Liverpool: What Makes Jurgen Klopp So Special?
Jurgen Klopp stood under the bright lights at Anfield on Thursday orchestrating the jubilant cheers of 40,000 Liverpool fans who had just seen their team fly into the Europa League final.
Since taking over from Brendan Rodgers in October 2015, Klopp has guided Liverpool to two major cup finals—the Capital One Cup and Europa League— and is just 90 minutes away from securing Champions League qualification.
Liverpool will now face the Europa League holders, Sevilla, at St Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland, on May 18 in the competition final, with a place among Europe's elite the prize.
In just seven months, the charismatic German has captured the hearts of Merseysiders — and he hasn't even made a single signing.
A common defence for new managers who underwhelm is that they're yet to assemble a squad of their own. Klopp, however, has managed to produce a team that displays his characteristic high-pressing, intense tempo and liquid movement without change to Rodgers' squad.
A lover of heavy metal music, Klopp has drilled his methods into the team, and the outcome has resembled more of a symphony.
Along with his broad smile, Klopp also refuses to moan. Injuries to Daniel Sturridge, Jordan Henderson and Divock Origi have disrupted his team, but no grumbles have been uttered from the former Borussia Dortmund manager.
What makes the achievement greater still is that Klopp's men continue to appear fresh despite Thursday's 3-0 win over Villarreal being the 63rd game of Liverpool's season —a joint record with the 1991/92 season.
Optimism on Merseyside is high. The expectation of Klopp is being fulfilled, and the Anfield faithful will roar louder still if he steers the club to the Europa League trophy.
