In the eyes of Liverpool supporters, Jurgen Klopp did not need more trophies to confirm his status as one of the all-time greats. To the rest of the football world, he probably did.
There is a contradiction at the heart of Klopp’s Anfield reign in that his extraordinary job is not reflected in a uniquely brilliant honours list.
That sounds strange given that his second Carabao Cup victory registered his eighth trophy since 2015. The fact remains there are plenty of coaches who have won as much or more than Klopp.
Klopp has not only been a brilliant coach, he has been an exceptionally unlucky one.
Three Champions League final defeats (one of them at Borussia Dortmund) and twice losing the title to Manchester City by a single point underlines how much better it could have been. The Premier League near misses with 97 points (in 2019) and 93 points (in 2022) show that had he managed the club in any other era his Liverpool team would have been ranked among the best of all English champions. Pep Guardiola put the black marker pen through that possibility.
Future generations may look at what Klopp actually won, make direct comparisons with other elite managers of this and previous times, shrug their shoulders and ask, ‘What is all the fuss about?’
Those near misses can blur the judgement of those who do not assess his work closely enough. What Klopp has won tells only one part of the story he is currently finishing.
No matter how much more he wins between now and his emotional farewell, Klopp is a God-like and transformative figure on Merseyside.
Comparisons between Klopp and Bill Shankly are more pertinent than ever. Like Klopp, the man who laid the Anfield foundations in the 1960s is not the most decorated manager in Liverpool history. It does not change the fact he will always be regarded as Anfield’s greatest and one of the most influential in the sport.
Shankly did not win as much as his successor, Bob Paisley. There was no European Cup parade when Shankly was the coach. Under him, Liverpool were never the dominant force in European football they would later become. And yet deep down, Paisley’s greatest admirers will admit none of what followed would have been possible without Shankly. Every trophy Liverpool lifted between 1974-1990 had Shankly’s reflection in the silverware as his blueprint was meticulously followed by the boot-room staff and scouts under his influence.
The same should be true of Klopp so long as owners Fenway Sports Group get their next appointment right.
There is a path forward for Liverpool where Klopp’s replacement takes what he has done and evolves it in such a way to win even more than him, especially if the club’s direct rival for the next eight years is not Guardiola.
If there is one lesson FSG have learnt from seeing how Klopp manages this club – and has fostered that precious union between players, staff and fans – it is the power of collective energy.
What Klopp has done goes beyond the results and trophies. It is how he has done it that makes him so special.
There are certain qualities which cannot be measured by the cold hard data of wins, losses, draws, xG, pressing stats, possession or net spend. What value do you place on the force of a manager’s personality? How do you measure an individual’s capacity to make an 18-year-old straight from the club academy – playing only his second senior game – believe that he belongs on the pitch leading the line in a major Wembley final?
There are no Uefa coaching manuals that can advise on that. Nor are there those that can teach someone to have an instant, emotional connection with the working-class heart of Liverpool’s fanbase, making them believe they are participants more than spectators, and that you, every member of the backroom team and every single player is one of them.
You cannot buy or manufacture that relationship, and the trust and passion it brings with it.
Only a select few managers have been capable of instantly forging that bond: Shankly, Paisley, Joe Fagan, Kenny Dalglish and now Klopp. It is no coincidence that they will be forever the most revered. Every club thinks their club is special. I get that. But I am not sure there are many clubs like Liverpool where the manager’s persona – that sense he truly understands the fanbase and heritage of the city he represents – is so critical to whether they are the right fit.
I fully understand why Klopp rates Sunday’s victory over Chelsea as his most special – the ultimate coaching triumph. He compared last week’s league win over Luton Town to Barcelona because of the circumstances. I knew he would rate Sunday as highly as the Champions League win in 2019 for the same reasons.
I am not exaggerating when ranking it among Liverpool’s greatest final wins, too. Forget ‘this is only the League Cup’. This success defied all logic.
To say Klopp used ‘young players’ completely misses the point. They were not a side full of normal back-ups. Some of them are youth-team footballers. Be honest. How many beyond Liverpool even knew what teenager Jayden Danns looked like before he was sent on before extra time? This is a boy who was due to play in the FA Youth Cup on Thursday night.
Jayden Danns, centre, played his part in a Wembley final at just 18 years old. Lewis Koumas (left) and Trey Nyoni (right) will also remember Sunday for a long time – Liverpool FC/Andrew Powell
Such a performance level would be impossible without institutional and cultural excellence imposed by Klopp, and so much credit goes to academy director Alex Inglethorpe and his staff for readying the players for such a monumental leap.
My fear going into Sunday’s game with Chelsea, and the last few months of Klopp’s reign, was that the conclusion to his final chapter would be a long reflection on what might have been.
All the talk is about a quadruple. There was also a distinct possibility Liverpool would finish this season with nothing, with Klopp’s amazing turnaround since this time last year lacking the tangible reward of a meaningful win.
As a Liverpool player, my overriding emotion after winning major finals was often as much relief as euphoria. As a supporter, it is not so different. When extra time kicked off, I was worried that a Liverpool defeat would have made a hollow end to Klopp’s reign more likely because, no matter what the managers say, cup final losses have a debilitating impact and demand a longer recovery time.
Winning has the reverse impact. Now, there will be a steely belief in Klopp’s squad that one trophy can become at least two. For his Anfield CV to reflect his stellar work, Klopp massively needed that.
Whether he adds to the collection or not, Sunday underlined why even some of those who have spent more time on the winners’ podium will be forever in Klopp’s shadow.
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