WE WON THE WORLD IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY.
It’s finally upon us people. The last game under Jurgen Klopp. Ooof what an emotional statement to even write down.
He is so much more than a manager to us. He is a legend in and out of the game, he of course would never acknowledge that, he will probably never realise how much he actually did for us fans and how utterly grateful we are to have experienced his presence over the last 9 years. He fundamentally changed our mentality and brought us a newly found confidence on the pitch just by being himself.
It’s a real lesson in belief. Words can’t really express of how much love, unity, passion and integrity he has brought to this silly little game called football and our lucky club, uniting millions around the world under the Liverbird. I strongly believe his effect on this club, the fans, the players, the coaches, the youth, the women and the tea ladies will live on and on with power.
Who knows what would have happened if we truly built on our period of world dominance with force but he gave it 100% every second of the day with what he had. One thing he brought us is an end to 30 years of hurt and that alone makes him worthy of absolute legendary status.
Now.. over to Dok’s Overly Verbose Top-10 Moments of the Klopp Era
Honorable Mentions: Great moments that just miss out first…
2024 League cup final. Decimated by injuries, Klopp’s squad for the final is full of kids. Chelsea finished regular time strong. But then in extra time the gaffer call upon the youths. All Klopp’s Kids can manage is to absolutely dominate Boehly’s Billion Pound Bottle Jobs for 30+ minutes, and Virg nods home late to lift his 1st trophy as the skipper. At the moment it looked to be the first in a possible quadruple. While the final month of the season has taken a bit of luster off the shine it was still a tremendous moment to savor.
January 5th 2018, Virgil Heads Home Derby FA Cup Tie Winner on Debut. We chased him in the summer but were forced to wait 5 months for him to finally land on Merseyside. A typical Merseyside derby, full of piss and vinegar with Holgate clattering Firmino over the sideboard and into the crowd. Commeth the hour, commeth the man. In the 84th minute with the score level 1-1 the big Dutchman announced his arrival with authority with a thumping header past little arms to win the derby on his debut and send the reds into the 4th round of the cup.
April 23rd 2023. Klopp does his Hammie Celebrating last Minute Winner Against Spurs. 2022-2023 was mostly a season that Foarites would like to forget. The team was again decimated by injuries. The midfield that months earlier had come agonizingly close to a quadruple and settling for a domestic cup double all of a sudden looked way past its expiration date. But the reds rallied, made a strong push and nearly got top-4. Home against Spurs the reds ran out to a dominating 3-0 first half lead only to see Richarlicunt level in the 93rd on a free kick that was never a foul, whip off his shit and do his stupid chicken celebration. One minute later Jota the Slotter sent the Kop into ecstasy and Klopp racing down the sideline to give the 4th official the business, doing his hamstring in the process. It was pure emotion and shithousery in the best possible way. Get in Jurgen!
Getting to It!!
10. January 23rd 2016. Lallana’s 95th minute Carrow Road Winner. Klopp had only taken the reigns a few months prior and had begun imposing his heavy metal style of football on the side. While there had definitely been progress there was also at times a real lack of balance. We were beginning to score goals for fun, but we were also leaky at the back. There was a real sense that something was brewing. Perhaps no game epitomized that time like this 9-goal insanity at Carrow road. Taking an early lead only to then go behind, the reds rallied to again take the lead and appeared to be coasting to the 3 points. A late canaries strike looked to have spoiled the party. Then Lallana scores and bedlam ensues, Lallana and the team mob Klopp, breaking his glasses. The team was still a way away from its final form but the vibes had truly arrived with aplomb.
9. December 19th 2016. Merry Christmas Everton! Klopp’s first full season was a bit up and down. Started with a bang at the Emirates with Coutinho’s free kick worldie and Sadio’s running riot through Arsenal’s defense. It ended with us getting back to the UCL. Along the way one of the standout moments was a festive fixture derby away at the bitter blueshites. In the 94th minute of what looked to finish as a scoreless draw Sturridge put a shot past Pickford but agonizingly off the post only to see Sadio Mane swoop in to score breaking Everton hearts and sending the traveling Kop into soaring song. “Mane’s scoring, all around us, Kopites singing, having fun. Tis the season for love and understanding, Merry Christmas, Everton”
8. Green Shoots of European Glory Among Heartbreak in Basel. In Klopp’s debut season he galvanized the fan base with an epic Europa league cup run. This rekindled the glory of European campaigns of old. The final in Basel against Sevilla was bittersweet. The reds went in front through an absolutely majestic strike from Sturridge with the outside of his boot. The reds should have gone into the half with an insurmountable lead but were inexplicably denied two first half stonewall pen hand balls. The reds leaky defense reared its head after the break and Sevilla took home one of its many Europa trophies. Fans were devasted but Klopp was buoyed and made it clear to the squad and the fans alike that this was just the beginning of what was to come. Winning would have put the reds back in the champions league a year sooner and we can only imagine what might have been but it was clear that despite the loss the green shoots of future European success were sprouting.
7. April 14th 2016. Dortmund, Magical European Nights Return to Anfield. The year before Brodge’s boys had exited the champions league group stage with barely a whimper. The first real inkling of a return to European glory arrived with the Europa quarterfinal tie level 1-1. In Dortmund Klopp faced his old squad and his old assistant (Tuchel). Dortmund landed two heavy punches early and it looked as if this was a bridge too far for Klopp’s reds. But like a great prize fighter we lifted ourselves off the mat and Sakho leveled 3-3 in the 78th minute. While it was now 4-4 on aggregate, Dortmund’s 3 away goals meant a draw would see the reds crash out. Then in the 91st minute part-time fuck-up, part-time world class CB, and full-time Salah BFF Dejan Lovren headed home the winner from a Milner cross signaling the return to glorious European Anfield nights where anything was possible.
6. December 2nd 2018. Klopp Celebrates Late Derby Winner. The 2018-19 season would be a memorable one and again the derby would serve up a highlight moment. In an otherwise dull affair the bitters looked just about ready to escape Anfield with a 0-0 draw. Then a 96’ free kick. Trent put a ball into the box from just over the halfway line which Virgil proceeded to shank into the sky. But as if by the comedy gods it came down and doinked off the cross bar, onto Pickford’s feckless little arms, doinked onto the crossbar again, and then dropped for Big Game Divock to nod home. This sent Klopp racing wildly onto the pitch looking for someone to embrace. He found that someone in Alisson and the two leapt into each other’s arms in rapturous joy. Not the height of decorum for Klopp but one can hardly blame a guy in a derby.
5. Thrashing United. In the span of two seasons between 2020 and 2022 the reds thrashed their biggest rival multiple times. One a 5-0 away win was the death knell for Ole at the wheel. The reds took a 4-goal lead into the half and the united supporters flowed out of the ground faster than the water flooding through the old Trafford roof. A 4-0 victory followed at Anfield later that season. The following season saw the reds again demolish Ten Hag’s side at Anfield. Chasing City for the title, only a victory would do for the reds and a victory for the ages they delivered in spades. Only up 1-0 at the break the reds unleashed a torrent of goals equaling United’s worst ever defeat, 7-nil. Ten Hag would miraculously keep his job, but the writing was on the wall that his honeymoon was long over.
4. May 16th 2021. Alisson’s Miraculous Header Keeps Top-4 Hopes Alive. The 2020-21 season was one mostly to forget. Expectations were sky high for a side coming off a record breaking, 99-point title winning season. But a Jordan Pickford horror show tackle knocked Virgil out for the season and a raft of injuries would follow. The defense in particular was absolutely decimated, with Henderson and Fabinho deputizing as CB before their own injuries. The reds would later endure their worst stretch in a very long time winning only 4 matches in 16 with an unthinkable 6 straight losses at Anfield. With the top-4 hopes clinging by a thread, up stepped the unlikeliest of heroes. A starting CB pairing of Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams would somehow hold down the ship as the reds would go on a tear taking 26 points from their last 30. In that run was an away day at West Brom. Only a win would keep the top-4 hopes alive. You had to see the ending to believe it. And I didn’t actually see it in the moment. I was at my daughter’s U7 match nervously following the proceedings on my phone. Deep into stoppage time and the score level 1-1 things looked bleak. My phone pinged. Expecting the inevitable full-time notification instead it read “ 95’ Goal, Liverpool, Alisson”. Then almost immediately a 2nd ping “Full Time: West Bromwich Albion 1-2 Liverpool” Wait? What? I didn’t believe what I was reading. Surely that was some kind of error. I immediately began searching for highlight of the goal. Winning a last-ditch corner Achteberg sent Alisson forward. This was all-hands on-deck, last chance saloon time. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Such gambits never ever work. Until it did. Trent sent in a whipping in-swinger, Nat Philips attacked the ball but Alisson got to it first and proceeded to flick home the sweetest, most perfect header that any world class striker would be proud to claim. Bedlam! The moment made sweeter by the fact that Alisson had tragically lost his father a few months earlier.
3. Allez Allez Allez! Klopp’s First LFC Champions League Final Run. Things really began to come together in the 2017-18 season. The arrival of Mo Salah would unleash a devastating attack. LFC were back in the UCL for the first time since the 2014-15 campaign. Injury to Clyne had seen Trent used sparingly in the prior campaign. This season he would break out into a fully-fledged scouse hero. This began in earnest at Hoffenheim where he (literally) kicked off the European campaign with a thumping free-kick goal in the qualification round to send us on our way. Along the way we topped our group, then blitzed Porto off their own pitch 5-0 to set up a heavyweight quarterfinal tie with City. Pep’s boys faced the full might of Anfield on a European Night. The reds blitzed them 3-1 to take a decisive advantage. After a shaky start amongst the plastic flag waving twats at the Emptihad the reds would eventually win 2-1 to see off Pep’s high spending cheats. Roma arrived next and were overrun with 5 goals but managed to claw back two to put a slight doubt in the mind. In the 2nd leg in Rome the reds refused to be denied and booked their ticket to their first Champions league final since 2007. Facing Real Madrid in the final the reds were very unlucky to not come home with the trophy. Bastardry by Sergio Ramos forced Mo Salah out of the game early. Madrid then went in front on a howler from Karius as he inexplicably threw the ball right onto Benzema’s boot and into the net. Sadio Mane leveled minutes later and the Reds were again in the ascendance. However, Bale unleashed a worldie of an overhead kick to give Madrid the lead.
The reds battled back but their fate was sealed in 84’ as what should have been a routine catch slipped through Karius’ hands and into the net. A previous hard foul had reportedly caused Karius a concussion. Karius would never again play a competitive game for the reds.
2. Klopp’s Redemption: Let’s Talk about Six Baby. The 2017-18 campaign ended in heartbreaking fashion in the final in Kyiv. However, that summer saw the reds bring in critical reinforcements including a pair of Brazilians that would prove to be the missing pieces in Klopp’s trophy winning formula. Alisson joined from Roma where he had established himself as a world class keeper and Brazil’s #1. Fabinho, a rangy CDM with extendable legs came from Monaco to stiffen the midfield. Along with Van Dijk the newcomers would solidify the LFC spine for years to come. The UCL campaign would prove one of redemption for the reds and for Klopp personally. The gaffer had now lost 6 finals in a row including 2 UCL finals. LFC would finish 2nd in a very tough group earning memorable wins along the way including a late one-eyed winner from Bobby to see off PSG and a 1-0 win over Napoli to seal progression in which Alisson would prove to be the difference maker with a last-minute save. 3-1 aggregate win over Bayern in the quarters featured the reds winning away at the Allianz along with an instant Kop classic Bobby Firmino song. “There’s something that the kop wants you to know…” The mighty Barcelona awaited in the semis. The reds played very well at the Camp Nou yet managed to come home with a 3-0 defeat. Adding to the tension is that the reds would also chase city to the wire for the league title and the night before the 2nd leg would see their title chances all but die on a late Vincent Kompany wonder strike at Brighton. Klopp’s men had amassed 97 points in the league but looked to narrowly miss out on the title to the cheating City. They also faced a seemingly insurmountable 0-3 deficit to Barcelona which they would have to overcome without Salah or Firmino. Things were bleak. One of the greatest sides in club history looked very much to be heading for a trophyless season. But Doubters Became Believers and those believers conjured up the Miracle at Anfield. Klopp willed his men to either win or “fail in the most spectacular way possible”. An injured Salah sat pitch side in a shirt imploring to “NEVER GIVE UP”. At kickoff Suarez was showered with boos to set the tone and an early goal from Origi turned Anfield into a seething cauldron for the visitors. Wijnaldum came in at the half replacing the injured Roberston and scored two in two minutes to level the tie at 3-3. Then came perhaps the most astounding play a football match had ever seen. A 79’ corner. Origi rolled the extra ball off the pitch. As Shaqiri approached to take the corner Trent began to walk away. In a moment of sheer brilliance he looked up, saw the Barca defenders napping. “Corner taken quickly! Origiiiii” Mayhem! The reds held on for the greatest victory in Anfield history and the rousing rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone echoed off the Anfield walls. A night that will long live in the memories of Liverpool fans. The actual final felt more like a coronation than a football match. Spurs were never going to win. Mo buried an early pen and Origi (who else) sealed it late. Klopp had finally slayed the UCL dragon. The reds had redeemed themselves. The parade was epic.
1. Jurgen Said To Me You Know, We’ll Win the Premier League You Know.
On day one Klopp promised to win the Premier league, a title that had eluded so many mangers before him. 2019 had seen them lose only once in the league and collect 97 points only to come up agonizingly short. A handful of plays and refereeing fuck ups were the difference. A late Kompany wonder strike, a would be Firmino game leveler at City cleared off the line by millimeters that would have seen the reds collect 2 more points and equal Arsenal’s invincible season, Paul Tierney waving away a stonewall Jota pen away to spurs. Then there was Rodi’s blatant hand ball against Everton that wasn’t given that would have denied Cheaty 2 points. If just one of these go our way Klopp would have done it a year sooner. Coming off the success of Madrid the 2019-20 season Klopp and the boys were a team of destiny. Nothing would stand in their way, not shitty refs, not Cheaty’s spending, and not a global pandemic. They won 26 of their first 27, with a draw at the old toilet their only blemish. That capped a streak of 44 league games unbeaten extending over more than a calendar year. There were magical moments along the way. Milly’s 95’ pen at Leicester, Lallana’s equalizer at United, Robbo and Mane’s very late heroics at Villa, Bobby’s 85’ winner after Zaha’s late equalizer at Palace, Bobby’s 84’ winner at Wolves. My personal favorite was January 19th, 2020 United at Anfield. A thumping 14’ header by Virgil had given the reds a1-0 lead. But such leads have a way of being precarious. United won a 90’ +3 corner. Would the scum ruin the party? Hell No! Alisson gathered and launched the ball up field to a waiting Salah who raced in on goal, held off the defender, and slotted past a hapless De Gea, ripped his shirt off, flexing his 8-pack abs, Alisson comes sprinting down the field and knee slides into the celebration! The roof absolutely comes off the joint and having previously been reluctant to tempt fate, the Kop finally cannot hold back any longer and erupts into a blistering rendition of “We’re going to win the league”. It was at that moment, 17 points clear of Cheaty, I think we all knew it was finally going to happen. Sadly, the pandemic postponed the actual trophy lift and denied the reds properly celebrating with the fans in Anfield and parading around the city. More VAR refereeing shenanigans would deny the Reds another league trophy in 2021 as they came minutes away only for Villa to fold late allowing Cheaty to pip us to the title for the 4th time in 7 years. Klopp will finish with just 1 league trophy though he should have had at least 3. But as the song goes “Jurgen said to me you know we’ll win the premier league you know, he said so. I’m in love with him and I feel fine!”
We don’t bid ‘goodbye’ to Klopp. It could never be goodbye to such a man. Rather, its ‘til we meet again old friend’.
We will always cherish these magnificent memories you have helped create.
All our love Jurgen.
FOARITES.
YNWA x