Last week, Borussia Dortmund manager Jürgen Klopp announced that he will be leaving the club at the end of this season. Klopp is one of the most respected managers in Europe and his departure likely will set off a bidding war for his services next season. The18 examines his likely destinations, but first, what do we know about this German gentleman?
Klopp spent his entire senior playing career at FSV Mainz 05 where he played both striker and defender during his tenure with the club. Klopp also began his managerial career with FSV, managing them from 2001 to 2008, before taking over at Borussia Dortmund in 2008. During his time with the club, Klopp won the league title in 2010-11 and 2011-12, adding the DFB-Pokal in 2012, completing the club’s first ever domestic double. Dortmund also reached the Champions League final in 2013 before losing to its domestic rival, Bayern Munich, 2-1. Despite having Bayern pilfer many of his top players, Klopp has kept the ship on course, finishing runner up the last two seasons. The club did stumble at the beginning of this season when it found itself in the relegation zone at the Christmas break, but currently sits 8th thanks to a second half surge.
So now that we know his history, where is Klopp going next? Let’s look at the contenders:
Real Madrid
Despite the fact Los Blancos won the Champions League last season, manager Carlo Ancelotti’s job is, incredibly, on the line thanks to a series of uninspiring performances in 2015. If Madrid fails to catch Barcelona in the league and exits to cross-town rival Atlético Madrid in the Champions League, it is possible that Ancelotti could get the sack. With his history, Klopp would be a top contender for this job, but the question is: would he even want it? The club and fans’ expectations are out of this world and although he does have a slightly hipster-appearance, I do not see him as a fit in Spain. Not yet anyway.
Liverpool
Liverpool’s surge in 2015 has been thwarted thanks to some disappointing results in the league, including losses to rivals Manchester United and Arsenal, that currently have it on the outside looking in for the vital Champions League positions. Manager Brendan Rodgers was highly criticized for the club’s lack of form in the beginning of the season, then highly praised (mostly by Rodgers himself) for his tactical changes that led to Liverpool’s improved run of form. If the club fails to qualify for the Champions League, it is possible that the Boston-based ownership could make a move for Klopp. Klopp at the Kop does have a nice ring to it, but this ownership does not seem to have a Roman Abramovich-esque tendency to change managers at the drop of a hat. Rodgers stays next season, so this job will not be open for Jürgen.
Arsenal
Oh boy. The Klopp-to-Arsenal rumors have been going strong for years now, as it is believed Klopp’s experience with money-conscious Dortmund would make him a perfect fit to continue the tradition of selective spending that current Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has practiced for his entire tenure. In fact, after winning Saturday’s FA Cup semifinal against Reading, Wenger was forced to answer questions about whether Klopp would be replacing him. A clearly annoyed Wenger responded, “I’m not an agency to place managers and I like every manager and respect everybody, but I find that circus a bit ridiculous.”
Despite Arsenal reaching the FA Cup final and its recent run in the league that has them 2nd in the table, many Gooners want the club to move on from Wenger to enlist Klopp. Prominent Gooner Piers Morgan has taken to his popular Twitter account to plead with the ownership to sign up the German, saying that Klopp “would be our Mourinho.”
I have long thought that it was time for Arsenal to move on from Wenger, as the current game seems to have passed him by. For a club of Arsenal’s pedigree, one FA Cup in 10 years simply is not good enough. But the timing of sacking Wenger now would be bizarre, given Arsenal’s run of form. If Arsenal finishes 2nd in the league while playing the best football in the league (as Chelsea limps to the finish line) and wins the FA Cup, then is now really the time to make a change at the top?
It would be a bold, daring move to say the least. And while I think Arsenal SHOULD do it, bold and daring are not the words I would use to describe “Silent” Stan Kroenke. Wenger will not ride off into the sunset this season, he’ll be back on the sidelines in his puffy Puma coat next year.
Manchester City
We have a winner. Beleaguered manager Manuel Pellegrini, who looks as if he’s been crying for the last few hours after every match and speaks as though his cat just died, will almost certainly get the sack after the conclusion of this season, even if City holds on to a Champions League spot. Although the club needs a Clueless-esque makeover (goodbye Yaya Toure), it has the resources to spend and fix whatever problems that it has in the squad. For Klopp, he would join a buyer’s club rather than a seller (City are not selling its best players to Manchester United or Chelsea) and he would have all of the resources to win both the league and the Champions League. While he may be a better fit at Arsenal, that job will not be open, so Klopp’s move to the Premier League will take him to Manchester rather than London. Cue the crying, Piers. #TearsforPiers.
I am a huge Klopp fan and his presence in the Premier League next season would be a boost to the league narrative and the verbal battles he’d have with Jose Mourinho, Wenger (if City beats Arsenal, Gooners everywhere would explode), and Louis van Gaal would be outstanding.
Follow Mike Smith on Twitter @thefootiegent
