The ecstasy that enveloped the Liverpool squad after Kostas Tsimikas’ penalty secured the Reds their second piece of silverware in the 2021/22 campaign is perhaps best encapsulated by one extract from Pep Lijnders’ upcoming book ‘Intensity: Inside Liverpool FC – Our Identity’.
The Dutchman shared his experience after the spot-kick and mentioned a special embrace with veteran midfielder James Milner.
“When I ran to Ali [Becker] I waved my arms like a bird, I have absolutely no idea why,” the coach told liverpoolfc.com.
“As you guys can see, there are so many things I could speak about, but what will really stay with me happened towards the end of the celebrations when I saw Milner.
“It was the best hug I ever had. I respect him so much, he is so special.
“Thank you for leading the team with commitment and example; I will be forever grateful that I met you as a player. You gave my understanding of professionalism a new dimension.”
The Englishman’s contract was extended once more by a year with Jurgen Klopp’s outfit keen on capitalising on the 36-year-old’s vast experience and leadership skills.
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The decision to keep the former Leeds United and Manchester City star at the club will be one that will no doubt have confused many a rival supporter.
An inside look into the workings of the club, however, will demonstrate the clear importance of the ex-England international to our German tactician’s setup from setting standards alongside Jordan Henderson to providing a stellar example for our up and coming talents.
With such a skillset, we’d be supremely surprised to see the club let Milner depart without attempting to direct him on the coaching pathway under the guidance of Klopp and Co.