Jurgen Klopp gets Anfield to serenade Arne Slot as Liverpool stars hold back tears on emotional final day
Jurgen Klopp got Anfield to serenade successor Arne Slot in an emotional farewell to Liverpool as he told his fans to never stop believing.
Liverpool They beat Wolves 2-0 on Sunday afternoon in Klopp's final game for the club, and the German announced earlier in the season that he would be leaving this summer and ending his brilliant nine-year reign.
Klopp wore a red hoodie with the words “I will never walk alone” on the back as Liverpool marked his departure with an on-field presentation by owners John W Henry and Tom Werner, chief executive Billy Hogan and Sir Kenny Dalglish. after the match.
The 56-year-old then addressed the crowd and offered a positive outlook on the future, before urging them to support his successor as they did him.
“You welcome the new coach like you welcomed me. You do everything possible from day one. You continue to believe and push the team,” he said.
Klopp began singing “Arne Slot, la la la la la”, to the tune of “Live is Life” by Austrian band Opus, before Liverpool fans joined in.
The Feyenoord coach confirmed last week that he would succeed Klopp as Liverpool manager, although the Premier League club has yet to officially confirm the news.
In his speech, Klopp insisted that the change was good and that the club is in a good position to move forward.
“People told me I turned them from skeptics into believers. That's not true. Believing is an active act: you have to do it yourself. I just said we have to do it. You did it. That's a big difference,” he said.
“And no one is telling you now to stop believing. Because this club is in a better moment than ever. Maybe once – I have to ask Kenny – but for a long time, let me put it that way.
“We have this wonderful stadium, wonderful training center, we have you, the superpower of world football.
“We decide if we are worried or excited. We decide if we believe or we don't believe. We decide if we trust or we don't trust. And from today I am one of you and I continue to believe in you.
“I still believe 100 percent. Change is good.”
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It was an emotionally charged day at Anfield as fans gave Klopp a grand send-off. starting long before the startwhile his players were visibly upset after the game.
Among them was Virgin van Dijk, who had to fight back tears after hugging her coach on the pitch moments after the final whistle.
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold was seen in tears after the speeches as Liverpool players and staff sang You'll Never Walk Alone together in front of the Kop.
Klopp has spent the last nine years at Liverpool, where he has won everything he can, including the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
There have been players with him through thick and thin, including Van Dijk, who he signed in January 2018 for £75m. Southampton.
The Dutchman proved to be a transformative signing for the Reds, propelling them to great success in Europe and the Premier League.
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The 32-year-old will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest defenders of his generation and owes much of his career to Klopp for helping him reach such heights.
He is not the only one, as Liverpool's players are now full of stars who will go down in the club's history, including Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane. lexander-arnoldAndy Robertson Jordan Henderson and Alisson, who became key players under Klopp.
Klopp intends to give himself a year to spend with his family before deciding on his future and insists he has not considered what is next, although he suggested it may not involve a return to football.
“I don't know exactly why nobody thinks I'm probably not going to coach again, but I understand it because it obviously seems like a drug,” he said.
“It seems like everyone goes back and works until they're 70-something. I've always had the idea that I won't do that.”
“Other people are smarter and do it in different ways, but I have to be totally involved. I have to be the spark, I have to be the energizer, I have to be all these kinds of things. And I'm empty. That's it.
“It's not like I'm looking for the next opportunity and what clubs are available and things like that.
“There will be opportunities, but I'm not thinking, 'Maybe in a year I'll take advantage of them.' Right now, 'See you later.'”
