It's already been a tense time on Merseyside, with Liverpool in the hunt for the title and Everton, my former club, facing a second possible 10-point deduction for breaching financial rules. Jürgen Klopp's surprise departure only added fuel to the fire.
I'm not shocked by much anymore, but Jürgen's departure is a huge loss for Liverpool. He gets the club. And the fans bought it. They understood that he was one of them.
Every time a legendary manager leaves, the immediate question is: what next? What are you going to do? Liverpool have had such sustained success. And the reality is that most teams don't get it right. There is therefore great concern for Liverpool fans that an exit is imminent. Because Jürgen Klopp has become a club.
And no matter who you support, Klopp's teams are good for the Premier League. He played brilliantly in the Merseyside derby and in the clashes with Manchester United. You can hate a club, you can fight against it. But Jürgen has charisma and character – and he has class.
One thing is certain: the timing of this announcement will come under scrutiny. Liverpool are firmly anchored in the title race. Does this get the players going? Or does it unbalance her? You may be wondering: why is this being announced now? This doesn't feel right, he won't be here. It's a fascinating emotional drama.
Jurgen Klopp's decision to leave the club is a huge loss for Liverpool fans and players
Klopp understands that the club and the fans accepted him – they understood that he was one of them
Players are creatures of habit – here's how to get the best out of them: Give them structure and boundaries to work within and they'll thrive.
Now it's a new beginning and nobody knows what the end will be. So there will be fear in the locker room. I saw that first hand at Everton.
Tim Howard, sports columnist
The difficulty is that Jürgen has a style and ideas and these are not easily thrown out of the list of players.
I played under David Moyes and Sir Alex Ferguson and with any long-term manager it becomes routine.
When do you eat breakfast? Do you have to eat everything at once? How do you travel? Do you stay in hotels? Do you travel in a tracksuit or a suit and tie?
Any new coach will sign players who fit his style – and demand that the others learn his ideas. Those who adapt and learn very quickly will keep their place, the others will be sold – that's clear.
We had really good players who were successful in David's team over 11 years at Everton.
But then Roberto Martinez came along in 2013 and brought with him a completely different style of play.
Then comes the pressure on the players – and some couldn't handle it. Not because they weren't good players. But because they didn't accept the new style. Or they were so convinced that their path was the right one.
It's a power struggle: When you're a long-time player at a football club and a new manager comes in, you think: This is your club, it has to prove itself. But he doesn't do that. He is the manager.
Since taking over, Klopp has led Liverpool to Premier League and Champions League glory
How will this announcement affect the mindset of his players like star striker Mo Salah?
For almost a decade, Liverpool have been built on the foundations of Jurgen Klopp's way of working.
It would be irresponsible to destroy that. Hiring a manager who does that is a bad business decision. This can create a bigger problem and a bigger mess.
So is Xabi Alonso the right man to succeed him? Well, he knows Liverpool inside out, he had early success as a coach at Bayer Leverkusen. And that is significant. The question for every manager is: How do you get your points across to the players and how quickly can they implement them? He has shown that he can do it.
Whoever the new coach may be, he must impart his ideals and theories to the players – but they must be clear that they must be consistent with who they already are. Otherwise, players will find it difficult to accept it.
But for now, Liverpool have to worry about this season and this title race. Jurgen's squad is so good and so close – the way he and the players interact, they are one – so I can't imagine anything other than these guys saying: let's do it through the gaffer. Let's talk about winning another title.
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