Liverpool oblige Klopp desire for normalcy on farewell tour

LIVERPOOL, England — Jurgen Klopp made it abundantly clear Friday in announcing his decision to step down as Liverpool coach at the end of the season: Between now and his last day in the job, business must be business as usual. usual at Anfield. . The fact that Klopp got his wish, on and off the pitch, in the FA Cup win over Norwich on Sunday showed how much he still controls everything at the club.

His side secured a 5-2 victory over the Championship club to secure a fifth round draw at home to either Watford or Southampton – both in the Second Division – and spark even more hopes of qualifying for both finals of national cup after having already booked. a Carabao Cup final clash against Chelsea next month.

And the team in the stands, the noisy Liverpool supporters, kept their emotions in check to quiet the tributes to Klopp, even though they would have desperately wanted to honor the manager who made the club great again but who will leave this summer after almost nine years. in charge. There was a brief Klopp song two minutes into the match and another short chant after an hour, but it wasn't until the fourth minute of stoppage time at the end of the match when the tie was won, that the supporters finally gave their agreement. a full-throated version of their favorite Klopp song.

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“I understand, it’s very emotional,” Klopp told the BBC after the match. “I just have to make sure I don't fall that way. I said [the fans] I do not have to [sing his name] because I already know our relationship.

“In games, we must be warriors and not celebrate the old man on the sidelines.”

Make no mistake, Liverpool fans are upset by the news that Klopp will no longer be manager beyond this season, but the 56-year-old has always told supporters to focus on supporting the team instead than serenade him. Of all days, one might have expected them to challenge Klopp on Sunday, 48 hours after announcing his possible departure, but even as they chanted his name it was as if children were whispering in the back of the house. class in the hope that the teacher would do it. I don't scold them.

Business as usual: do what the manager wants.

Liverpool are a club that harness emotion and passion more than anyone. Few teams can claim to have a relationship with their supporters close to that of Liverpool, and that connection is one of the main reasons why the club and Klopp have been such a perfect match since his arrival in October 2015.

While Liverpool still have a chance of winning four trophies this season, Klopp doesn't want anything to distract his team from the task at hand. When he spoke for 30 minutes at a press conference on Friday, four hours after the club's social media announced his decision to leave, Klopp said he would “answer 500,000 questions about my decision , but after today I will only focus on being part of the team.”

Klopp is an open book. He can be charismatic, funny and engaging, but he can also be grumpy and short-tempered when he receives a question he considers trivial or when supporters focus too much on him, so you can be sure he will respond in a typical manner whether any of these things will happen in the coming weeks.

However, it will be difficult to control fan sentiment. They did as they were told against Norwich, keeping the chants and banners to a minimum, but it will be difficult for them to keep their emotions in check for the rest of this season.

There will come a time when Klopp and his players need the supporters to raise the roof and use the manager's impending departure as a catalyst for the noise and atmosphere that could push the team over the line when they face tougher opponents than Norwich.

Why is Klopp so loved at Liverpool? That's because he managed that rare combination of success while echoing fans' sentiments in every way.

He understands Liverpool fans' desire to attack football, but also their outlook on life. Liverpool is a city where family comes first and, politically, its vision is decidedly socialist. In Klopp, they see a kindred spirit.

Pep Guardiola doesn't have the same connection with Manchester City fans – the City manager has criticized the club's supporters in the past – while even Sir Alex Ferguson hasn't unified the Manchester United fan base like Klopp did it in Liverpool.

The Kop Stand banner, which bore an image of Klopp alongside the words “Long to Reign Over Us”, summed up the situation. This expression is usually reserved for the king or queen, but not in Liverpool.

Klopp's reign is coming to an end, however. He has indicated his intention to abdicate his throne and the succession requires a suitable replacement. And with Liverpool still going strong in four competitions, the new manager could face an even tougher task next season if Klopp leaves the scene after winning a quadruple.

It's not an impossible dream. Klopp said he would turn doubters into believers when he arrived at Anfield and, nine years later, that belief is now so strong that he is almost expected to win four trophies this season.

If that happens, they will never stop chanting Klopp's name.