Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool was only club 'emotional' manager would join, says former boss

Jurgen Klopp's former chairman believes Liverpool is the only club that the 48-year-old German could have joined.

Christian Heidel, who is general manager at Mainz, Klopp's first club in management, believes the emotion and history that surrounds Anfield attracted his former employee and makes the move a perfect fit.

After playing and coaching at Mainz, Klopp moved on to Borussia Dortmund, where he enjoyed a strong rapport with the club's impassioned fanbase.

"If you've worked in Mainz before, then in Dortmund, then maybe Liverpool is the only club left to coach," Heidel told LFCTV.

"There are many, many great emotions, that's what Kloppo needs and I think that's part of the reason he chose to go there."

Heidel, who remains a close friend of Klopp to this day, believes Liverpool supporters are right to get excited at the thought of Klopp in the Anfield dugout.

"I think everyone knows he's an exceptionally good coach. We had great success at Mainz under him, his story with Dortmund is probably known all over the world.

"That's why Liverpool can be excited about someone who will give everything to make them better as a football team."

The Mainz chief also praised Klopp's character and predicted that he will be a popular figure across the Premier League, not just at Liverpool.

"As a person Jurgen Klopp is someone who never forgets where he comes from, namely Mainz 05, and to this day he always returns to his roots and visits, even if we're not the least comparable to Dortmund or Liverpool.

"This says a lot about the character of Jurgen Klopp, who is still a very dear friend of mine and I wish him all the best in Liverpool.

"I'm just very happy for him, that a boy who played football in Mainz, who became a head coach in Mainz, who then went and became a Bundesliga champion at Dortmund and played a Champions League final, now moves over to one of the most famous stadiums in Europe at Anfield.

"Actually I'm pretty sure the people in Liverpool will love him because he's just the right type of guy for Liverpool.

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"Kloppo is a very intelligent man, his English is alright and I've heard in Liverpool they speak English like the Bavarians speak German over here!

"He will manage to communicate. And after all Liverpool is an international team, and before him there were other foreign coaches who did alright.

"I think he can do it, he's just got this aura that can excite people - not just the players but everyone around him and I'm pretty sure that in a couple of days or maybe a few weeks, Jurgen Klopp will be a household name in the UK."