Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has admitted that he had given up on Liverpool winning another league title - even after Jurgen Klopp had joined the Reds.
Liverpool were confirmed as Premier League champions for the first time after Manchester City's defeat at the hands of Chelsea on Thursday night.
While Carragher's trophy cabinet from his 17 years at Liverpool is rather full (Champions League, the UEFA Cup, two UEFA Super Cups, two FA Cups and three League Cups), the Premier League is one trophy that he could never get his hands on.
In his column for the The Telegraph, Carragher admitted that he didn't think Liverpool would ever win the league title in his lifetime: "It was shortly after my last meaningful title bid in 2009 that I started to lose my faith. The 2010 season was awful. Xabi Alonso had been sold to Real Madrid, Rafa Benitez’s team was unraveling, and the club was braced for another period of reconstruction.
"Reluctantly, I faced up to the disheartening conclusion a championship victory parade would never happen.
"Throughout the 2000s we headed into every pre-season adamant a couple more signings might be the difference. On a few occasions they nearly were."
"But even when looking back upon my career, the times we came closest - in 2002 under Gerard Houllier and 2009 under Benitez - Arsenal and Manchester United were stronger."
Carragher also said that his pessimism grew further when mega-rich Manchester City were able to lure Pep Guardiola to the Etihad Stadiu,.
"Once outside the Kop bubble, the more I studied the broader landscape in English football, the more I realised the best Liverpool sides I played in punched above our weight," he said.
"No matter who the manager, and as much as I considered Fenway Sports Group good owners, I could not see how it was possible to change that without a Roman Abramovich or Sheikh Mansour-style investment."
"That feeling grew after Manchester City lured Pep Guardiola to England. I saw Guardiola v Jose Mourinho as the next great Premier League battle, with Klopp in a fight with Arsene Wenger and Mauricio Pochettino to finish in the top four."
The 42-year-old is more than happy to have been proven wrong though, with Klopp cementing his place amongst the Anfield greats.
Source : 90min