Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch has claimed that fans are always telling him how much they love Jurgen Klopp.
Klopp has had a difficult season at Liverpool – easily his worst since taking the job in 2015. But according to Crouch, the supporters he comes across are still very much behind their manager.
“Klopp’s a top manager and I think he’s got as long as he wants at that club,” the 42-year-old told SPORTBible. “Anyone who doesn’t want him at the club is probably from outside the city because anyone inside the city that I speak to absolutely loves him. And he’s got the job for as long as he wants. if anyone can turn it around he can.
“It’s not as, as bad as everyone makes out. Of course, they haven’t hit the standards that they have hit in previous years, but I think that’s physically impossible with the same team.
“So yeah, we all know it needs to refresh. There are certain players lacking some confidence. But there are big players coming back and I think finishing the top four will be the biggest achievement for them now. And then readdress it in the summer.”
Crouch also backed Liverpool to be back fighting at the top again next season – providing they bring in the right players this summer.
“I think they’ll look to strengthen things. And you’d expect them to come back a lot better next year,” he said.
Klopp going nowhere
It has been interesting watching the discourse around Jurgen Klopp throughout this season. Amidst the Reds downturn in form there have certainly been some rival fans expecting – or maybe hoping – that the German might get the boot.
But whatever has been going on, this has never been a question from Liverpool fans themselves. Klopp has been scrutinised at times by the fanbase at rightly so. Some of his substitutions this season have been downright bizarre, while he retains a misplaced loyalty to certain players.
Despite those disappointments though, Reds fans still wouldn’t want anyone else steering their club right now. Jurgen has more than enough credit in the bank to last through a rocky season. He’s loved and quite rightly so.
Should things continue on a troubling trajectory next season, perhaps one or two murmurings of discontent might start to arise. But right now, pretty much every Liverpool fan in the land is behind Klopp. Whenever his time at the club does come to an end – and whatever the circumstances behind it – his status in the city and relationship with it will live on forever.