Jurgen Klopp Had Us All Stringing Along. I Will Always Love What He Did for Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp will walk through the Anfield tunnel for the final time as Liverpool manager this weekend after almost nine years at the club.

There have been many moments for the Kop in that time. away from home and in Europe, which fans will remember forever.

Just before 6pm on Sunday, Klopp's 3,146-day reign as Liverpool manager is over.

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Ahead of the German's final game as Liverpool manager, some of our writers shared their favorite memories of Jurgen Klopp and what he meant to them.

And for balance we've also added an Everton fan.

Steve Graven - Klopp knew where this team could go, and we felt he would take us there

Villa Park is a great place to watch football. A beautiful place for a farewell. A terrible place to drop points. But really, on Jurgen Klopp's last away trip, few cared too much about the outcome. We were there to show our appreciation, and the manager showed his in return.

We've seen fist fights, we've seen bear hugs, we've seen granite-hewn victories and sun-drenched walks against top players who couldn't live with his teams at their best.

We rarely saw kisses, but Jurgen blew us plenty, showing his appreciation for an away supporter who has never been at fault for his occasional grumbling at Anfield's main stand or those for whom it's worth 'fighting the traffic' defeat' with an early arrow. as well as defeating the opposition.

In many ways that last away trip was similar to the first, as we arrived at White Hart Lane (the fabric surrounding that October day already a fading memory) less concerned about a win than about the man in the dugout.

Paul Philbin - He was never normal. He has given us stories that suit the older generations

A 0-0 draw didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. There was also no patchy form in those early weeks around big wins at the Etihad and Stamford Bridge. Klopp knew where this team could go, and we felt he would take us there. He took us everywhere.

Football goes on, it always does. We'll have more days out, more big occasions and certainly more heartbreak along the way. I'm already googling pubs in Ipswich. I'd like to think that's what Klopp would want: for the man who gave us so much to take nothing away by leaving.

Jürgen Klopp felt like the perfect match from day one. I remember I was working the night he arrived in town and there was already a big fuss about him. He was soon spotted having a pint in the center of Liverpool and from then on you knew he would be far from normal.

Following Liverpool in my 20s and 30s was my favorite time as a fan because of the journey Klopp took us on.

From day one he kept us all in line and made sure we had the biggest parties we could have wished for. His first two major victories at Stamford Bridge and the Etihad were just the taste of what would happen over the next eight years.

Madrid was the highlight in 2019, but around that we had some parties at home and abroad.

You can add Barcelona, ​​Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Merseyside Derby wins, Wembley wins and also days like Kiev to the list.

Finally, after a lifetime of hearing stories about how great the 70s and 80s were, from people older than me. The night Liverpool won the league at MolIneux in 1976, Paris 81, Rome 84 and the 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest in 1988. I could go on.

Ryan Paton - I'm so glad he'll always be a Red

I was jealous, but I loved hearing all these stories and trying to imagine myself in these situations. Thanks to Jurgen Klopp, I no longer have to imagine it. I have experienced them all and will be eternally grateful for this. The kilometers on the odometer, the beers that were drunk, the money that was spent and the friendships that were created.

But now we have those stories to tell to the next generation and one day I can't wait to sit in the pub and do just that. Even when Liverpool couldn't get over the line, it was the best of times.

It's hard to fall in love in an era of modern football without soul and romance. When my childhood hero, Steven Gerrard, left the Reds in the summer of 2015 and in my early twenties, I wondered if I would ever have the same strong feelings for one person just because of our shared bond with Liverpool Football Club. .

However, it wasn't until a few months later when a charismatic German walked into Melwood, calling himself the normal one and I could have done my best to get a dodgy impression of Al Pacino: "Just when I thought I was out, pull me back in."

It was love at first sight with Klopp and he restored the team to the top of our level by playing the most exciting football you could imagine. The football stand has never been greater than between the fans and what happens on the field. It is a testament to Klopp's magnetic genius how, against this backdrop, he has made us feel like we have been an essential part of the ride during his nine-year spell and it has been a privilege to experience moments straight out of a Hollywood movie could have come. from my place in Block 305 of De Kop.

The 4-0 against Barcelona and the 2-0 win over Man United on the way to the league will stay with me for the rest of my life, but it was everything Klopp represented off the pitch that made him more than a manager and the Perfect figurehead for the club.

I was always a little jealous when my dad told me he had been able to experience Liverpool when Shankly was manager, but I now feel blessed to have been there for its modern equivalent. Klopp's views on society and the way he understands life have been truly representative of mine and, incredibly, a man who grew up in the Black Forest has been able to express my point of view perfectly while speaking his second language.

Courtney Eales - He had an impact on the city, not just the team

There may only be 90 minutes left in his official time as Liverpool manager, but Jurgen will always be red as the memories he has created will last a lifetime.

Every last-minute winner, every trophy lift, every fist pump, every Klopp-inspired hangover, I will always be in love with them. Thank you Jurgen.

While Klopp may be leaving Liverpool after nine years, the lasting legacy he leaves behind both the club and the city will live on forever. And while we may not see the famous fist pumps anymore, it will always feel like he never really left us.

The countless memories that Klopp and the teams he built have given supporters over the years are a testament to his character and a nod to the unbreakable bond he built with the fans. If it were up to the supporters, Klopp would be Liverpool's manager forever. There would never be a good time for him to go.

But from trips to Wembley to seeing Liverpool go all out in their last game of the season at Anfield on multiple occasions, these are memories I will never forget and I feel lucky enough to have experienced them.

Dan Haygarth - My biggest compliment is that I'm glad he's leaving

With murals thanking Klopp popping up all over the city, a reminder of his impact not just on football, but on the city itself. He is someone who understands the people of Liverpool and has embraced everything about the city since day one.

It is fair to say that Jurgen's passion, both on and off the field, has earned him a well-deserved rest. He will always be an honorary Scuser.

The biggest compliment I can give Jurgen Klopp is that I am very happy that he is leaving Liverpool Football Club.

Over the past nine years, he has rebuilt that team in his own image. It is an image that haunts me and my fellow Blues.

Liverpool have been so much better than us over the last decade (as other contributors to this article have no doubt pointed out) and they've won derbies in every way you can imagine, so I have little to offer on that front. .

But there is much to admire about Klopp that goes beyond football. At the risk of falling into clichés, he has always understood what it means to be a Scouser; he really 'gets' the city. Whether it is debates over the chanting of the national anthem or his notable distaste for Boris Johnson, he has always stood up for Liverpool and its values. His Freedom of the City is more than deserved.

Jamie Greer - He reminded us who we are

As for a favorite moment from his time on Merseyside? I'm going with last month's derby. We couldn't have let him go without handing him over to Goodison.

All the best Jurgen, I wish you the best of luck in whatever comes next. As long as it isn't a turnaround and a return to Anfield.

A lot will be said about Klopp as a person as he leaves Liverpool, and rightly so. But amid all the memories of his humanitarianism, his manic antics and his inspirational quotes, we can't forget that he is a serious football coach.

As soon as Klopp arrived, players who had struggled at the club, such as Adam Lallana and Joe Allen, were transformed into action-oriented midfielders. Meanwhile, Roberto Firmino, who looked lost playing on the left wing, quickly moved into the false nine position and quickly tore the opposition defense apart.

Over the next few years, he turned promising players such as Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane into world beaters and turned Liverpool into ruthless winners on the pitch. Over a period of 38 games, from February 27, 2019 to February 24, 2020, they won 36 and drew two, ultimately capturing Liverpool's first league title in 30 years. A sixth European Cup was also thrown in for good measure.

Of course, his teams could and should have won much more. But collecting every trophy isn't a given, especially when you're playing against a team like Manchester City. As they continue to win with controversy hanging over them, more people outside Merseyside will recognize that.

My favorite memory? I watched Liverpool beat Manchester City and then Chelsea in a double header at Wembley with my dad to win the 2022 FA Cup. My father saw Liverpool when it was a bastion of invincibility in the 1970s and 1980s. Klopp gave my generation a good idea of ​​what that was like.