Lots of Liverpool fans have been reacting on social media to reports by German publication SWR, quoting Jurgen Klopp as planning to leave Anfield in four years’ time.
Klopp has been in charge of Liverpool for the past five years after replacing Brendan Rodgers, in which time the German has led the Reds’ to their sixth European honour with a second Champions League trophy and win the Premier League for the first time to become 19-time champions of England.
Liverpool also reached the 2017/18 Champions League Final where they would suffer defeat to Real Madrid, though the loss in Kiev has proven to be nothing more than a brief setback for the Reds who have become the dominant side in the Premier League.
At the height of Liverpool’s mighty run of 27 league games unbeaten earlier this season, Klopp penned a new contract that keeps him at Anfield until 2024, though that may now prove to be his final deal and one he has every intention of seeing out.
When asked by SWR if he will ever return to Germany, Klopp said: “Definitely to live, after my career. Most likely even to Mainz”.
1.FSV Mainz 05 were the first club Klopp took charge of in his managerial career back in 2001 and remained at the helm until 2008, having orchestrated Die Nullfunfer’s rise from the second-tier of German football for the first time in club history.
Klopp plans to remain at Anfield for four more years first before returning to Mainz, at which point he plans to take a year-long sabbatical before deciding on the next stage of his career.
Klopp out-right stating that he only plans to spend “four [more] years at Liverpool” has led many Reds fans to share their pain on social media, fearing for the inevitable loss of the manager who clinched their first Premier League title.
This scares me. I don’t want him to leave. Who would be a worthy replacement? I couldn’t think of one at the moment. https://t.co/8qCy97dIGJ
— Whisky🥃Avenger (@WhiskyAvenger) July 12, 2020
4 years to prepare for the heart break . 💔 https://t.co/ISWHOwgJ97
— Deeps* 🦉✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 (@Deepstweets86) July 12, 2020
Four years is too short. Please stay for another 10 years Jurgen x https://t.co/nSXvnkQHcy
— ReviewFootball (@ReviewFootball) July 12, 2020
Can’t even imagine what it’ll be like the day he leaves 😭 https://t.co/A4uQnLH6Qv
— Thiago2020 (@PremChamps20) July 13, 2020
I don’t want to hear this go away. It’s not true. https://t.co/qxbL1VCMDq
— Manaka (@Kiyara__) July 13, 2020
Enough time to overtake Man United in domestic titles and AC Milan in CL trophies. https://t.co/owVYGiPntK
— momo (@parallexviews) July 13, 2020
The absolute tears when he leaves us is going to be crazy, what a man https://t.co/UJ5i9927qw
— ジョセフ19* (@Joseph_Ellis9) July 13, 2020
But not all Liverpool fans are as heartbroken, it seems, as some are already thinking of who could come in to replace Klopp, with suggestions of club legend Steven Gerrard being the man to do so.
Gerrard has two years and 113 games of first-team coaching under his belt now having taken charge of Rangers in 2018, over which the 40-year-old has taken an average 2.04 points-per-game but is yet to touch silverware with the Ibrox natives.
Gerrard- you have 4 years to learn everything there is to football management. https://t.co/k9RVAgKmZo
— B (@Bradster_YNWA) July 13, 2020
@gerrard you have 4 years https://t.co/wkr2bdbcfv
— PraTheeB (@mockingbirdz619) July 13, 2020