Liverpool coach Klopp suddenly announced that he would leave Anfield at the end of the season. This news was shocking. In the end, the meritorious coach failed to join hands with the Red Army to the end. He had experienced such a "seven-year itch" when he was at his old clubs Dortmund and Mainz.
[Mainz: 2001-2008]
It was Mainz that shaped Klopp
In February 2001, Klopp took over Mainz, where he played as a player, and it was here that he started his career The path to first-team coaching. Klopp later reflected on the experience in an interview at Liverpool: "For me, this club (Mainz) is not just about meeting old friends or players or whatever. I spent 18 years there and I Many people I know care about this club very much.
Klopp started his passionate celebrations when he was coaching Mainz, and in 2004 he led the poor Mainz to the Bundesliga. The "personality coach" is well-known in German football. However, starting from 2006, the team's record took a sharp turn. In order to avoid relegation, the team repeatedly purchased players but saw no improvement. Klopp said that he had the idea of āāāāresigning in 2006, and at that time His contract with Mainz ran until 2008.
In the end, he still failed to lead Mainz to create a miracle. The team fell into the Bundesliga again. After failing to upgrade the following year, Klopp chose to leave voluntarily.
" Mainz is a special story. At that time, no one in the Bundesliga thought highly of Mainz. Our team... to put it bluntly, some were abandoned by other teams and did not get a second chance at all. Players with opportunities came together." Klopp recalled this experience with emotion, "It was Mainz that shaped Klopp today.
[Dortmund: 2008-2015]
"As long as the club doesn't chase me away If I leave, I wonāt leave."
In 2008, Klopp, who resigned from Mainz, joined the "Bumblebee" Dortmund and led Dortmund to start a "youth storm."
At that time, Dortmund gradually got rid of After facing a financial crisis, it can be said that everything is waiting for improvement. After Klopp took over, he purchased Shinji Kagawa and Robert Lewandowski at super low prices, promoted Gotze from the youth training team, and reused the talented Shaheen. ..... Gradually developed a defensive counterattack model, and led Dortmund to interrupt Bayern's dominance in the 10/11 and 11/12 seasons, winning the Bundesliga twice and winning the Bundesliga title in the 11/12 season. German Cup.
He led Dortmund to the Champions League final, but lost to his old rival Bayern and missed his first Champions League title. With the 12/13 season, Shaheen, Kagawa, Gotze and Lewandowski After others left the team, Dortmund's competitiveness was not as good as before. Although it could still secure a Champions League spot, the salad plate had returned to Bayern's hands.
14/15 At the beginning of the season, Dortmund suddenly started a losing streak and once fell to the bottom of the Bundesliga. People even speculated that Dortmund might be relegated, and rumors of "flying to the Bundesliga 2" surged for a while. Immobile, A. Ramos and others whom Klopp spent a lot of money to buy failed to bring quality to Dortmund. Faced with the sudden changes in the record, Klopp first stated that he would not resign, "As long as the club does not drive me out, I will not leave." The club's CEO Watzke and others also stood up to express their support. His trust.
But in the end, Klopp and Dortmund still failed to cross this hurdle. Klopp announced that he would leave the team at the end of the season. The legend with Dortmund could not be continued. Dortmund finally hired Tuchel. Take over the team.
[Liverpool: 2015-2024]
"You will never walk alone"
In 2015, Klopp, who left Dortmund, became the coach of Liverpool. Although there was success in Dortmund, many people still have doubts about this personality coach. Not optimistic because he has never coached a Premier League team. However, it turns out that Klopp and Liverpool are a match made in heaven. At least until he suddenly announced his departure, there was no doubt about it.
After Klopp took over Liverpool, he led the Red Army, which was in poor condition at the time, to gradually rise.In the 18/19 season, one year after the bitter defeat between Liverpool and Real Madrid, Liverpool stood at the top of the Champions League. Klopp finally won his first Champions League trophy after finishing second twice. In the 19/20 season, Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League and won the Club World Cup, earning Klopp the title of the best club in the world. In the 21/22 season, Liverpool won the FA Cup and League Cup double under Klopp. Although the team's record has also had its ups and downs, after Klopp took over, Liverpool did gain a lot of honors, sweeping away the haze of being dubbed the "most miserable team" before.
It is worth mentioning that Dortmund fans are also very fond of the Liverpool team song "You Will Never Walk Alone". When Liverpool led by Klopp met his old club Dortmund, the fans of the two teams sang this song before the game. The picture is quite touching. Many Dortmund fans also held up signs saying "Welcome Klopp Home". Even after parting ways, the fans still favored Klopp.
In 2022 and 2023, some media revealed that Klopp may resign due to dissatisfaction with the club's senior management. Many people said that Klopp's old habit of "seven-year itch" has returned. Rumors that originally seemed to everyone to be pure nonsense have now become reality. Klopp still chose to say goodbye decently and officially informed the fans of the news, saying that he was exhausted physically and mentally and was ready to retire at the end of the season. . Liverpool is the club that Klopp has coached the longest and has won the most honors. However, although the two sides have passed the 7-year mark, they still cannot continue to work together.
The meritorious coach Klopp will never walk alone. Who will his next team be? Who will take over the Red Army after him? Let us wait and see.
