Jurgen Klopp and the key to not giving up
The 30 year drought finally comes to an end. Liverpool, one of the most successful clubs in England and Europe have ultimately grabbed one of the most coveted treasures they could ever crave for. ‘Liverpool- Champions of England, 19–20’ is forever written in block letters, in the pages of Football history.
Although this feat is not to be attributed to a single person or a group of players, the driving force for this incredible achievement is undoubtedly a sole person, Jurgen Klopp. Klopp arrived at Anfield in 2015, after former manager Brendan Rogers was sacked. Brendan Rogers was probably the only manager in Liverpool’s Premier League history who had brought them meters away from the title. But the unfortunate ‘Slip’ by, then captain Steven Gerrard caused the team to decline. Some prominent players left the team after the debacle and the rest had no motivation to continue. But then, for once you hit rock bottom, the journey is all but downwards.
Jurgen Klopp’s achievement at Liverpool might not be the most scintillating in Premier League history. There have been managers who have achieved far more with far less. Jose Mourinho made Chelsea into a massive force, Arsene Wenger made Arsenal invincible, Sir Alex Ferguson made United into an immovable entity and Claudio Ranieri made Leicester dream. But Klopp has his own story. A story of courage and perseverance. A story of never giving up and rising to glory, when the entire world wants to see you drown. In particular, there are multiple instances of what makes Klopp, a person to look up to, not just for his managerial tactics, but for his never say die attitude.
Lesson I: Taking charge of a sinking ship
It was 2015. Jurgen Klopp arrived from Borussia Dortmund, after a very successful stint. Having won a couple of league titles amidst the Bayern supremacy, he was seen as the perfect man to lead a team which was low on morale. Taking charge of Liverpool was risky, but Klopp somehow managed to bring them back on the European footballing map. What Klopp does teaches us is, ‘To never be afraid to take control of a sinking ship, provided you see value in what you are doing and you believe that you are the one who can take the ship to its destination’.
Lesson II: Find the right people to work for you
It takes a team to build something large. And to build a team that would do that, you need vision. That’s what Jurgen Klopp had. On comparing the current playing XI to the one five years back, it won’t take long to observe that except for a couple of players, Klopp managed to replace every single one of them. Restructuring a team is a herculean task, but he managed to do it with finesse. He identified key areas of improvement, worked upon those and delivered results.
Lesson III: Failure shows you the way
Flashback to 2018, Liverpool had managed to reach the Champions League final. Coming to the tie as underdogs, Liverpool had to prove their mettle against one of the greatest football teams of the Century, Real Madrid. Klopp and the entire team were certain that winning the cup was not an easy task and that they needed complete focus. But, the final turned out to be an ultimate circus. After having lost Mo Salah to an injury in the early first half, their morale was already down. To add to that, multiple defensive lapses by the goalkeeper, Loris Karius guaranteed a treble of cups for Real Madrid.
The story which followed was incredible. Liverpool learnt on their mistakes, improved on their tactics and ultimately, won the Champions League the following year.
On a similar note, Liverpool managed to grab 97 points in the 2018–19 Premier League season. Although this would have ensured a title for them in all seasons except one, they came out as runners-up as Manchester City clinched the title with 98 points, one greater than Liverpool. Flash-forward to 2019–20 and Liverpool have managed to clinch the title with seven games to spare, 23 points above runners-up City after 31 games. Its indeed an incredible story to tell the world.
Lesson IV: Never give up and take the corner quickly
Undoubtedly, the highlight of Klopp’s journey at Liverpool is the second leg of Champions League 2018–19. Liverpool were facing Barcelona, a formidable force in Europe at the semi-final stage. The first leg at Camp Nou was a debacle. Barring a few shots on target, it was a Messi masterclass which blew Liverpool out. A 3–0 defeat at Camp Nou had almost secured the final place berth for Barcelona. But, fate had other plans.
To add to their concerns, two of Liverpool’s key players, Mohammed Salah and Roberto Firmino were forced to sit out of the game due to injuries. Moreover, Barcelona, having won their domestic title had rested their entire squad before the game at Anfield. For Klopp and his men, it was a huge mountain to climb. And that mountain was to score a minimum of three goals against one of the greatest teams in the competition, without conceding one and without two of their key players.
What followed was a shocker. Liverpool scored four goals at Anfield, with two each from Divock Origi and the half-time substitute, Georgino Wjnaldum, without conceding a single goal against the attacking force of Messi, Suarez, Coutinho and Dembele. The most famous moment of the game was the lightning fast corner by Alexander Arnold, which proved to be the final nail in Barcelona’s coffin that night. Klopp and his team had done the unthinkable. The final was just a formality, for the Champions League was already won that day.
Football is indeed played by 11 players on field. But, there are a couple of other minds playing the sport from the outside. And Jurgen Klopp is one such mind which has made the world believe and believe in the idea that, ‘Victory delayed is not victory denied. You keep your focus and you will win.’
To all Liverpool Fans, ‘You Never Walk Alone’. To all non-Liverpool fans, there’s always glory in celebrating what is worth celebrating.
