After nine years Jurgen Klopp is finally leaving Liverpool. What an incredible ride it has been. He may not have won as many trophies, coming heartbreakingly close on several occasions, but no one can deny that his time as manager at Anfield has been a success.
Published two years into Klopp’s tenure, Raphael Honigstein’s ‘Bring The Noise’ primarily covers his career in Germany prior to his move, tracing his evolution from player to coach, first with Mainz, and then with Borussia Dortmund. A larger-than-life character, Klopp has left an unforgettable mark at all of his clubs.
Honigstein, a seasoned German journalist, published his book at a time when Klopp was still building his team that would go on to be so dominant between 2018-2020. Two things that stand out throughout are Klopp’s magnetic personality and competitive spirit, which can sometimes land him in trouble. He’s not just a football manager, but also a father figure to his players and staff.
I’m not quite sure who said it, either Arrigo Sacchi or Carlo Ancelotti, but when they said “football is the most important of the least important things in life”, I feel Klopp really embodies that. He’s a human being first and foremost.
His biggest rival at Bayern Munich in Germany and then at Manchester City in England, Pep Guardiola, once said that Klopp is “the best coach in the world for the spectators”, and this is so incredibly true. There have been ups and downs at all three of his clubs, with many agonising near misses when it comes to winning trophies. But the highs are higher than what most will experience with other managers because Klopp takes you on an emotional rollercoaster with him. He’s irreplaceable. Truly one of a kind. The end of an era.
Glass Asylum 