Jurgen Klopp put us all on the ropes – I will always love what he did for Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp will walk down the Anfield tunnel as Liverpool manager for the final time this weekend after almost nine years at the club.

During that time there were many moments in front of the Kop. away from home and in Europe that will forever be remembered by fans.

Shortly before 6pm on Sunday, Klopp’s 3,146-day reign as Liverpool manager will come to an end.

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Ahead of the German’s final game as Liverpool manager, some of our writers shared their favorite memories of Jurgen Klopp and what he meant to them.

And for balance, I’ve also included an Everton fan.

Steve Graves – Klopp knew where this team could go and we felt he would take us there

Villa Park is a great place to watch football. A brilliant place to say goodbye. Terrible place to lose points. But really, really, few on the final away trip of Jurgen Klopp’s reign cared too much about the result. We were there to show our appreciation and the manager showed his in return.

We’ve seen fist-pumps, we’ve seen bear hugs, we’ve seen last-gasp wins carved from granite and sunlit walks against top sides that couldn’t live with his top teams.

We rarely saw kissing – but Jurgen surprised us thoroughly by showing his appreciation for an away support that never fell short of his occasional grumpiness towards the twins in Anfield’s Main Stand or who they deserve to ‘beat traffic’ with an early dart. while defeating the opposition.

In many ways, the last away trip was similar to the first, as we arrived at White Hart Lane (the very fabric around that October day already a fading memory) less concerned with a win than the man in the dugout.

A 0-0 draw didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. No spotty form around the big wins at the Etihad and Stamford Bridge in those opening weeks. Klopp knew where this team could go and we felt he would take us there. He took us everywhere.

Football goes on – it always does. We’ll have more days off, more big opportunities, and definitely more heartbreak along the way. I’m already googling pubs in Ipswich. I’d like to think that’s what Klopp would want – that the man who gave us so much takes nothing away.

Paul Philbin – It was never normal. He gave us stories to match the older generations

Jurgen Klopp felt perfect from day one. I remember working the night he came to town and he was already the talk of the town. He was soon spotted having a pint in Liverpool city center and from that moment you knew he was going to be far from normal.

Watching Liverpool in my 20s and 30s was my favorite time as a fan because of the journey Klopp took us on.

From day one, he put us all on and allowed us to have the biggest celebrations we could have wished for. His first two big wins at Stamford Bridge and the Etihad were just the appetizers of what was to come over the next eight years.

Madrid in 2019 was the highlight, but around that we had a few parties at home and abroad.

You can add Barcelona, ​​Bayern Munich, Manchester United knocks, Merseyside Derby wins, Wembley wins and also days like Kiev to the list.

Finally, after a lifetime of hearing stories about how great the 70s and 80s were from people older than me. The night Liverpool won the league at MolIneux in 1976, Paris 81, Roma 84 and the 5-0 win against Nottingham Forest in 1988. I could go on forever.

I was jealous, but I loved hearing all these stories and trying to imagine myself in these situations. Thanks to Jurgen Klopp, I don’t have to imagine. I have experienced them all and will always be grateful for it. The miles on the clock, the beers drunk, the money spent and the friendships made.

But now we have those stories to tell the next generation and one day I can’t wait to be seated in the pub so I can do just that. Even when Liverpool didn’t get over the line, it was the best moment.

Ryan Paton – I’m so glad he’ll always be a red

It’s hard to fall in love in an era of modern football devoid of soul and romance. When my childhood hero Steven Gerrard left the Reds in the summer of 2015 and I was in my 20s, I wondered if I would ever have the same strength of feeling for a single individual just because of our shared affiliation with Liverpool Football Club . .

However, it was only a few months later when a charismatic German walked through the doors at Melwood, declared himself normal, and I could have done my best attempt at an Al Pacino impression: “Just when I thought I was out, them. pull me back.”

It was love at first sight with Klopp and he restored the team to the top of our perch playing the most thrilling football imaginable. The state of football has never seen a greater divide between fans and what happens on the pitch. It is a testament to Klopp’s magnetic genius how, against this backdrop, he made us feel such a vital part of the journey throughout his nine-year spell and it was a privilege to experience moments that could have be from a Hollywood movie. from my place in block 305 of The Kop.

The 4-0 against Barcelona and the 2-0 win against Man United en route to the league will live with me for the rest of my life, but everything Klopp represented away from the pitch was what made him more than a manager and the perfect figure for the club.

I was always a little envious when my dad talked about being able to experience Liverpool when Shankly was manager, but now I feel blessed to have been there for its modern equivalent. Klopp’s perspective on society and his understanding of life was really representative of my own and, incredibly, a man who grew up in the Black Forest was able to express my point of view perfectly while speaking his second language.

His official time as Liverpool manager may only have 90 minutes left, but Jurgen will always be a Red as the memories he created will last a lifetime.

Every last-minute winner, every trophy lift, every fist pump, every Klopp-inspired hangover, I will always be in love with them. Thanks Jurgen.

Courtney Eales – Made an impact on the city, not just the team

While Klopp may be leaving Liverpool after nine years, the lasting legacy he leaves to both club and city will live on forever. And while we may no longer see the famous fist pumps, it will always feel like it never left us.

The countless memories that Klopp and the teams he has built have given supporters over the years are a testament to his character and a signature of the unbreakable bond he has built with the fans. If it were up to the fans, Klopp would be Liverpool manager forever. It would never be a good time for him to leave.

But from trips to Wembley to watching Liverpool in the final game of the season at Anfield on more than one occasion, these are memories I will never forget and feel quite lucky to have experienced.

With murals thanking Klopp popping up around the city, it’s a reminder of his impact on football but also on the city itself, he is someone who understands the people of Liverpool and has embraced everything about the city from day one.

It’s fair to say Jurgen’s passion on and off the pitch has earned him a well-deserved rest. He will always be an honorary Scouser.

Dan Haygarth – My biggest compliment is that I’m glad he’s leaving

I think the biggest compliment I can pay Jurgen Klopp is that I’m delighted he’s leaving Liverpool Football Club.

Over the past nine years, he has rebuilt that team in his own image. It’s an image that haunts me and my fellow Blues.

Liverpool have been far better than us over the last decade (as other contributors to this article will no doubt point out) and they’ve won derbies in every way you can think of, so I have little to offer In this regard. .

But there is much to admire about Klopp that goes beyond football. At the risk of digressing into cliché, he has always understood what it means to be a Scouser – he really ‘gets’ the town. Whether it’s the debate over the booing of the national anthem or his notable distaste for Boris Johnson, he has always stood up for Liverpool and its values. His freedom from the city is more than deserved.

As for a favorite moment from your time on Merseyside? I’ll go with last month’s derby. We couldn’t have sent him on his way without handing him over to Goodison.

All the best Jurgen, I wish you the best of luck in the future. As long as it’s not a return and a return to Anfield.

Jamie Greer – Reminded us of who we are

Much will be said about Klopp as a person when he leaves Liverpool, and rightly so. But amid all the memories of his humanitarianism, his manic antics on the touchline and his inspirational quotes, it must not be forgotten that he is a serious football coach.

As soon as Klopp arrived, players who had struggled at the club such as Adam Lallana and Joe Allen were turned into pressing midfielders. Meanwhile, Roberto Firmino, who looked lost playing on the left wing, quickly moved into the false new position and was soon tearing through the opposition defence.

Over the next few years, he turned promising players like Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane into world beaters and turned Liverpool into ruthless winners on the pitch. In a 38-match period between 27 February 2019 and 24 February 2020, they won 36 and drew two, which eventually earned Liverpool their first league title in 30 years. The sixth European Cup was also thrown in for good measure.

Of course, his teams could and should have won a lot more. But collecting every trophy can’t be taken for granted, especially when you’re competing against a team like Manchester City. As they continue to win with controversy looming over them, more people outside Merseyside will recognize it.

My favorite memory? Seeing Liverpool beat Manchester City and then Chelsea in a double header at Wembley with my dad to win the FA Cup 2022. My dad saw Liverpool when they were a bastion of invincibility in the 1970s and 1980s. Klopp gave my generation a wide view on what was.