The question on many football fans this week has been: Could Jurgen Klopp replace Brendan Rodgers as manager at Liverpool? But how has this situation arisen? Not too long ago, soccer fans and media sources alike were singing Brendan Rodgers' praises. The Irish football manager, who took over as the head coach at Liverpool FC in 2012, nearly led the club to their first title since 1990 during the 2013 2014 campaign. A 0-2 loss in a key late-season match against Chelsea gave Manchester City the opening they needed to take the lead, and Liverpool finished in second, but Rodgers' Reds still had plenty of promise. By all accounts, 2014 2015 should have been a huge year for the soccer club.
And then, somehow, it wasn't. Between a departed Luis Suarez, an injured Daniel Sturridge, an aging Steven Gerrard, and an unprofessional Raheem Sterling, the Reds simply couldn't get it together during the 2014 2015 campaign. They ended the season in sixth place, and suddenly Brendan Rodgers' future at the football club seemed in doubt.
The 2015 2016 Season: Below Expectations for Liverpool
So far, the 2015 2016 season has done little to assuage those doubts. Rodgers made some promising transfers during the summer months, jettisoning Sterling and his terrible attitude (and for an initial £44 million, no less) and picking up dynamic talent like Christian Benteke, Danny Ings, Joe Gomez, James Milner, Nathaniel Clyne, and Roberto Firmino. By all accounts, this season should have been a fresh start for Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers alike.
Unfortunately, the Reds continue to struggle. Liverpool have only won three of their first seven Premier League matches, and while their new transfers are doing okay (Benteke, Milner, and Ings have each scored at least once), they still aren't playing as a well-oiled machine.
The silver lining for Rodgers is that he has Sturridge back. The 26-year-old forward was out for five months, from early April to mid-September, with a hip/thigh injury. In just his second match back, a September 26th home fixture against Aston Villa, Sturridge scored a brace to give the Reds a 3-2 win. If Sturridge can provide similar performances in the coming weeks, he might just save Liverpool's season-and Brendan Rodgers' job.
Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool's Next Manager?
However, while Brendan Rodger's is determined to turn things around at Anfield, and while Liverpool's win against Aston Villa has probably helped his case slightly, that hasn't slowed the rumors that the Reds are looking for his replacement.
At the moment, the top prospect for the Liverpool management job is Jurgen Klopp. Klopp is on sabbatical this year, following a disastrous season at Borussia Dortmund in 2014 2015. However, Klopp still had a lot of success at Dortmund, leading the club to Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012 and to a Champions League victory in 2013.
Undoubtedly, Klopp would be a big get for Liverpool. There's even a chance that the club could push Brendan Rodgers out sooner than they would otherwise, just because Klopp is available right now. And since there are also rumors other there that Klopp could be tapped to replace Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich at the end of the season (Guardiola's contract is up this spring), Liverpool might have to act fast to bring him to the Premier League.
Perhaps that sense of urgency is why many sources are reporting that Jurgen Klopp has already met with Liverpool to discuss the chances of him taking over at the football club. Klopp has reportedly made several demands that would have to be met to bring him to England. The first is unanimous support from the board for his appointment. In other words, he wants a united organization. The second is the dissolution of the club's transfer committee, which currently works together to sign and purchase players each winter and summer. Evidently, Klopp would want those decisions to rest primarily with him.
What do you think? Would you like to see Jurgen Klopp take over at Anfield? Or do you wear your Liverpool shirt 2015 2016 in support of Brendan Rodgers, the man who came closer than any other coach to ending the Reds' long title drought? At Soccer Box, we want to hear your thoughts! Connect with us on social media and tell us what you think about this whole situation. You can find us on multiple social networks including Facebook, Pinterest, and Google +.
