Why Jurgen Klopp Must Remain at Anfield With or Without Silverware This Season

Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group, then known as New England Sports Ventures, took over as owners of the club in 2010, purchasing the club for a reported £300million. In doing so FSG made four promises to Liverpool's fans; to attract the world's best players through reducing the club's debt, to create a culture of winning at the club, to turn losses into wins and finally to compete for trophies.

Whether FSG have delivered on those four promises, barring finances, is highly subjective. Financially the club is certainly better placed than when FSG, led by John Henry took over from then-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

Hertha BSC v FC Liverpool - Pre Season Friendly

The club's significant debt has been reduced, while the revenue of the club has increased dramatically. FSG have shown that they are willing capitalise on want-away stars such as Phillipe Coutinho, ​Raheem Sterling and ​Luís Suárez, in order to improve the financial position of the club while also providing significant on-field investment.

For all the good financial work done by FSG, on the field is where the results really matter. The promise of turning losses into wins is one that the new owners had, until recently, ultimately failed to do.


Inconsistent league finishes between 2010 and 2016 back this up, with the club finishing in the top four just once in that period. Jurgen Klopp's arrival in 2015, admittedly without immediate impact, changed the club's on-field fortunes.

Chelsea v Liverpool - Premier League

The former Mainz manager's ethos immediately drew him to the Anfield faithful. Klopp's famed Gegenpressing and gung-ho approach has brought Champions League football back to a club famed for its record in Europe's elite competition. And the Kop relishes seeing a manager display uncontrollable outbursts of passion on the sidelines.


After a stellar season of attacking football last year and the goal-scoring heroics of ​Mohamed Salah in his debut season at the club, the heartbreak of the club's Champions League Final loss to Real Madrid brought the club back to reality. Klopp remains without silverware and has now lost his last six finals as a manager. 

Real Madrid v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final

The 2018/2019 season will be Klopp's third full season at the helm and should the club fail to win any silverware, then questions surrounding Klopp's future and the progress ​Liverpool have made under him will undoubtedly be asked. 

Irrespective of Liverpool's success on the field this season FSG must stick with the German, simply because there are very few managers available that are capable of buying into the ideology of a club and it's fans like Klopp has done. Klopp has built a relationship with Liverpool's fans that hasn't been seen in the club for decades. 


Brendan Rodgers' tenure at the club between 2012 and 2015 was far from unsuccessful. In fact Rodgers' win percentage at Liverpool compared to Klopp's is almost identical. Despite the initial on-field success under the Northern Irishman, the David Brent-esque charade and waffles about 'character' grew tiresome and meaningless, with the club languishing in the aftermath of Steven Gerrard's famed slip.

FBL-ENG-PR-EVERTON-LIVERPOOL

Essentially, the Kop and the rest of Liverpool's fan base became disenchanted with a coach that could talk the talk, but failed to deliver when it really mattered.


Klopp's impact in terms of results may be similar to his predecessor, but the general feeling among fans and pundits is that the German has created an atmosphere at the club that will be near-impossible to replicate should the owners look to other solutions come the end of another potentially fruitless season. FSG, if they remain patient with their man, will be able to look back upon their ownership of Anfield and be proud that they have kept to each one of their promises.


To use one of Rodgers' idioms; 'a squad is like a like a good meal. I’m not a great cook, but a good meal takes a wee bit of time. But also, to offer a good meal you need good ingredients.” Klopp certainly has the ingredients at his disposal after diligent work in the transfer market, he just needs to be afforded the time to conjure up something special, something most of Anfield believes he is on the brink of.


This is less of a flash fry and more of a slow cook.


Source : 90min