Oh Klopp, we can’t thank you enough

The German has infected thousands of Liverpool supporters who had lost all hope and energy under Brendan Rodgers

KARACHI: “Klopp has changed so many players. Some players didn't have the confidence at the beginning of the season, even me … We're all playing with a smile right now,” said Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren after the Reds secured their place in the Europa League final with a 3-0 win over Villarreal in the return leg.

And the Croatian, who himself has been granted a new lease of life under the former Borussia Dortmund boss, couldn’t be more correct.

The impact Jurgen Klopp has made since he took over the job in October last year is immense. The German, whose aura has been termed by many as ‘infectious’, has certainly infected the thousands of Liverpool supporters who had lost all hope and energy under Klopp’s predecessor Brendan Rodgers.

But now that swagger is back.

In sharp contrast to the silent, almost funeral-like atmosphere at Anfield in the 1-1 draw against FC Sion on October 1, just days before Rodger’s sacking, the noise that emanated from Anfield, firstly in the Dortmund tie and then in the Villarreal return leg, was spine-chilling.



Dejan Lovren's 91st minute winner against Dortmund in Europa League. PHOTO: REUTERS

The stadium which was once famous for the atmosphere it created, especially during the magical European nights, was back to its boisterous self Thursday night. The crowd roared and the festivity which has been the tradition for decades, but was missing since the past few years, was in full flow as the team bus made its way through the thousands of supporters clad in red towards Anfield.

There wasn’t one moment, even when the team was 2-0 up, when the noise levels subsided against the Yellow Submarine. The fans never once stopped showing their support for their beloved Reds, or got bored of them, as was usually the case in Rodgers’ last season in charge.

On the contrary, all eyes were on every single move the players were making; from goalkeeper Simon Mignolet to forward Daniel Sturridge and every one in between, the supporters backed their team.

Daniel Sturridge celebrates with Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino against Villareal. PHOTO: REUTERS

But, going just a few months back, this wasn’t the way the fans were behaving in the two-time Bundesliga winner’s first few months in charge.

Back in November, just a month after Klopp’s appointment, the same fans were seen leaving the stadium early after Crystal Palace had made it 2-1 on the 82nd minute and, having witnessed Liverpool slump to such defeats way too many times under Rodgers, the fans lost hope that Liverpool could stage a comeback, something which irked Klopp.

“The goal was on 82 minutes — 12 minutes to go — and I saw many people leaving the stadium. I turned around and, I watch my team and I felt pretty alone in that moment. We decide when it's over,” said Klopp after the match.

‘We decide when it’s over’. This is Klopp’s mantra. This is what he wants to instil in his team; to never give up, to never back down.



Dann scoring the second goal for Palace. PHOTO: AFP

And while many of those supporters would not have believed it then if someone would have told them that six months later Liverpool would produce one of the greatest ever comebacks in European history — Dortmund win, they certainly do now.

Since that disappointing evening in November, Liverpool have managed to get themselves into two cup finals — League Cup, Europa League, have registered heart-stopping 5-4 and 4-3 victories over Norwich City and Dortmund, and have made themselves one of the most in-form teams in all of Europe.

While consistency has been hard to find in Klopp’s first year in charge, something he himself admitted in his pre-match conference ahead of the Premier League clash against Watford; no one can deny the massive shift in attitudes of both the players and the fans.




And Klopp takes the credit for all that.

When he arrived, he used the words that the supporters need to change from ‘doubters to believers’. While the intention and the passion of the 48-year-old was admirable, there weren’t many who bought into his ideology at that time.

And who could blame them?

Three years before Klopp was announced as Liverpool’s manager, there was another man who made the Kop dream; another man who talked about revolution; another man who wanted to reach the skies.

Rodgers, with all his weaknesses, certainly had the supporters going.

He made them experience one of the most exhilarating title-challenges in recent history. He had given the fans hope; he had made them come excruciatingly close to lifting the elusive Premier League trophy.

Simply put, he made everyone dream.

Following the painful Chelsea defeat, in which former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard’s infamous slip allowed Demba Ba to draw first blood and virtually end the Reds’ hopes of making history, all wind was knocked out of every player and fan alike.

Gerrard sits dejected as Chelsea players wheel away in Liverpool's crucial loss to the Blues in April 2014. PHOTO COURTESY: ESPN FC

No one had the courage to let their hearts be open once more; no one had the courage to dream because frankly put, it was painful.

But today all that fear has gone. The players are believing; the fans are believing and there is no one else to thank for it except for the charismatic, maniacal Klopp.

While Liverpool legend Ronnie Whelan has tried to curb the enthusiasm of the millions of Liverpool fans by claiming that Liverpool haven’t won anything yet, he himself would be jumping up and down in joy at the way the team are playing at the moment.

If Klopp is able to guide Liverpool past the Europa League final into the Champions League place, then there would be no greater joy. But even if he fails to, he still has given the fans many reasons to smile.

And speaking as one who has seen all the highs and lows in the past decade or so, the way Liverpool are playing at the moment is more than enough.

Thank you Klopp.