It’s fair to say Germans have a stereotype.
Whether you think of them as those bastards that get up at silly o’clock in the morning to stick their towel on the best sun lounger in Gran Canaria or a mechanical, dull bugger that lacks all personality, Jurgen Klopp does not fit either of them.
Granted, I’ve never battled the former Borussia Dortmund manager for a sun lounger but because he’s Klopp, I’d probably let him have it.
Just because he’s a loveable bloke. And it’s hard to be one of those when you’re Liverpool manager.
Here are five reasons why everyone loves Jurgen:
He’s Brutally Honest
After defeats, you don’t see Klopp blaming ‘Murphy’s Law’ for his side’s failings.
He’s as honest as they come and a quote from the giant German after Liverpool’s 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United is perfect.
Speaking after Alberto Moreno had a goal disallowed with the score at 1-0, Klopp said:
Because we weren’t good enough, the linesman thought ‘you don’t make world class goals if you play this shit’.
In England, we love honesty from managers. We don’t want excuses and dossiers on how many long balls teams did or didn’t play. We love breakdowns like Kevin Keegan’s ‘I’ll love it if we beat them’ beauty, and Klopp is as entertaining as they come.
He’s Passionate
As more and more managers opt to sit in the stands and watch games or refuse to stand on the touchline and bark orders, Klopp’s style is refreshingly brilliant.
He never stands still. Constantly motivating his players and urging them to press and push forward, you get the feeling Klopp would substitute himself on if he could.
Perhaps that’s not a good idea as he only ever played in the German second division, but his style is well suited for England.
The perfect example was during the thrilling 5-4 win over Norwich earlier this season, when Adam Lallana’s late winner prompted Klopp to get involved in the celebrations, breaking his glasses in the process.
How many managers would we see celebrating a winner at Carrow Road like that?
He’s Funny
The highlight of a journalist’s week is going to a Klopp press conference.
He came out with ‘Now I have to be careful! I look a little bit like a serial killer’ after Christian Benteke broke his glasses in the Norwich game. Who else says stuff like that?
Press conferences are usually fucking dull but with Jurgie, they’re the opposite. He plays with the media, joking and giving sarcastic answers to questions – and that’s only ever going to play into his hands in the future.
Think about it, when results take a downturn, are the press going to be quick to jump on his back and question his ability?
Are they bollocks.
He Has The Best Middle Name Ever
It’s Norbert.
How can you not love a man who has that middle name?
For comparison, Alex Ferguson’s is Chapman and Louis van Gaal’s full name is *takes breath* Aloysius Paulus Maria van Gaal.
Jesus.
He’s Fucking Good At His Job
For all the quirky characteristics that endear him to the general football fan, Klopp is an excellent manager.
His high-pressure style is perfect for the Premier League and was a massive part of his success in Germany.
Winning back-to-back Bundesliga titles in the midst of Bayern Munich’s dominance is about as good as it gets, while guiding Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2012 ensured BVB became everyone’s second-favourite team.
Before Dortmund, Klopp showed his ability when he led Mainz (who he’d previously spent his entire playing career with) to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history, securing a UEFA Cup place in their first season.
They were then relegated but Klopp stayed with them, before resigning a year later after failing to get a second promotion.
Then Dortmund came calling. And the rest is history.
