Jurgen Klopp at ease as self-imposed trophy deadline looms into view
Jurgen Klopp is approaching a self-imposed trophy deadline at Liverpool.
The German coach made a vow upon his appointment in 2015. “If we sit here in four years, I think we win one title. If not, the next one [for me] may be in Switzerland,” Klopp said.
With respect to Basel and Zurich, they should not be on alert just yet.
The fact that it was Klopp who volunteered this reminder is a reflection of how secure his position is, regardless of whether this year’s Premier League and Champions League bids yield reward.
“A lot of people reminded me when I came here and signed a four-year contract that in four years we probably would have won something. It didn’t happen yet,” Klopp conceded ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Cardiff.
“The position we are now in, I am really happy with. Not that it is the final position we want to be, but the awareness from outside of the club – where we are, second time in Champions League semi-final – that is really special.
“It is not where we want to be at the end. We want to improve. Our problem is the other teams do not sleep and have made a lot of good decisions as well.”
There was another notable Klopp anniversary this week. Four years ago he announced his departure from Borussia Dortmund, seemingly oblivious to the fact English football was sent into a frenzy by the prospect of the Premier League being his next destination.
“It was emotional a few weeks later when the season was finished,” he recalled. “When I look back it was how it should be. If you leave friends you should be a bit sad and emotional and we were. It was the right decision for Dortmund as well and for me 100 per cent.
“After four months this wonderful club came and for me it was the right time again.”
Given Klopp spent seven years at Borussia Dortmund and seven at previous club Mainz, if his Anfield exit is choreographed at the end of his deal in 2022 the most accurate trophy deadline allows three years to meet his objectives.
“Crazy, eh? It looks like a big masterplan,” said Klopp. “It should be (enough time). Look, both sides – the club and myself – have a wonderful commitment that we really try everything to make the club as successful as possible. How long it will take I have no clue. The only thing with the seven years is it is pure coincidence. When they offered me a contract I did not say, ‘yeah, that will take me to seven’.
“We still don’t feel the pressure. We see and feel it as an opportunity. We have these unbelievably strong opponents.
“We have to win all our games, which is difficult enough, and on the other side our opponent is Man City. That makes life not easy. In the Champions League the situation is the same. We play Barcelona. There are not a lot stronger teams in the world.”
If trophies were handed out for global respect, Klopp would already be a serial winner on Merseyside.
Liverpool are a club others want to emulate again, aspirational boardrooms seeing the coaching, playing style and incremental squad investment – funded by player sales and European success – as a more realistic template than Manchester City’s.
Liverpool players have emerged as international ambassadors, Mohamed Salah named one of the most influential people in the world in a Time Magazine poll. This recognition has brought pride to the manager, club and Merseyside community which never disguises its antipathy for the far right extremism polluting political discourse.
“He’s a role model in so many different things,” said Klopp. “It’s really, really nice to have him, and Sadio as well. Both are Muslims and live that in a world where these things are very often discussed in a dangerous manner, where people think ‘they are all like this’ or ‘they are all like that’.
“We know that’s not true, but it is nice to have somebody around full of joy, full of love and to do what he is doing around his religion.
“He’s in the middle of the dressing room, he’s sensationally good with all the boys and he is very influential for us. And if somebody thinks he is influential for the rest of the world as well then good, show it. It’s an important statement for the world.”
Six games remain in Liverpool’s season, seven if they make the Champions League final.
“We are in it and now we want to win it,” said Klopp, eager to meet that deadline.
