Liverpool’s clash with Chelsea at Anfield tomorrow will be Jurgen Klopp’s 1000th game as a manager.
Starting out at Mainz back in 2001, the 55-year-old then moved onto Borussia Dortmund before heading to Merseyside and bringing silverware back to L4.
Since his arrival at the club back in 2015, the German has won every major trophy possible and explained in his press conference earlier today how fortunate he feels to do ‘the best job in the world’, despite joking that his efforts at Liverpool have turned his beard ‘really grey’.
“It is a massive thing,” the German said (as quoted by the Independent). “I did the job for the clubs I loved. It is a crazy number but the beard is now really grey. That was not the case when I arrived here. I am not sure if that is because of the age and Liverpool.
“It is for me the best job in the world. It is not a relaxing job, not a job where you have a lot of holiday but I love it. I feel blessed I can do it because it is pretty much the only job I can do. I am fine with the excitement, the pressure, the outstanding moments and the less good moments. It is part of the deal. Nobody wins all the time. I knew that early. Perhaps people should get an honour for 1000 good games – I am not sure anyone would get that.”
Klopp took over at Mainz as caretaker manager tasked with the job of ensuring they weren’t relegated to the third tier of German football.
He won six of his first seven games in charge, however, and led Die Nullfünfer to safety with one game to spare before earning promotion to the Bundesliga with the side three years later.
“I don’t know that at that time that I want to do the job for the rest of my life,” Klopp added. “From the first seven games, I think we won six. If we lost one more I think we would be relegated. If we win five it is an outstanding number and we go down to the third division and a promising coaching career would be finished before it started.”
The ‘Normal One’ also spoke about how the managerial game has changed in the last two decades, highlighting the methods he used previously to analyse his opponents before advancements in technology.
“Twenty-two years ago when I became a manager did we have smartphones? No. Great times, it means much less information. I analysed games with a video recorder and a DVD; that is how I started. When you wanted to know what the outside world thought, you have to ask somebody or open a newspaper.”
We certainly feel lucky to have Klopp at the club and are grateful for all he has done since his arrival.
Let’s hope the lads can put in a huge performance tomorrow and earn a massive three points against the Stamford Bridge outfit to ensure make the German’s big day extra special.