BREN’S TICKING ALL THE BOXES
IT IS a fascinating contest today between Jurgen Klopp and Brendan Rodgers, between two managers who are at the top of their game.
Both clubs have injuries, but I don’t think that will detract from what will be a fierce tactical battle.
People are saying Rodgers has a point to prove after he lost the job at Liverpool, but I don’t take that for a second.
He did a good job there and he has proven himself as a top-class manager already.
He is still young in management terms, too, and I can see him continuing to progress at the same rate as he has shown in his career.
He will be using Klopp as a role model to aim for the top.
Klopp is among the best in the world. Ever. What I like most about him is he combines the technical, the tactical, the analytical and the scientific with proper man-management.
Pep Guardiola is the same. He is obsessive, scientific, but his squad has an identity and a character. He gets the best out of his players.
Football is more technical now. I had managers in Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez, who were brilliant technically and tactically.
But they were never manmanagers – whereas Klopp and Guardiola tick every box.
Klopp does not just get the best from his players, he gets the best from his staff, too.
You have to trust in the expertise of those around you, delegate and listen.
The top managers do that and that is why they are at the highest level.
Maybe that is something Brendan has learnt after his time at Anfield, but it is clear he is developing the same qualities – and he is close to ticking all those boxes, too.