Jamie Carragher has insisted Jürgen Klopp does deserve a statue at Liverpool, but not before Kenny Dalglish gets his first.
Carragher has been speaking to SportBILD about Klopp after he said goodbye to Liverpool on Sunday after announcing his decision to leave the club earlier this year.
It brought an end to a super nine-year spell on Merseyside for Klopp, who helped to rebuild the club and ended their long wait for a league title.
He also led them to their sixth Champions League success in 2018/19, as well as finishing runner up in 2017/18 and 2021/22, alongside winning the FA Cup, EFL Cup (twice), Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
His greatest success was undoubtedly the rapport he built with the Liverpool fanbase, who idolised the German manager and very much saw him as the embodiment of themselves on the touchline.
That, coupled with the success he enjoyed in terms of trophies, means he is undoubtedly a Liverpool legend and there have naturally been calls for a more permanent sign of their adoration at the club.
First he was asked where Klopp ranks among the club’s greatest ever managers.
“He belongs at the top. It will be difficult for anyone at Liverpool to get past Shankly and Paisley because they are the ones who made Liverpool great in the first place,” he said.
“But right behind comes Klopp. He has completely changed the club – and how everyone thinks about it. Before he came in 2015, we hadn’t been in the Champions League for a few years. He brought us back there.
“We were in the final with him three times and won one. Next season we will be qualified for the premier class again. When people hear Liverpool, they think of the Champions League. We are famous for our six successes in the competition, but we were unlucky that we didn’t get seven.
“But Jürgen gave us back the belief that we are one of the best teams in Europe. Hopefully the success will continue under the next coach. Klopp laid the foundation for this.”
Then when asked about the statue, Carragher maybe thought things were going a little too far, especially in respect of some legends who came before the German manager.
“So far, we have two for Shankly and Paisley. Maybe it should be Kenny Dalglish first and then Jürgen. But there is already a stand named after Kenny, maybe we can do the same for Jürgen too.”
