Jurgen Klopp has been tipped to receive the ultimate honour after he announced his decision to step down as Liverpool manager at the end of the 2023/24 season.
After nine trophy-laden years at the helm, an emotional Klopp surprised the football world on Friday when he confirmed his shock departure.
The 56-year-old, who attributed his decision to “running out of energy”, has lifted the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Club World Cup during his time at Anfield.
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"I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again," he added.
"After the years we had together and after all the time we spent together and after all the things we went through together, the respect grew for you, the love grew for you and the least I owe you is the truth – and that is the truth."
After news spread of his exit, fans on social media called for the German to be given a statue in tribute to his almost decade-long contribution.
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Liverpool legends Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley have already been immortalised in bronze outside Anfield, and now fans want Klopp to be honoured.
One said: "Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool. Our club will never have another manager like him. We will miss you Jurgen lad. You're as scouse as the rest of us now. Get him a statue."
A second wrote: "I don't care what anyone says. Jurgen Klopp needs a statue outside the stadium. He is the greatest LFC manager I've ever seen. Shanks and Paisley will always be Liverpool legends, but I didn't grow up with them around."
A third commented: "How quickly can they build Jurgen Klopp his statue?" while a fifth said: "I’ll build Jurgen Klopp’s statue myself if I have too."
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A fifth added: "We might need a statue for this man. Jurgen Klopp changed the look of this club for almost a decade, the club won everything with him, I can't think of someone more deserving."
Back in 2020, when Liverpool were weeks away from winning a league title for the first time in three decades, former Reds captain Steven Gerrard called on the club to honour Klopp with a statue.
“Knowing Jurgen, he won’t want to be put in that bracket,” he told The Athletic. “I know what he’s like, he’s humble and respectful. When you look at the scale of the job he’s done, for sure he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as those iconic managers [Shankly and Paisley].
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“What you need to take into consideration is that when Jurgen took over Liverpool they weren’t close to being the best team in the country, they weren’t even in the top four.
“To come to Liverpool when he did, get to the amount of finals that he has, deliver the sixth European Cup and then deliver the first league title after 30 years…
“For me, someone like Jurgen should be rewarded now. It seems like in football we often wait until people get older before their achievements are fully recognised.
“But I know the owners of Liverpool won’t let that happen. When Jurgen delivers the league they should already be starting work on a statue of him.”
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images - Hayters TVTopics: Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, Steven Gerrard, Fan Reactions, Premier League
