Jürgen Klopp: I'd love to have seen Shankly's work
Jürgen Klopp wishes he could have witnessed at first hand the historic achievements that he believes have made Liverpool such a special club.
In an extended interview with Liverpoolfc.com, conducted at the team’s training camp in Marbella last week and now available to watch in full, the Reds manager discusses a wide range of subjects.
The German reflects on the progress made under his watch during the past two-and-a-half years and opens up on the responsibility and expectations that come with taking the job.
Klopp talks through the lessons he has learned since taking the reins in October 2015 and reveals how he unwinds away from the game when opportunities arise.
And the boss explains why the success secured by his predecessors in the dugout serves as inspiration to recreate such highs during his tenure at Anfield.
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Asked what makes Liverpool so special, Klopp replies: “It’s the history.
“If you ask me which time I’d want to go [back to] I would have loved to go to Bill Shankly’s time for a few days, to see how it was and feel how it made the club.
“This whole region is obviously completely football-mad. Having such a fantastic football team that creates dreams and stories – life is all about dreams and stories – I know is so important for all the people in the region. And I know it’s like this all over the world. This club stands for family, hard work and dreams.”
He continues: “I love the feeling the club gives to so many people around the world. They appreciate what we are doing.
“It’s really nice when we play a Champions League game at Porto and you know they are all watching, even when the other channel has Real Madrid v PSG! The Liverpool people all watched it – and that you can then deliver a performance like that is so cool.”