday news was breaking that Klopp was flying in to take over. Those early interviews where we were all hanging on every word once he was in place.. I was so excited I got tickets for the first game I could for me and my family. Bournemouth at home.. My nephew Harrys first game the lucky thing.. and Anfield felt so different.

There was a real buzz and the players responded instantly. The only gutting thing that night was he didn't do the fist pumps. I waited til he walked off the pitch hoping to see what I'd seen so many times from Dortmund matches.. Yet they were soon gonna come.. Liverpool under Shanks wasn't built in a day and you knew then under Klopp it would be the same. A slow process of gradual changes which I was telling people at the time..

'I was born the year Shanks left so I don't remember his time. So now we all have the chance to witness History In The Making'. This is our time. Right here right now. A time we will talk of for forever as will the next generation and that feels really good as I sit here writing this. For Harry, My Kids & all the young reds around the world this is all they have known and they are so lucky that this is the start of their great journey.

The Re-Build

The first and biggest thing he had to do was change a mentality throughout the whole club. Yes from doubters to believers but more simpler than that making the whole thing one. Firstly on the training pitch. New fitness regimes. New training methods. Nothing ground breaking just do everything right. Together.. New players were coming in that wanted to play for the manager as well as the club. Great players..

So on the pitch it was also quite simple. We attack as a team and defend as a team.. Not so much in the last two years but that team he built three to four years in was well and truly his. As was the back room staff. We were set and the trophies were too. A team that would give their all for each other and for us. In the process bringing the whole thing together.

Off the pitch the club had turned itself into a global powerhouse. I mean when you have the biggest fanbase worldwide that is a no brainer. The financial muscle we have now is exceptional. Not that on the pitch we will break any rules of course. Because we want to bring the academy players through which is paramount to the heartbeat of any club especially ours..

So we come to the new AXA Training Ground. Where all the pieces were joined together for the progression of those youth players to mould seamlessly into first team regulars. Training day in day out with the star players when they were at the required level. So when they played it was like second nature. Again.. Simple..

A training facility that everyone working there was top of their trade and everyone knew their job. Creating or enhancing that family atmosphere the manager loves so the players could thrive in an environment built for them to reach their full potential. Everything in one place. A state of the art training facility that felt like home. 

The Press

Now one thing that stood out from Klopps final interviews and speeches was that its not just about winning matches that is important.. Wait.. What..?

Now for most if this was something he'd have said when he came in it would not have gone down too well.. But for Klopp it kind of rings true. An example was when Bournemouth came back to beat us 4-3 I think at their place when we threw away a lead. All the interviews were like.. Your players this.. Your players that.. His reply.. 'Is no-one going to congratulate Bournemouth on this amazing victory'..

In one comment he pretty much owned the press. Sure they loved building him up in his first interviews and in true press style they were itching to quickly shoot him back down. This never happened with Klopp which is also some achievement on his part. They actually respected him.. Mainly because he never said anything that wasn't a version of the truth or how things should be.

The Trophies

We won loads of games and witnessed some top quality football along the way. Breaking record after record in the process. I like a stat but I'm not massive on them but his win ratio to games must be huge. Coming from a losing position on many occasions turned us into those mentality monsters. Which also echos his persona.

Not that we didn't want to win more trophies but when you are in the midst of such a huge rebuild sometimes results seriously suffer. Yet we were in final after final and a point off more league titles. We were doing what every Liverpool team has done throughout our glory years. We were competing again and we had to learn we have to lose together to appreciate those wins together.

So to win one Premier League. One European Cup. Pretty much one of everything barring the League Cup is very much fitting with Jurgen's time at the club. Because every one of those wins turns into one momentous occasion we will also talk about forever. They don't blur into each other. You remember where you were how we won it and the celebrations after.

The Future

I held off purposely to write this piece as I wanted to soak everything up and try to write without too much emotion. Which is proving rather difficult as this has been an emotional roller coaster from start to finish and we all know where Trent & Virg are coming from. Yet like he said in that farewell speech. This is not the end. It is very much the beginning.

If that was not the case then all his work will be in vein.. He made sure his farewell was a celebration because that is exactly what it is. What he and everyone involved has built in those 9 years or so has transformed the club and laid the foundations for decades of success. It can never be underestimated the size of the task they have completed and it won't..

Jurgen Klopp was made for Liverpool 100%.. He is a revolutionary with style. We have all lived and loved every second of his time at the club. We have all witnessed history in the making and that is what it will slowly turn into now. A history we will preach and be eternally proud of. We will miss you very very much and like you we are excited for what comes next..

Because without you the next phase would not have been possible. It needed a true man of the people with a huge work ethic that loves football like we do. You said its not important what people think of you when you come in its when you leave. Well Jurgen you have delivered everything and more and Arne Slot must be rubbing his hands together coming in to this job. We are set for the future. This is a new beginning based on very solid foundations. We all know what happened the last time we were in this position..

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