defining games, best transfers and lasting legacy

Jurgen Klopp to Liverpool 10 years on - defining games, best transfers and lasting legacy

Jurgen Klopp arrived at Liverpool on October 8 2015 and was the latest in a long list of men who were tasked with taking the Reds back to the summit of English football

A decade ago Liverpool announced the appointment of a manager who would've been among the favourites for any job in world football. But it was they who landed Jurgen Klopp - a man who would rewrite history at Anfield.

On October 8 2015, just days after sacking Brendan Rodgers, the Reds moved to appoint a manager who had dominated German football for a short period. His plucky Borussia Dortmund side were a perfect reflection of their manager and, had it not been for some controversial decisions, could've been European champions.

Klopp arrived at Liverpool, declaring himself "the normal one". His initial three-year deal included bonuses for a Premier League title and Champions League qualification. He would do far more than that before leaving in 2024.

The German would do what the likes of Rodgers, Rafa Benitez and Kenny Dalglish couldn't do - win a Premier League. They did so in emphatic fashion in 2020 after going so close the year prior. Had it not been for a certain Pep Guardiola those on Merseyside may well be arguing that their former manager was a match for Sir Alex Ferguson given some of the point tallies and records he set.

Klopp's charisma and personality captured, first Germany, and then Europe, as his Dortmund side grew and grew. His philosophy was clear and, despite some bumps in the road, it was quickly evident that he was a truly elite manager.

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Klopp was only out of work for a matter of months before those at Anfield came calling. You get the impression they made a genuine effort to act before any of Europe's elite could to ensure he was the man leading their charges.

Ten years on from the announcement that Klopp was coming to England, eventually ending a top-flight drought that had seen Liverpool widely mocked, we take a look at some of the moments that defined his nine-year tenure.

Defining games

Man City 1-4 Liverpool (Nov 21, 2015) - Fans were after a bit of hope, something to hang their hat on and go 'yes, we're going in the right direction'. Well it didn't take long and the first truly statement performance of the Klopp era came at the Etihad Stadium. Liverpool arrived and were 3-0 up within 32 minutes. It was only their fifth league game under their new manager, but the principles he would instil were immediately evident, even if Klopp was working with a squad of players that needed a huge overhaul.

Liverpool 3-0 Man City (April 4, 2018) - Less than three months earlier and the Reds had downed Guardiola's side 4-3, having led 4-1, to end their record-setting unbeaten run. Their win in the Champions League though was one of those 'they're coming' moments as the Premier League leaders were torn apart. It was also one of three European campaigns that culminated with Klopp leading the Reds out in a Champions League final.

Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona (May 7, 2019) - It will go down in the book of 'Great European nights at Anfield' and it truly was. Only Liverpool and their storied old stadium could make some believe that a 3-0 first-leg deficit could be overturned. Gini Wijnaldum and Divock Origi both scored twice with the goal that sealed the comeback from Trent Alexander-Arnold's corner a picture many will never forget.

Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham (June 1, 2019) - If 2018 was a near miss, losing to Real Madrid in the showpiece event, then the following year was the culmination of nearly four years of work. Klopp claimed Champions League glory before Premier League success, but the capture of a trophy was proof of his methods and gave the players the belief to kick on.

Man Utd 0-5 Liverpool (Oct 24, 2021) - All the trophies that had come before were season-long achievements, but as a one-off gift to the Reds supporters, this may be at the top. Yes the 7-0 win later in his tenure was iconic, but the fact Liverpool tore the Red Devils apart with such ease in their own backyard was a thing of beauty for anyone from the red half of Merseyside.

Man City 2-2 Liverpool (April 10, 2022) - It was the second title race between the pair that a) saw them both accumulate more than 90 points and b) go down to the final day. This thrilling draw came after they'd also shared the spoils by the same scoreline at Anfield. The rivalry with Guardiola's City has defined a period of Premier League history and produced the highest level of football we've ever seen.

Best signings

Sadio Mane - He was the first player who the German landed that you thought 'yes, he's a Klopp player'. He had excelled at Southampton and his energy, pace and aggression put a number of top clubs on notice. He went to another level at Liverpool and, whilst he may not have got the headlines of Mo Salah, he helped get the ball rolling.

Virgil van Dijk - A real watershed moment. Liverpool breaking a transfer record was a sign of their ambition. They also beat Man City to his services and it became a symbol of the club's patient approach in the market, which hugely aided them. The centre-half quickly proved he was the world's best in his position.

Andy Robertson - Perhaps the signing that best defined Klopp and Liverpool's aligned philosophy of not breaking the bank like their rivals and seeking more value in the market. It was also a glowing endorsement of the German's ability to improve a player and the £8m signing from Hull would be another to symbolise the energy and graft that was the cornerstone of what he wanted to implement.

Iconic quotes

"I have a second pair of glasses, but I can't find them. It's hard to find glasses without glasses. We won for the first time against Bayern Munich and Nuri Sahin broke my glasses. Today it was Adam Lallana." - Klopp lived every moment and, after a stoppage time winner at Norwich early in his tenure, he was so involved in the celebrations that he broke his glasses.

"Mentality monsters" - It was a term that would come to define his Liverpool team. The comebacks, the late goals. Even after his exit the two-word phrase remains associated with many of the players he managed.

"Forty-eight hours between two games -- how does this work? And then you will sit there and say, `You didn't perform too well, how did this happen?' or `Injuries. Oh?" - Klopp had his issues with the congested Premier League schedule, one of his first rants coming in 2016. It would not be his last with one interaction with BT Sport's Des Kelly standing the test of time.

"It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy." - His exit announcement came out of nowhere. But for a man famed for his intensity, he conceded he had to call it a day.

Low points

Bournemouth 4-3 Liverpool - The Reds were forging a reputation under Klopp as a team who could get up for the big games, often downing their major rivals, but couldn't maintain that when they played games they should win. They squandered a 3-1 lead at Bournemouth in December 2016 to leave Klopp stunned and clearly needing to address certain issues.

Six Anfield losses on the bounce - Their title defence in 2020/21 failed, largely due to a defensive injury crisis that decimated their back four. Even still, for a man who set so much history, he has an unwanted slice of it too.

Liverpool's epic Anfield unbeaten record of 68 games was ended by Burnley in 2021. That set up a run that saw the Reds lose SIX games on the spin at Anfield - Brighton, Man City, Everton, Chelsea and Fulham all leaving with three points.

Champions League final 2018 - The defeat to Real marked a third final loss in less than three years at the helm. It was made even worse following a controversial tackle by Sergio Ramos on Salah, which forced the Egyptian off with injury. The Reds were beaten in the Carabao Cup final in 2016, the Europa League final that same year and then came up short in the European Cup. Close but no cigar was a narrative Klopp was forced to address more than he'd like.

Dortmund's touching reaction

Not an ounce of sour grapes, only huge admiration for a man who had made them champions. Klopp's Dortmund tenure didn't end as he'd have hoped with the Bundesliga outfit managing to eventually finish seventh after languishing near the relegation spots. But their supporters could not forget the epic journey he took them on.

The club posted an image, inspired by The Beatles famous Abbey Road picture, of Klopp jumping across the famed zebra crossing. They said: "We heard the news today, on boy! All the best at The Kop, Jurgen Klopp. All the best at @LFC! #Klopplfc".

Lasting legacy

Much has been said about Manchester United's struggles to replace Ferguson with their staggering decline still clear 12 years on from his retirement.

It was a different story for Klopp at Anfield. He was insistent that he would only step down from his role if he left a team capable of continuing the work he had done in the nine years previous.

And with a squad almost entirely assembled by his predecessor, Arne Slot coasted to another Premier League title in 2025, with Klopp making sure he was in situ for when the Reds finally lifted a title in front of their adoring fans.

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