The Weekend’s Other Games 12/02

[Steveo]

Jurgen is a great manager whose delivered titles at 2 relatively low spending clubs.

Don't think the model is that restrictive.

We spent more under Rodgers than Klopp.
Our net spend under Klopp whilst low in the Premier league, its higher than real Madrids over the past 6 or 7 years.

There's a lot of free lessons learned from watching klopp and the strategy employed - which he has corrected and improved.

He should rebuild a second successful side during his tenure imo, a post Salah/Virgil etc era.

The model is largely fine for a club chasing top 4. You would fancy a good manager to be able to achieve that regularly.

Getting 97 and 99 points and 2x Champions league finals in 3 seasons is surely punching a l bel or 2 above?

[Steveo]

I like this even though they have him at number 3??? WTF

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/ranked-best-managers-in-the-world-football


The Liverpool manager had his credentials thoroughly tested in 2021, as his entire defence was decimated with injuries. He responded creatively, pairing youngsters, with midfielders and loan signings as the Reds dragged themselves to a top four finish. Now with a fully fit squad to select from, Klopp’s showing again this term just how devastating his teams can be.*


This is still the man who changed everything. We all press from the front at Klopp’s speed. Pep Guardiola began the debates of what full-backs could become; Klopp produced the examples.

He conquered England and Europe without a conventional playmaker or a conventional striker. He has the demeanour of your dad’s mate, the aura of a coach who simply relies on pumping good players up for big games. But as a tactician, Klopp has fully transformed the game.*

[Steveo]

He is a once in a lifetime manager who imo not only transformed the sport, but this club.

[CCTV]

The model is largely fine for a club chasing top 4. You would fancy a good manager to be able to achieve that regularly.

Getting 97 and 99 points and 2x Champions league finals in 3 seasons is surely punching a l bel or 2 above?

Jurgen exceeds expectations.

Being competitive regularly there'll be times where 95+ points won't be necessary.
90 points could win it this year.

Making top 4 annually and qualifying out of the groups are key targets each year.
If you can be that good you should get lucky in the league occasionally and win it, be good enough to beat a superior side on the way to a CL title.

We've gone close to a league under Rodgers, Rafa did too and was a success in Europe.
Landing Klopp was great with where we were. Landing a replacement should be an easier fix in terms of our appeal.

The inherited squad should be better, finances should be better, our standing in the game better, Anfield will be better/bigger and theres the new training complex.
I expect him to extend his contract and build a second side.

[Steveo]

Hope so CC. Him extending would be massive. Can’t wait to see the redeveloped ARE.

[miller0863]

Hahaha Tuchel is better than Klopp.

Well that’s their credibility flushed straight down the crapper.

[Steveo]

Yep, talk about knee jerk, but the breakdown on Klopp is very good

[Steveo]

Hahaha Tuchel is better than Klopp.

Well that’s their credibility flushed straight down the crapper.

On reflection it isn’t saying any such thing at all.

It’s actually pretty much bang on the money if you read the article.

It isn’t about who is the best manager at all… it’s:

‘ Football's best managers of 2021 – all laid out in some kind of (very specific) order’

“Our list is determined by a few things: ability, of course, as well as how much their team has achieved in these past 12 months - with resources taken into account. Everything considered… these are the most employable men of 2022.”

Clearly in December 2021 - seeing as Chelsea where nowhere under Frank and yet managed top 4, a super cup and becoming the Champions of Europe in under 6 months - it’s fair to put Tuchel top of the pile for 2021 imo.


The only surprise for me is that Pep pips him.

[Insidious]

City/Chelsea wouldn't blink an eye and he'd just become another rotation option.

We've put together a very good squad, largely down to being reasonably savvy in the market. In the long run though, how likely is it that we can keep that going?

It's a massive question, no doubt.

Klopp has been a massive part of it. Massive. Thanks in (large) part to him -

- The Squad will be better when he leaves than when he arrived.
- The stadium will be bigger when he leaves than when he arrived.
- Our backroom staff will be better when he leaves than when he arrived.
- Our pool of young talent thanks to Academy improvements and recruitment improvements will be better when he leaves than when he arrived.
- The successes we have had (including regular Champion's League participation help to pay bigger wages than when he arrived (as does TV revenue etc.)

We can't "replace" Klopp as such. However, when we brought him here he would have been one of very few willing to take on the incredibly difficult job that was here for him - most would have said "too big a challenge" and ignored it. When Klopp departs, there will be several Managers who will fancy themselves and we can afford to be picky and measured in ensuring (as far as possible, no guarantees in Football) that we get the right man for the job to attempt to continue the good of the groundwork laid before rather than tearing up the script.

Ideally an opportunity arises where we can extend Klopp's time with us and delay the problem, so Jurgen brings through the "next" side as Fergie used to do at Man United. If he needs a recharge for a year, I'd trust Lijnders for that season, to give Klopp recharge time, as he has a great relationship with the players, knows our systems etc - then Klopp takes the reigns again - that would be close to the perfect scenario - the perfect one being that Klopp doesn't need a break because winning trophies reinvigorates him and thus he stays because we're Boss

Our Framework is really good. Whilst post-Klopp concerns are a nag, we should be well placed by then. The only way that we won't be (and it doesn't "feel very Klopp") is if Klopp's departure coincides with a load of our best lads leaving or being past their best, so a new guy inherits a weakened version of the current squad. However, we are already seeing with the arrivals of Jota (25) Diaz (25) and Konate (22) that we're working towards safe-guarding the future. Elliott (18) breaking through and ideally the arrival of a 24-or-younger midfielder in the Summer means we have a bit of safety in every area of the pitch and I can only see us continuing our plan of bringing in players that tick the appropriate boxes in terms of age.

We can't protect against Man City etc. but we can look after ourselves better than most sides in the League. Remaining in the top 1-3 sides with the occasional slip to 4th over the coming 10 years or so isn't at all guaranteed, but we are certainly largely better-run than Man United, Tottenham, Arsenal etc and already have a lead on them, so I wouldn't worry for now.