Jurgen Klopp will leave a “massive legacy” behind him when he departs Liverpool at the end of the season, says Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino.
The German manager made the shock revelation this week that he will take at least a year out from the game once the current campaign has concluded.
Klopp took over from Brendan Rodgers in 2016 and went on to win the club’s first Premier League title in 30 years, as well as claiming the Uefa Champions League, FA Cup and EFL Cup during a hugely successful stint at Anfield.
Pochettino said he was “shocked” by Klopp’s decision to leave Liverpool after eight years in charge, before congratulating the 56-year-old on the “amazing job” he has done at the Merseyside outfit.
The Argentine was Klopp’s first opponent upon his arrival to the Premier League, which was a goalless draw between Tottenham and Liverpool. Klopp got the better of his counterpart in the 2019 Champions League final, and the two men will vye for silverware once when the two sides meet at Wembley next month in the EFL Cup final.
What Pochettino said about Jurgen Klopp announcement:
“I was shocked because today I was working a little bit before the game and I saw the news. Really sad because already we miss him. When I was sacked from Tottenham, the first message I received was from him. That is not the case, I didn’t send him a message but I’m going to have the opportunity on Wednesday (when Chelsea take on Liverpool) to thank him and show my respect.
“I think the job he was doing at Liverpool is amazing. We are going to miss him but he deserves his wishes, to rest a little bit and go away. Yes, I think sad news for football. He’s a great character, great man, great coach – for sure, English football is going to miss him and Liverpool, of course.”
“It is clear…when he arrived his first game was against us (Tottenham) at White Hart Lane. We drew 0-0. The legacy is massive, not just his charisma but the capacity to manage and to create a legacy at a club like Liverpool. His own philosophy and history is there.
“I need to congratulate him and everyone involved, the coaching staff. The praise he is going to receive from here until the end of the season is fully deserved.”
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