SUCCESSION
A week after Klopp’s bombshell, Liverpool’s owners in Boston are hunting for a new boss — and it’ll come down to stats, not emotion
THE mid-winter sun beamed down on Kirkby as Liverpool’s players and staff arrived at training for a Friday just like any other. They had no idea they were arriving for one of the most memorable days in the club’s 132-year history.
Everyone associated with Liverpool will always remember where they were when Jurgen Klopp’s departure was announced. Unlike most stories which leak out weeks in advance from gossipy agents, this was a bombshell.
It was the best-kept secret in sport and sent shockwaves through the game, the sort of news that had even non-football fans talking about it.
Even Liverpool’s players were not made aware of the news until a team meeting around 10.15am last Friday. Club staff were informed by email that morning and the announcement was made public at 10.36am via Liverpool’s social media channels. A week on, that post on X has been viewed nearly 55million times.
There have already been two dates on Klopp’s lengthy farewell tour — the Reds could play 28 more matches this season if they reach all finals — and his departure has not yet sunk in for many fans. But for those in Liverpool’s inner sanctum, the succession plan is well under way.
It all lies in the hands of the president of owners Fenway Sports Group, Mike Gordon, running the recruitment process from Boston. Gordon, a private man who has never given an interview to British media, was informed of Klopp’s departure in November.
It was not rare for Klopp to call close ally Gordon but this time he asked him for a few minutes longer on the line and delivered the body blow that he was to leave.
Assistant boss Pep Lijnders, who is also quitting the club along with Peter Krawietz and Vitor Matos, has started describing this season as ‘the Last Dance’ — a nod to Michael Jordan’s Netflix documentary — and has been joking with players he will punch them in the head if there is any negativity.
Klopp, 56, has been privately laughing and joking he should have got himself fired for the almighty pay-off and, though he did not want to tell fans so far in advance, he wanted the news to come out on his terms and not be leaked in the coming weeks.
All of the trusted confidants who were aware of Klopp’s exit kept the secret but Liverpool need to start contacting agents to replace the manager and his coaching team. Earlier in the week, murmurs arose about the club weighing up backroom coaches.
Last week’s press conference ahead of the clash with Norwich was not held on a Friday for the first time this season, to keep free the day to announce Klopp’s exit.
So what happens next? Gordon will keep leading the recruitment process from the USA, similar to in 2015. Back then, Klopp and agent Marc Kosicke, who lingered at the back of the media room when his client was being grilled on his exit, were invited to Manhattan for a secret interview.
Klopp’s personality and the way he can own a room saw him edge out Carlo Ancelotti for the job. Whereas the Italian said he could return Liverpool to greatness with a few key signings, Klopp spoke of his excitement to work with the existing team.
A theme of the German’s era has been to look for solutions within, rather than to ask FSG to open the chequebook, and that will be top of the job description again. Xabi Alonso is seen as the frontrunner but the process will be thorough and data-led, not driven by emotion over a club legend.
Liverpool have drawn up a shortlist of candidates, including Roberto De Zerbi and Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim.
That process is being part-led by a particle physicist, Will Spearman, the Harvard graduate who is the Reds’ head of research. Spearman was influential in identifying Wataru Endo as a summer signing, as the Japan captain stood out in a number of data metrics.
When hiring Klopp, Liverpool noted his Dortmund side often underperformed in terms of expected goals statistics — indicating they should have yielded better results.
Interestingly, the last manager to win the Bundesliga outside of Bayern Munich was Klopp. The next man to do that could of course be Alonso. His Bayer Leverkusen side are top of the table and unbeaten in all competitions this season.
Before that, Liverpool are likely to hire a new sporting director, with Jorg Schmadtke leaving this week. Ex-transfer chief Michael Edwards turned down a return. The Edwards-Klopp axis worked because neither party was afraid to disagree. In 2017, Klopp wanted German forward Julian Brandt but Edwards convinced him another option was better. That player was Mo Salah.
West Ham are fearful Liverpool will poach their sporting director
Tim Steidten, who took Alonso to Leverkusen and also signed the then unwanted Kevin De Bruyne (Chelsea) and Serge Gnabry (Arsenal) at Werder Bremen. Bournemouth’s Richard Hughes is a strong candidate for the role.
As for Klopp, he has been fatigued for a number of reasons so decided his Liverpool project was drawing to a close. Last season’s dip in form planted a seed in his mind. He had planned for a longer break after leaving Dortmund but did not get it as Liverpool came knocking. The pandemic also hit Klopp hard. He was unable to attend the funeral of his mother, Elisabeth, in 2021 due to guidelines and, due to the busy seasons which followed, he could not enjoy the down-time away from football he so craves.
He has also recently become a grandfather and will look forward to more family time. And so it was during a planning meeting for next pre-season when Klopp questioned if he had the energy to go again.
Reports in Germany suggest their FA will try to tempt him to manage the national team after Euro 2024. But Klopp is finally looking forward to a sabbatical.
As he said last week, noting his intensity: ‘I am who I am and where I am because of how I am.’
● DARWIN NUNEZ is a doubt for tomorrow’s trip to Arsenal after leaving Wednesday’s win over Chelsea in a protective boot.
The Uruguayan striker, who hit the woodwork four times in the 4-1 win, trained as normal yesterday but may still be held back.
Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey will be absent after suffering a setback in his return from a groin injury. The Ghanaian had returned to training this week after four months out.