Klopp steps down: who will be Liverpool’s next manager?

In July 1974, Bill Shankly announced that he would be stepping down as Liverpool manager - weeks after watching his side lift the FA Cup at Wembley. A young Granada Reports journalist Tony Wilson had the task of breaking the shock news to a group of teenage kids on Lime Street - they stood ashen-faced in disbelief as they were told the grim news. Half a century on, there are some parallels to be drawn with Jürgen Klopp’s decision to move on at the end of this season. Like Shankly’s resignation, it came as a bolt from the blue - no one saw it coming. The 56-year-old signed a two-year contract extension in April 2022, committing until 2026 and guaranteeing continuity to the project he started with his appointment in October 2015.

The news that Klopp will leave Anfield at the end of the season came as a bombshell to fans on Merseyside - Friday’s announcement just a couple of days after Liverpool booked their place in the EFL Carabao Cup final, with the team in a commanding position atop the Premier League table and alive in both the Europa League and FA Cup (it will be interesting to see/hear the reaction from the home fans when Norwich visit Anfield on Sunday…)

But in another sense, by closely listening to what Klopp had said during his seven years on Merseyside, it’s surprising that he has lasted this long. He has always been open about his future. He is not a careerist in the same way as some other coaches, who will happily flit from club to club and it’s unlikely we would ever see him coaching in a country where he doesn’t have the language skills to get his message across - his command of the English language, for a foreign coach, is extraordinary…

Klopp took a break from the game after a successful, debut stint at Borussia Dortmund but could not resist the lure of Liverpool’s offer. A few years ago he admitted his long-term plan was never to have an entire career in football but to eventually either take another sabbatical, pack the Volkswagen camper van and spend time travelling, relaxing and spending quality time with his wife Ulla and their dog Emma.

That and probably a lot of other factors influenced his decision - he has been clear about his thoughts on the insane volume of matches - a fixtures calendar which only seems to get bigger every season and with it, the struggle to keep a competitive squad fit and out of the casualty room. All of that on top of the pressure that comes with being manager at any top Premier League club where results and success are not just expected but demanded.

The Liverpool Way

So who would be a suitable replacement? Traditionally, Liverpool haven’t looked for the most prestigious, big name managers - much of the recruitment has been done in-house. Paisley, Fagan and Roy Evans all graduated from the Boot Room. Souness was an ex-player and team captain; Houllier already knew the city and while Benítez didn’t before he arrived, he quickly grasped the culture and gained an understanding of how the club operates. All of them were managers “in the Liverpool mold” who understood the “Liverpool way” - just like Klopp does. But however successful a manager might be, however many trophies they might have won, not everyone is right for Liverpool.

Unai Emery

The Basque coach is working wonders at Aston Villa and is highly respected throughout the Premier League - and especially at Liverpool. He has everything a top coach requires - a deep and extensive knowledge of the game, experience playing in different leagues, success in Europe, tactical nous, player management skills, adept at handling the media… At 52, he’s young but experienced, having led Valencia, Sevilla, PSG, Arsenal and now Villa. During his managerial career, Unai has spent an average of around two years at each club he has worked for. He was appointed by Villa in November 2022, handed a long-term contract - believed to be until June 2027, and has other ties to the midlanders through a partnership deal with Real Unión.

He would be a perfect fit for the Reds, he has the ideal profile but prising him away from Villa Park will be difficult.

Xabi Alonso

One of the classiest midfielders to have ever donned the Liverpool shirt, Xabi gained his coaching certificates immediately after hanging up his boots in 2017. As a player, his reading of the game was second to none. Even during his youth team days at Antiguoko, he displayed a deep knowledge and understanding of football, way beyond his years. He has spent the last six years learning the ropes as a coach at some of the finest youth academies in Europe - he spent a year in La Fábrica coaching Real Madrid’s Under-17s then returned to San Sebastián to further his development in Zubieta, taking the reins of Real Sociedad’s B team. He accepted his first major coaching job in October 2022, joining Bayer Leverkusen where he has elevated his profile - the team is currently four points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table. Xabi is 10 years younger than Emery and less experienced. He signed a two-year contract extension with Leverkusen last August, taking him to June 2026. A Kop idol back in the day, Liverpool fans were sorry to see him leave and would welcome him back with open arms.

Xabi however, has ruled out the possibility for now: " I have great respect for Jürgen, huge admiration… At the moment, I am really happy here. I enjoy my work here and feel that it’s given me a challenge. I think I am in a great place and am enjoying it. What’s going to happen in the future, I don’t know. I don’t really care at the moment.”

Steven Gerrard

A former team mate of Xabi’s and from the same generation, Gerrard was born and bred in Liverpool (ok, Knowsley), came up through the youth ranks and left as one-club player. He knows Liverpool inside out and has long been tipped to manage the team one day. Gerrard’s coaching experience is limited - he was in charge of Liverpool’s Under-18s for a year before leaving the academy for a more prominent position at Rangers. He guided the team to the Scottish Premiership title in 2021 - the club’s first in a decade. The call of the Premier League proved too strong and he accepted the Villa post the following season but the results didn’t follow and he was sacked after one year in charge. Gerrard is presently coaching Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League - a million miles away from what would be expected of him in the same role at Anfield. He has another three years to run on his contract with Al-Ettifaq. An iconic player but relatively unproven as a coach at the top level.

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Graham Potter

The former Swansea, Brighton and Chelsea boss is available after his brief stint at Stamford Bridge ended in April last year. The 48-year-old impressed by building a strong side during his three and a half years at Brighton, gaining the respect of his peers and prompting Chelsea to come in for him in 2022. Whether it was down to pressure, bad luck or a combination of the two, it just didn’t work out for him at Stamford Bridge and perhaps he was a little out of his depth. Nevertheless, he has proved that he is a decent manager and his modest, understated approach would suit Liverpool although with a question mark over how the pressure might affect him. He has been linked with a coaching post in Sweden after buying property there.

Hansi Flick

Flick is a coach who Klopp knows well - they are both a similar age and considered among the top German coaches in the modern game. The 58-year-old is no stranger to handling high-pressured managerial posts. He spent a couple of seasons in charge at his old club Bayern Munich with whom he became only the second coach to win a clean sweep of six trophies in one season. He accepted the Germany job in 2021 but was sacked after just two years with poor figures - 12 wins in 25 games. He is currently without a team.

Joachim Löw

A highly experienced coach who is also on the market after stepping down from the Germany post in July 2021. Löw guided the Mannschaft to the World Cup semi-finals in 2014 and his team were pipped to Euro 2008 by Spain. At 63, he is one of the older, possible candidates but like Klopp has excellent English so communication wouldn’t be a problem.

Rafa Benítez

Rafa’s name is always mentioned whenever there is a vacancy at Anfield. He did well at Valencia but his career entered a completely new dimension when he was poached by Liverpool in 2004. He won the Champions League in his first season and took the team to the final again two years later. He also made some memorable signings (Xabi Alonso, Pepe Reina, Luis García, Torres…) His tenure brought silverware (FA Cup and European Super Cup) but his Spanish Liverpool were pipped to the Premier League and he left by mutual consent in 2010 with a win rate of 55.4%. He will be eternally loved by the fans who still sing his name whenever he comes to Anfield as the visiting coach. But times have moved on and in football, like any relationship, sometimes going back doesn’t always work out. He is currently in Spain coaching Celta who have been struggling this season.

Frank Lampard and Jose Mourinho

Mou is looking for a new job after being released by Roma. Out of all of the coaches seeking employment, he is by far the most experienced and successful. He has been complimentary about Liverpool in the past but to be brutally honest his management style wouldn’t really suit the Reds - then there is his past at Chelsea and United. Lampard is also free but he is still waiting to emulate the success he enjoyed as a player. On top of that, he worked on the other side of Stanley Park and that is another reason why it’s unlikely he will be a candidate.

Liverpool will doubtless already have someone in mind to take over when Klopp bids farewell - there may possibly even be a surprise appointment... we’ll see.