Former RB Leipzig boss Ralf Rangnick has used the improvement of Jordan Henderson and James Milner as a method to praise Jurgen Klopp, but in doing so, has made quite a dig at the English midfield duo.
Talking to Frankfurter Allgemein (via the Mail ), Rangnick said: “If you look at Jordan Henderson or James Milner before Klopp they were totally average.
“The fact that they have now become such players is entirely up to their manager.”
Henderson and Milner are never going to be up for awards such as the Ballon d’Or, nor will they be rated in the 90s on FIFA or be the go-to name on the back of shirts for kids worldwide – but to suggest they’re average? – we’re not having it.
The former lifted the Champions League in June after an excellent season in Europe, one year after guiding his country to a World Cup semi-final as an automatic starter.
Every manager he’s ever had has made him an integral part of the team – Kenny Dalglish, Brendan Rodgers and Gareth Southgate included.
Milner is a former Premier League winner who’s been doing the business for nearly two decades.
Both are very good and Klopp has helped them big time, but neither were ever average.