It is eight years to the day since Jurgen Klopp was appointed as Liverpool manager. The German coach had left Borussia Dortmund the previous summer. When Brendan Rodgers started the 2015/16 season poorly, Klopp was installed as his replacement in the Anfield hotseat. The nine years that have followed have brought untold success. Klopp has won the Premier League title, the Champions League, The FA Cup and the Carabao Cup. The Merseysiders have been the most common challenger to Manchester City’s dominance. They have reached a further two Champions League finals, as well as a Europa League final. After 30 years without a league title, Liverpool are back as one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Liverpool’s recent history under Klopp is well-told. But what about the future? The German’s deal is set to expire in the summer of 2026, meaning the remainder of this season and, in theory, the following two campaigns will be under his tutelage. Already the longest-serving active Premier League manager, if he completes his contract then Klopp would surpass David Moyes at Everton on the all-time list. Only Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger will have remained in charge of the same club for longer.
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You’d wager that Klopp will get there, too. Even last season when Liverpool floundered and looked a shadow of their former selves, there was no indication owners Fenway Sports Group were getting itchy. They have trusted Klopp this far and he has rewarded them with the most successful Liverpool side of the Premier League era. Last season’s fifth place finish was a shocking drop-off by their lofty standards, but not exactly a rarity before Klopp joined.
The time will come when Klopp and Anfield aren’t such a good fit, but it seems a way off yet. He’s still only 56, far from pensionable age for a top manager. The former Mainz player and manager is only three years the senior of Erik ten Hag, manager of bitter rivals Manchester United. Rather it is the relish with which he undertakes a much-needed reboot that will seal his long-term fate, rather than advancing years.
That reboot is underway. Sadio Mane left last summer and Roberto Firmino followed him this season. Mohamed Salah, the other third of Liverpool’s celebrated triumvirate, was expected at one stage to join his former partners in Saudi Arabia. But the Egyptian remains in situ and playing some of his best stuff. But other Liverpool mainstays did depart over the summer. The exits of Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Fabinho, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain meant that rebuilding work would be needed.
Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo have joined this summer as Klopp starts over. It’s working too, with Liverpool looking far more consistent and cohesive this season. After a rickety campaign last term, Klopp appears to be successfully future-proofing his Liverpool team.
His survivalist instincts have bled through to his general demeanour too. Klopp was first introduced to many English fans as the affable, hug-loving progenitor of “heavy metal football” at Borussia Dortmund. A decade ago, when his side were about to meet Bayern Munich at Wembley in an all-German Champions League final, ITV aired a staged interaction with a London cabbie. “I’m Kloppo from Dortmund!” he beamed to the taxi driver. But the lovable “Kloppo” is long gone, or at least he’s hiding behind the layer of thick skin managers in the Premier League soon find is required. Whether it’s blaming the pitch for a defeat or demanding a replay after an admittedly shocking VAR blunder, Klopp has evolved to become every bit as belligerent as Wenger, Ferguson or Pep Guardiola ever were. Call it a necessary evil to last so long at one of England’s great footballing institutions.
Klopp will likely last a fair while longer. In this ever-changing world where even three years at an elite club feels like a long-term commitment, Klopp is a throwback to a time of enduring managers. He has earned every bit of that patience from his bosses at Fenway. But Klopp won’t settle for longevity. After a difficult campaign last year, it is trophy success with his rejuvenated squad that he now craves. Here’s to the next eight years? That might be pushing it. But don’t be surprised to see Klopp still in the Anfield dugout over the next two-and-a-half.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
