Learning From Legendary Soccer Manager Jurgen Klopp
Learning from manager/coach Jurgen Klopp, his staff, and his players
Jurgen Klopp is a world-class manager and soccer coach. He’s done unbelievable work with Mainz, Borussia Dortmund, and Liverpool. He’s a legendary coach who understands the big picture of life and where soccer/football fits into it. Every player that comes into contact with Klopp ends up better, as a player and person.
Klopp, who is set to leave Liverpool after this season, recently sat down in a roundtable format to relive some of the best moments with the club. There were a ton of great pieces we can all learn from in this piece, and anyone interested in personal and player development would benefit from hearing his thoughts and recollections.
Players - Cody Gakpo (Far left) & Harvey Elliott
Manager/Coach - Jurgen Klopp
Coaches - Pep Lijnders (Assistant Coach) & Alex Inglethorpe (Academy Director)
Serving Others
Klopp understands that his role is to elevate others and find ways to guide people on their journey toward excellence.
“And when I became a manager, the world changed for me completely, because now I knew the things I knew about football could help other people to become the best version of themselves.”
Klopp understood that playing professionally did not mean he would be a great coach.
So I knew, "I am OK - or good - at what I'm doing, but that doesn't mean anything. I never imagined me being in the situation I was very often in my life, to be honest, I never thought before it's possible.
I never did want to limit myself, but I didn't dream myself out of reality as well. I'm still surprised about my career, to be 100% honest.
Harvey Elliott (Player)
Harvey Elliott was released from one team and then went to play with his friends for a year at age 11-12. Then he was at Fulham as a pre-academy training 1-2 times a week. At age 13 he then joined Fulham’s academy full time. At age 15 he started to play professionally and at age 16 he joined Liverpool.
I was at Chelsea when I was a kid, and they released me, because they said I was too small.
But then, like, I was just playing with my friends for a year, like Sunday league. I was at Fulham, like a pre-academy thing, where you go sometimes once a week, twice a week to train. But I didn't really enjoy it.
Who & When Do You Know A Player Will Make It
You don’t know until they arrive at the professional level.
I don't think you really know till a boy gets to 22. Because I think even for some positions, like, they might have grown their full height but they haven't got control of their body.
And Dannsy [Jayden Danns] would be like that a little bit. You don't know what he's going to become till he gets some power and a bit of strength, and then mentally they've got to have time to develop as well. - Academy coach
Cody Gakpo:
When I was, I think 15, 16, I was really small. So what you said, it can be like a blow of confidence. You see, "I'm struggling with my body, with my movement," and the other guys are just going through the years very, very quick and very good.
From the academy director:
What I love about being in the Academy is, every year there's a lesson for you. Dannsy was a good one for me this year.
Last year, starts off, couldn't get in the U18s.
This year, starts off really well but couldn't get in the U21s.
And it wasn't till a little bit later that... I remember phoning Pep and saying,
"Look, I think you need to have a little look, "because there is definitely something there, but you need to probably have a look."
So, you know, it's gone from three weeks, from training with the first team to playing in a cup final. And you're like... you just don't know.