Home   >   Humor   >   Klopp of the Kop: German Engineering at Anfield!

Klopp of the Kop: German Engineering at Anfield!

By on October 9, 2015

If you ever watched TV shows like The Office or Lip Sync Battles, you may think Liverpool have just appointed Stephen Merchant as their new manager to replace Northern Irishman Brendan Rodgers (at least he has got something to celebrate this week!). However, when you have stopped squinting, you will realise the new boss at Anfield is eccentric German gaffer Jurgen Klopp. It seems inevitable that Klopp would get the high pressure position, not because he has a good CV from his time at Borussia Dortmund, but as a result of his name being perfect for pun makers and headline writers. Klopp at the Kop has a definite ring to it and will make it easier for Reds supporters to come up with a clever chant and fantastic flag for the new man at the helm.

Jurgen Klopp spent seven years at both Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, but will do well to repeat the feat at Anfield. The 48-year-old has a massive engineering job to restore the Reds to their former glory, after signing a three-year contract at the 10th placed Premier League side. Germans are famous for being efficient, and efficiency is what was often lacking under Rodgers, as it seemed like a rebuilding job year-after-year under his regime. Regenerating the squad is sometimes a necessity, but most managers are still expected to pick up silverware along the way, something the former Swansea boss failed to achieve in over three years. In comparison, Klopp managed to take Dortmund to cup finals and deliver trophies, despite often losing his best players to Bayern Munich, such as Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze. His last season in charge of Dortmund was not as rosy, particularly in the first half of the campaign, but they went from basement side to gaining a seventh-placed finish after the winter break. The only problem is the players seemed to respond after Klopp announced he was taking a sabbatical in May, with Europa League qualification clearly not enough for the Liverpool owners.

Park Life!

Despite wearing glasses, there is no doubt the Liverpool owners have set out their version without a Blur through Klopp’s eyes to make sure the next three years are not wasted. However, only last year Klopp showed how inventive and practical he can be, as he used the grass of Regents Park in London to train his Dortmund side before their Emirates encounter with Arsenal in the Champions League group stages. The first fixture the Reds have under the leadership of the German is away to Tottenham on 17th October – so another trip to North London, although I can’t see the likes of Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho stretching their muscles in Regents Park!

Klopp can already speak English as well as any of the British members of the playing squad, while German midfielder Emre Can should also know the new boss well from his time in the Bundesliga. The former Dortmund hero may explore the German market in the January transfer window, but it is unlikely he will have a lot of cash to spend without selling first, after the massive outlay in the summer. Klopp of the Kop will need to do a lot to return to the top, if he cannot then the Anfield bubble may pop! Oh, and although we’ve covered the large scope of Klopp puns and alliterations we’ve premade the rest for you:

The obvious: “King of the Klopp.”

Liverpool scored a last minute equalizer: “Kloppage time.”

Liverpool secure Champions League qualification: “Klopp four.”

Danny Ings scores a hat-trick: “Klopp that!”

Dare say Klopp gets sacked: “Klopp gets the chop.”

Klopp losses his first game in charge: “Klopp flops.”

Liverpool win the league: “Klopp of the table!”

Klopp turns to Liverpool’s youth: “Liverpool turn to the next Klopp of young players.”

Photo credit: Martin Davidsen, via Flickr

About Richard Lewis

Richard Lewis can relate almost anything to football and quite often does! You may have seen Richard's previous ideas and work in the BBC Match of the Day Magazine, from 2011 to present. He is a Manchester United and England fan, but has gone to see Leyton Orient play with his O's season ticket in the 2013/14 campaign. Aside from football, Richard has written articles on Doctor Who and studies English Language and Linguistics at the University of Westminster. Aspiring sports journalist.