Jurgen Klopp enters legendary status as Liverpool’s modern-day Bill Shankly

Jurgen Klopp looked a broken man. He faced the cameras after the 1-0 defeat by Fulham at Anfield almost 14 months ago – Liverpool’s sixth loss in seven games – but could not summon any of his trademark ebullience. He had already said that he would take a break from management in 2024 but seasoned Klopp watchers wondered whether he would even make it that far. An era appeared to be coming to an end.

The news today that not only is Klopp going nowhere in the immediate future but he has signed a contract to keep him on Merseyside for the next four years will cause massive celebrations on the Kop. Life is pretty good for Liverpool fans anyway – the team are chasing an unprecedented four trophies in a season and are arguably the greatest side in Anfield’s history – but this announcement is the best result of the year. To supporters, Klopp is more than the man who picks the side. He transcends that role.

No player or manager is ever bigger than the team but in rare cases they can become an embodiment of the club. Klopp has reached that status. It goes far beyond being a hero. He has entered territory that only Bill Shankly and Kenny Dalglish inhabit.

To get to this place, it takes more than mere success. The deification of Shankly is only partly explained by the Scot’s rebuilding of a broken club and how he turned Liverpool into a European power. What cemented Shankly’s reputation was his relationship with the crowd and his advocacy for the city. Dalglish’s unimpeachable status was likewise confirmed by the shared tragedy of Hillsborough, when the game shifted to the background and the manager became a focal point for collective grief.

Klopp has the same man of the people instincts as Shankly. He radiates compassion. A club insider once described him as a “knight” – in the chivalric sense – and spoke about his urge to help others and right wrongs. His politics are similar to Shankly’s and that dovetails with the beliefs of many in the traditional Liverpool fanbase, particularly those who are local to the city.

You get what you see with Klopp. There is no artifice about him, which is not something you can say about every manager. He is completely unconcerned about how he is perceived but very concerned about treating people in a decent manner. Merseyside “gets” him. His appeal to Scousers is not manufactured. It is a happy accident.

Last year was a struggle for the 54-year-old. The pandemic weighed heavily on him. His mother died after contracting Covid-19. Big, real-life matters affected him. Outsiders sometimes think footballers are insulated from society. Some might be. Klopp is not.

Things were not going well professionally, either. Injuries meant the team struggled and it seemed the edge had been taken off his enthusiasm. Empty stadiums removed some of the joy from the game. Klopp is, first and foremost, a fan – another thing that Kopites recognise in him and there see a reflection of themselves. The lockdowns were hard on everyone. After the Fulham match, he seemed desperately in need of a break. Did he have the strength to go on coping with the unrelenting pressure and his own, obsessive high standards?

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What he did have was the almost unconditional support of his bosses. Fenway Sports Group have been in thrall to Klopp since the American owners first met him. The Kop might sing “I’m in love with him and I feel fine,” to the manager but the same level of infatuation exists within FSG. They wanted him to stay but understood he needed to come round to the idea organically. As recently as last month Klopp was still talking about leaving in two years’ time.

The unanswerable question is what would have happened if Liverpool had missed out on the top four last season? His job would not have been in jeopardy but it might have led to a broody and uncomfortable summer.

The team’s rampant form this season has done much to lift his spirits. He also credited his staff and said his wife, Ulla, wants to stay on Merseyside. The bottom line, though, was the question he asked himself: “Do I have the energy?” The answer is obvious.

Klopp has recovered his vigour. The forlorn figure of the aftermath of the Fulham game will be forgotten. It should not be. In that awful time the most transparent manager in the game was giving one of the purest expressions of his own humanity. He hit a low point.

When Klopp is down, he doesn’t stay there. He gets back up. Now he’s ready to carry Liverpool forward for four more years. Let Anfield rejoice.