Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been presented with a unique statue as a gesture of thanks for the work he did at Anfield, where he won both the Premier League and the Champions League in a nine-year tenure.
Klopp returned to Merseyside last weekend to watch Virgil van Dijk lift the Premier League trophy. He attended the LFC Foundation's Gala Ball, where it was revealed that he had donated $110K upon departing Merseyside a year earlier, and was then back at Anfield for the first time since leaving.
"When Jurgen Klopp returned to Liverpool for the final weekend of the season, he took time out to meet with a small delegation so we could present him with a statue as a token of our gratitude for all he did for Liverpool FC during his time as manager," Spirit of Shankly said.
"In January 2024, when Jurgen announced he would be leaving at the end of the season, there was sadness, incredulity and disbelief. But these emotions changed quickly to admiration and thanks for what heβd done in returning LFC to a club regularly competing for and winning major trophies again.
"In the eight years plus since his arrival at Anfield in 2015, he had converted the fans from 'doubters to believers'. Spirit of Shankly have presented numerous Shankly statues over the years, but we decided to commemorate Klopp with his own unique figure as a sign of our appreciation."
Karen Gill, patron of Spirit of Shankly, chair Paul Khan and vice chair Peter Hooton made the presentation.
(Image: PA)
"The statue was given to Jurgen to recognize the work of a great man, our most charismatic manager since Shanks himself," Khan said. "It wasn't for the trophies or the great days and nights he gave us, although we will always be eternally grateful for those.
"It was gifted to him because he got us β our culture and our politics β and we got him. Jurgen gave us back the most important thing you can have: belief."
Since he left Liverpool, Klopp has taken up a job with the Red Bull group, where his wide-ranging brief includes advising on strategy as the energy drinks giant seeks to further its soccer success.
"I always said I loved what I do but the moment when I felt I couldn't do the job anymore that was it," Klopp said in January. "It was the same at Mainz, Dortmund and Liverpool. I am brutally honest with myself.
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"It was not only energy. After more than 1,000 games on the sideline, thousands of press conferences I didn't want to do it anymore. I didn't want to stop working either, I just wanted to do something different and a new start, and this opportunity gives that.
"I heard things but I didn't have any plans in this direction. I was focused on being a manager. I wanted to be the best version of myself in that role. When you are in the job I was in for so long, it is super intense.
"Game after game, you keep a specific level and I wasn't completely happy with that. I wanted to learn new things and when I heard about this role, I knew I would do that."