Farewell to Jurgen Klopp – the Liverpool manager may find it impossible to replace him

FROM ANFIELD – Trying to extract emotion from any analysis of Liverpool, the club defined by it, would be a fool's errand.

But as much as Kopites' connection with Jurgen Klopp contributed to the special nature of his farewell at Anfield on Sunday, the fact that the German's inimitable character has been combined with sporting success is a key part of his appeal.

Klopp has delivered every major trophy available at Anfield during his eight and a half years in charge, and it's easy to forget how unthinkable such success seemed when he first arrived.

When he succeeded Brendan Rodgers in October 2015, Liverpool were a club that had qualified for the Champions League in one of the last six seasons.

They would go on to go 27 years without a league title, and even the most ardent fan would admit that their last major success, the 2005 Champions League triumph, came under mixed circumstances.

And yet Klopp ended up waiting for both trophies to be lifted before adding two League Cups, the FA Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, the Community Shield, and the Club World Cup. And that haul of silverware would have been huge if Liverpool hadn't come up against the greatest team in English football history, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, and the Real Madrid team that took ownership of Europe's premier competition.

Still, there's no doubting how Klopp has brought the Reds back to glory, leaving a club in worse health than he entered. As the man himself put it in his speech to the fans: “For whatever reason it doesn't feel like the end, it's just the beginning because I've seen a football team today full of talent, belief, youth, creativity and desire.

“This club is in better shape than in a long time. A beautiful stadium, a training center, and you – the fans, the biggest power in world football. Wow!

“As today I am one of you and I will always be a 100 percent believer. I have seen many people cry and that will happen to me but change is good and if you go into it with the right mindset everything will be fine.”

Klopp was right to make that point with the evidence provided by the matchday squad called for his last game with Wolves. Yes, it has produced experienced heads like Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah, but the contributions of Jarell Quansah, Harvey Elliott and Conor Bradley are testament to the solid foundations in place.

While there are questions over the contracts of Van Dijk, Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, a return to the Champions League will ease any financial concerns when it comes to striking those deals.

Optimistic supporters may even wish to suggest that Liverpool could reap short-term benefits by moving to a less controlled style of play than the all-out gegenpress seen in recent years.

If there's been a slight downside to Klopp's recent reign, it's that many of their recent campaigns – including this one – have been marred by injuries no doubt related to the nature of the football being played.

That said, most would argue that any long-term costs have ultimately been worthwhile given the seasons Liverpool fans have enjoyed under Klopp, including multiple title challenges and a deep European run now. And perhaps the memories of those times will be the most important decision going forward for Liverpool.

Arne Slot may be coming to a team destined for more success by his brilliant predecessor, but the truth is that Klopp's career may have marked him as an unlikely act to follow.

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