The life and story of Jurgen Klopp is one of wonder and fascination, as is his journey to Liverpool and the parallels to the club’s past, which are uniquely presented in Anthony Quinn’s book ‘Klopp, My Liverpool Romance‘.
With an enigmatic and larger than life personality blended with his tactical genius as a manager, it is no wonder that many cannot get enough of Jurgen Klopp.
We’ve heard about him growing up in the Black Forest in Germany to his playing days at Mainz, his university studies and the subsequent shift to the main man: the manager.
Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool have all been led by his safe and capable hands, ones which not only mould the present but the future too.
There are a wide array of books which chart his rise, document his success and take you on a journey to discover the man behind the manager, and Anthony Quinn’s ‘Klopp, My Liverpool Romance’ offers a unique approach into delving into the man we, as Reds, call the boss.
For Liverpool, our history is held sacred and close to our hearts. It’s not living in the past but celebrating it, and Quinn does an impressive job in intertwining Klopp’s story with Liverpool’s – years before they were ever official.
From the outset, it was made clear that the book is “not a biography of Jurgen Klopp” and is instead set out to delve deeper into what sets him apart from other football managers.
A clear admiration, bordering on a self-acknowledged man-crush, for the charismatic German oozes through each chapter, one that will undoubtedly resonate with millions around the world.
And by not following the journey of your typical biography, Quinn is able to ground the nuances of Klopp’s tale within that of his own life on Merseyside, the history of the city itself and the legendary figures who helped mould Liverpool Football Club into a place the boss now calls home.
There’s plenty of time for a myriad of pop culture references and a wild imagination, and one which even ties Klopp, Subbuteo and the original 1965 version of The Flight of the Phoenix together – but to avoid spoilers I’ll have to leave you to find out how they link.
Since the early days of Klopp’s reign, he has drawn comparisons to the legendary Bill Shankly, a modern reincarnation of a revered figure who understood the club, its fans and the city it belonged to as though he had born into it.
Here, Quinn expertly plots parts of Klopp’s beginnings at Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool within the experiences and characteristics displayed by Shankly – who has halfway through his tenure with the Reds when the German was born.
It really does, more than ever, make you sit and up and truly acknowledge that Klopp is the Shankly of our generation.
His unique personality traits take centre-stage within the tale of his rise to the top and Liverpool’s revolution under his guidance, where Quinn’s first-person account throughout through the eyes of a fan provides an instant connection with the author and reader.
Both informative and emotive, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into in this distinctive look at a manager who has forged a long-lasting legacy everywhere he has hung his hat.
In the modern era, there has been no greater time to be a Red and it is thanks to Jurgen Norbert Klopp that Liverpool have been restored back to their perch but as Quinn rightly recognises, beyond football Klopp has proven he is for all of us.
* Fans can purchase Klopp: My Liverpool Romance in hardback, ebook and audiobook here.
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