Jurgen Klopp replaced the sacked Brendan Rodgers as Liverpool manager in October of 2015. Although he has had some glorious moments at Anfield, he hasn’t come even remotely close to matching the hype that accompanied his arrival.
Having achieved a ton of success at both Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, the German has yet to win a trophy at Anfield. Although he did reach the Finals of both the UEFA Europa League and EFL Cup tournaments in 2016. In July of that year, Klopp signed a six year contraction extension.
In the past, Klopp has publicly spoken about finishing out his managerial career at Liverpool, but he took a different tone during his weekly news conference.
“Stay here 20 years? Don’t know, don’t know. So far, after seven years, I’ve felt maybe I should move on,” Jurgen Klopp said at a press conference ahead of the blockbuster fixture tonight at Arsenal.
“A few weeks ago, I saw a statistic for the longest-serving coaches in the Bundesliga and I’m the record coach of two clubs: Mainz and Dortmund. It would be quite difficult to become the record coach at Liverpool. I don’t know.”
“As long as it works really, really well, I will carry on. That means as long as there is space for improvement because even if you win something, which everyone here is desperately waiting for, it could be the moment I say, ‘OK, but now we have to leave.’
“So far I think I have a very good feeling for these moments. In both situations, I think it was the right moment for both sides, for both parties, the clubs and me,” he added.
“We will see. I don’t feel I am close to that moment and everything is fine.”
In order for Jurgen Klopp to become the longest serving coach at Liverpool, he would have to finish out his deal, which ends in 2022, and then manage another dozen years at least, because the current record, held by Tom Watson, is 19 years.
Klopp is currently 50 years old, so he would be 67 if and when he breaks the record, should this scenario unfold.
It’s not very likely, given today’s football landscape, in which excessive turnover is very commonplace.
Klopp recognizes this, and alluded to it in reference to the longevity of Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, and his opponent across the touchline tonight- Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger.
“If anyone thinks they can make a career like Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger in clubs, I’m not sure it would be possible,” Jurgen Klopp continued.
“I think Arsene gets a lot of criticism. I’ve seen it since I’ve been in England and for sure it’s not right, but he’s still there and he’s doing a brilliant job again.”
“Top five, six, fighting for fourth and being involved in different cup competitions and things like that. He’s obviously still very ambitious.”
Wenger, despite all the fan protests calling for his ouster, remains in charge at the Emirates, where has been the leader since 1996.
Fergie, whose name and statue adorns Old Trafford, was the head man at United from 1986-2013. Both of these are extreme rarities in the game today.
Jurgen Klopp seems to have a very realistic and grounded view of his future and what life is as a football manager today.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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