5 Reasons Why Jurgen Klopp Deserves Time to Succeed at Liverpool
For perhaps the first time since he took charge at Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp is feeling the heat.
The club's title push, one that gained so much momentum in the first half of the season, has quickly ground to a halt since the turn of the year. Chelsea were well within their sights at the start of 2017, but now the table-topping Blues are over the hill and far away.
The faltering Reds have won just once in their last 10 outings in all competitions, during which time they've exited both the FA and EFL Cups.
While Saturday’s 2-0 loss away to lowly Hull City has in no way put Klopp on the hot seat, he is coming under pressure to turn around the Reds’ worrying run of form and save a once-promising season.
Speaking to Jonathan Northcroft of the Sunday Times (h/t Alexander Netherton of Eurosport), Dietmar Hamann questioned the club’s logic in handing his fellow German a long-term contract last summer: "I like Klopp, but they lost two finals last season, so I’d be careful. I wouldn’t have given him a six-year contract. That’s absolute madness. They won’t win anything this year, and they may not finish top-four."
Hamann reiterated his comments when appearing on the BBC’s Match of the Day 2 Extra show, adding that the club made the decision "with their heart and not their head."
So, is the Champions League winner right to be critical of Klopp's contract extension?
It seems only fair to consider both arguments, so here, Bleacher Report proposes five reasons why handing their manager a new deal was the right move by the club's owners.
1. Long-Term Planning Makes Sense
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"When you have an individual of Jurgen’s quality in the building, it makes perfect sense to secure that person for the long term."
The above quote appeared in a joint statement released by principal owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner and Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon after Klopp signed his new deal in July 2016.
The trio also made reference to how the manager was committed to overseeing the entire football infrastructure at the club and that he was "always looking ahead."
Getting Klopp to join in the first place was a coup.
Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon told Omnisport (h/t FourFourTwo) how the German had knocked back interest from the La Liga club in the summer of 2015.
FSG understood they had a manager of considerable repute and therefore felt the need to lock him down for the foreseeable future after less than a year in charge.
Klopp had increased the level of expectation by reaching two cup finals (even though both ended in disappointment), and that bar was raised even higher when Liverpool started the current campaign in such scintillating form.
Yet the manager still remained grounded during the (very, very) good times.
After the 6-1 win over Watford sent his team top of the table last November, he said, per Gideon Brooks of the Express: "If somebody thinks being one point ahead after 11 match days is a big sign for the rest of the season then I can’t help this person."
He may be an emotional sort in his technical area, but Klopp is level-headed enough to understand fortunes fluctuate during the process of a season. He's in this for the long haul.
2. Klopp's Connection to All Things Liverpool
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It is easy to see why Klopp quickly connected with Liverpool supporters.
Optimistic and energetic, his personality is manifested in the way his teams play on the pitch. The high-pressing, fast-tempo style excites neutrals, never mind his club's followers.
And, after former manager Brendan Rodgers' media interviews became something of a running joke towards the end of his tenure ("great character" became a catchphrase), Klopp's honesty with the media was a breath of fresh air.
The red half of Merseyside quickly took their new boss to heart, too.
Klopp, in turn, embraced life in England, including trying his hand at crown green bowls.
"He [Klopp] is a man of the people," ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar told Chris Shaw of the club's official website. "On a given day, if you go into town to a little quiet pub or restaurant you might be sitting next to Jurgen Klopp—that’s the type of person he is. You might see him out. He is one for the people."
Admittedly, the club's fans have a habit of falling head over heels for big personalities, as Tony Evans pointed out for ESPN.co.uk.
"The reaction to managers at Anfield is often irrational. The desire to elevate almost every incumbent in the job to godlike status is one of the more embarrassing facets of Liverpool's support," he wrote.
But Klopp—who endeared himself even more to Liverpudlians by turning up for a press conference last year wearing a Beatles T-shirt—and the Reds appear to be a good match.
3. The Grass Isn't Always Greener
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"In England it can be OK to fail; in Germany it never is," Hamann told the Sunday Times.
Klopp, however, has hardly failed so far.
Last month's semi-final exit to Southampton in the EFL Cup was a major disappointment, and while the Premier League title now looks out of reach, Liverpool are still in the hunt for a top-four finish.
Earning the chance to play in next season's Champions League should be considered an excellent achievement.
If you don't believe that to be the case, ask yourself this: Would any of the other managers in England's top tier have done better with Liverpool's current squad?
Antonio Conte is admittedly on target to finish his first season in charge of Chelsea with the title, as the Blues sit nine points clear at the summit with 14 games to go.
But Conte was, arguably, dealt a stronger hand than Klopp. Star performers N'Golo Kante and David Luiz were added last year to a squad that still contained several members of the title-winning unit from 2015.
Liverpool, in contrast, should still be viewed as a work in progress.
Any managerial change would lead to another reset, even if you were somehow able to attract a candidate with a better pedigree than the current boss.
4. This Still Isn't Klopp's Squad
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As if results at the start of 2017 haven't been bad enough, Liverpool's lack of activity in the January transfer window has emerged as a major source of frustration for their fans.
Perhaps the problem stems from the number of media stories linking the club with potential signings.
Many, many players were connected with a switch to Anfield last month, including possible options at left-back, centre-back, central midfield and everywhere across the forward line.
Yet despite all the reports, Klopp didn't add to his squad. That isn't necessarily down to a lack of financial backing from FSG, either.
"I cannot say, 'Yes, it would be fantastic if the club gave me the opportunity,' we had from the club side the opportunity to do something, but we didn’t find the right players," Klopp said after the defeat at Hull, per Kristian Walsh of the Liverpool Echo. "That’s because the players were not available."
You can expect Liverpool to be busier in the summer—and Klopp's transfer record to date with the Reds offers hope that he will select the right individuals to bolster his squad.
Yes, Loris Karius has looked shaky so far in goal. However, Joel Matip's been a wonderful addition to the defence, particularly as he arrived on a free transfer.
Sadio Mane and Georginio Wijnaldum were more costly additions, but the duo have demonstrated how they fit in with Klopp's playing style.
This season, the manager has the chance to form considered opinions on all of his players, including the potential youngsters who could push through to the first team. While some have shone (well done to you, Adam Lallana), others look more and more destined to be sold (sorry, Daniel Sturridge).
5. Memorable Moments Show What Can Be Achieved
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A hectic January schedule exposed glaring holes in the current squad, as Liverpool suffered league defeats to Hull City and Swansea City, as well as an FA Cup exit to Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers.
However, don't let those disappointments wipe away the memory of the stellar displays we all witnessed earlier in the season.
If you're feeling glum, just cast your mind back to the 4-3 win away at Arsenal on the opening weekend of the campaign.
Then there was also the impressive 2-1 triumph over Chelsea last September, coming fresh off a 4-1 thrashing of champions Leicester City at Anfield.
Who can forget Watford being hit for six in November? And Manchester City were shut out in a 1-0 result at home on New Year's Eve.
And despite scoring just five league goals in 2017 so far, Liverpool's overall tally of 52 still leaves them as joint-top scorers in the competition, level with Arsenal.
That's just this season, too. Already in his tenure, Klopp has given Reds fans plenty of moments to cherish.
Now that they have only the league to focus on for the rest of this current campaign, don't be surprised if Liverpool start firing again down the stretch.
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