Martin Skrtel Says Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp 'The Best Coach in the World'

PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

Former Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel has labelled Reds manager Jurgen Klopp "the best coach in the world." 

The Slovakian spent eight years at Anfield between 2008 and 2016 before joining Fenerbahce. 

He only overlapped briefly with Klopp, who took over from Brendan Rodgers in October 2015. 

But Skrtel, now at Istanbul Basaksehir, has waxed lyrical about Klopp's ability to motivate the defending European champions, who are now in the box seat to win the 2019-20 Premier League, per Turkish publication AA (h/t James Westwood of Goal):

"Liverpool has the best coach in the world and the best players in their respective positions, which include [Mohamed] Salah, [Sadio] Mane and [Virgil] van Dijk. These are special players, and beyond that, they are the type of players that fight with their all for the club. When talented players put their all on the pitch, success follows and this makes Liverpool special. 

"Klopp is a very special manager, and he's a master at motivating people. He always demands 100 per cent from his players. His matchday meetings and style of speaking are very special. But he especially talks positively to his players after games, describing the mistakes they made without hurting their feelings. These details make him who he is. This is why players want to give their all for Klopp."

Klopp has done a remarkable job at Liverpool to turn them into one of the most formidable sides in Premier League history.

Their near-perfect start to the 2019-20 Premier League campaign, paired with Manchester City's five losses, has given them a comfortable lead at the top of the table:

✨ Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content

It is a lead that may already be unassailable as it would require a collapse of unprecedented proportions for any of the chasing pack to have a chance of winning the title.

Assuming Liverpool do not collapse, Klopp will achieve what Graeme Souness, Roy Evans, Gerard Houllier, Rafael Benitez, Roy Hodgson, Kenny Dalglish and Rodgers all failed to do by returning the title to Anfield for the first time since 1990.

The 2018-19 UEFA Champions League victory has already etched Klopp's name into Liverpool folklore.

But ending the 30-year league title drought would propel him into the pantheon of Liverpool's legendary managers alongside the likes of Bob Paisley and Bill Shankly.

Given Liverpool already have one hand on the Premier League trophy, it would be foolish to doubt their chances of successfully defending their European crown, as their expected competitors all look set to be embroiled in intense title battles come the business end of the campaign:

And having got past Everton in the third round of the FA Cup, Klopp's 2019-20 side could yet emulate Sir Alex Ferguson's 1998-99 Manchester United side by winning the treble.