Forgive Klopp his goofy Kop clobber
THE big question to ponder in light of Liverpool’s title celebrations on Wednesday night is if a 53-year-old man can ever pull off wearing his baseball cap backwards, even if he happens to be one of the most charismatic human beings on the planet?
Not for the first time this season, Jurgen Klopp stole the show as Liverpool were presented with the Premier League trophy, but it wasn’t for the football his side played in an eight-goal thriller. Klopp decided to dress like American frat boy on his way to a College Football tailgate party for the moment that wiped away 30 years of hurt on Merseyside.
On the night, Klopp could be forgiven such goofy fashion sense. The manner in which his team rampaged to Liverpool’s first title in three decades is a testament to his managerial skills. He has plenty of exceptional players in his squad, but for every Virgil van Dijk, there’s a Dejan Lovern. For every Mo Salah, a Divock Origi. The German’s great gift is giving players such a sense of self-belief that they perform above themselves.
Nobody epitomises this more than Jordan Henderson, who had the honour of lifting the trophy. Sky did an excellent job as the risk was the celebrations would seem flat with Anfield empty. Jamie Carragher in the commentary booth as the players went up to receive their medals from Kenny Dalglish added to the occasion. He struck a pitch-perfect chord.
As Henderson composed himself before walking up the steps. Carragher was able to remind television viewers of how far he had come. He had almost been out of the door at Anfield under Brendan Rodgers, who tried to offload him to Fulham. Now, he stands alongside Alan Hansen and Emlyn Hughes as a title-winning captain.
Even Graeme Souness was getting a little teary-eyed. The last time the former midfield enforcer was so emotional on television was when Paul Pogba misplaced a pass. The only bum note of an emotional evening was struck by Frank Lampard. After watching his side concede five goals with more doubts springing up about the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, the inexperienced Chelsea boss had a word of warning for the new kings of England.
‘It is a fine line between winning, fair play they’ve won the league, but don’t get too arrogant with it,’ Lamps spat out to the backdrop of We Are The Champions played around Anfield. If nothing else, his bitterness proves that he learned well during those years under Jose Mourinho, apart from, it seems, the rather important skill of organising a defence.
Despite the eight goals and Lampard’s hissy fit, all the drama on Wednesday evening was played out on another Sky Sports channel as Jeff Stelling and his team of pundits tried to make sense of one of the craziest ever nights in the craziest league of them all.
You probably have yet to hear from the Nottingham Forest fan in your life as they remain in a dark cave following their capitulation to Stoke City. Even by Forest’s recent reputation for selfimplosion, Wednesday evening feels like a low point. A six-goal swing denying them a place in the play-offs. The Sky studio was rendered speechless as Stoke’s fourth goal went in.
Every bit of Stelling’s professionalism was needed on a bizarre evening of football and he conveyed the madness of what was going on around the 12 Championship grounds brilliantly. The drama was too much for some. Paul Merson is a likeable chap, and there is a certain amount of charm in his general air of confusion as he gives updates to Stelling on a Saturday afternoon.
But poor old Merse can get flustered on the most mundane Soccer Saturday when there’s barely a first-half goal. Putting him on to cover the final round of the Championship, when three teams could still get automatic promotion and it was still possible for any three of eight sides to go down just seemed unfair.
Sure enough when Luton’s second goal went in, thereby lifting them out of the drop zone, Merson claimed that he hadn’t seen the goal because his television screen was too small. His contributions contrasted sharply with that of Gareth Ainsworth, sitting beside him.
The Wycombe Wanderers manager achieved something quite remarkable in lifting his club into the Championship via the playoffs, despite only having a squad of 15 players. And his detailed updates from West Brom’s nervy match with QPR suggest he’s already doing his homework for next season.
With his flowing locks, unbuttoned shirt and wearing a chain that paid homage to Connell in Normal People, Ainsworth looked as if he would get away with having a baseball cap on backwards. Then again, maybe not.