Jurgen Klopp used his final matchday notes as Liverpool manager to pay tribute to the players, staff and fans who made sure he “never walks alone”.
In his role as Liverpool manager, Klopp has had a column in every matchday program at Anfield since taking over, giving an insight into his pre-match thoughts.
That ends on Sunday, with the German leaving the club after eight-and-a-half memorable years, leaving him reflecting in his pre-match speech.
While he was keen to stress the importance of getting the three points against Wolves, writing in the match programme, Klopp paid tribute to the players, staff and fans.
he wrote:
“Of course, this is my last game as Liverpool manager. This is something you’ve all known for a few months, and I’ve known for a bit longer, but as much as I know it’s the right time to leave, I also know it will take some getting used to. If the announcement was the starting point, the next big step into the future is Sunday.
“If space allowed, I could write name after name of people to thank, but there has never been a match program of this magnitude, so I will have to be more general. I could not be more appreciative of the players past and present who have served this club in the nine years I have been here.
“What they have achieved in that time is special, not only in terms of the moments they have created and the success they have had, but also in the way they have underlined what it is to represent LFC.”
Klopp is not the only person to leave Liverpool this summer, with many of his coaching staff and others behind the scenes moving on along with Thiago and Joel Matip.
The manager continued:
“The big positive for Liverpool is that regardless of who leaves, the club is still in a very, very good place. This season we aimed for the moon and ended up in the stars which is never a bad thing and the players and staff that have stayed are top, top class.
“Yes, they will soon have new leadership, but this is a club that is ready to embark on a journey in a new and exciting direction, not one that is ready for the journey to end.”
From day one, on October 8, 2015, Klopp emphasized the importance of the fans, and this shone through in his final, emotional words:
“Finally, I have nothing but gratitude and love for the fans. Everything we did was because of you, with you and for you. I have referred many times to the banner at the Kop that says Unity is strength, and I think that is a belief that we have all justified.
“Now it’s important that it continues so that my successor can benefit from it as much as I did. After Sunday I’ll be a fan too, so hopefully I can play my part in that.
“I have never walked alone. You will never walk alone. LFC will never walk alone.
“Thanks Luv.”
You can buy Jurgen’s weekly 100-page matchday special here, featuring interviews with Klopp’s backroom staff, Andy Robertson and more.
