Klopp to sign as new Liverpool boss after agreeing terms

By Mike Collett

LONDON (Reuters) – Former Borussia Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp will sign up as Liverpool’s new manager after he lands in Merseyside later on Thursday having agreed terms earlier in the day, English and German media reported.

After days of speculation, the charismatic 48-year-old was expected to finally sign his contract as replacement for Brendan Rodgers, who was sacked on Sunday.

Klopp, who led Dortmund to two Bundesliga crowns and a Champions League final, is credited with reviving ‘Die Schwarzgelben’ and moulding them into one of the most exciting brands in world football during his seven years in Westphalia.

In general, his arrival as the new Liverpool boss has been widely welcomed with Dortmund defender Mats Hummels remarking: “He eats, lives, breathes and thinks football day after day. He’s a fantastic coach.”

Klopp has long praised the English game which he has compared to heavy metal music, saying: “I always want it loud!

“I want to have this ‘booooom!’ I like fighting football, not serenity football. What we call in German ‘English’. Rainy day, heavy pitch, everybody dirty in the face and goes home and can’t play football for the next four weeks.”

Liverpool’s season started serenely enough with opening wins against Stoke City and Bournemouth but they have largely been hitting the wrong notes since then with only one win in 90 minutes in their last nine matches.

Rodgers was sacked after Sunday’s 1-1 Merseyside draw at Everton, but his fate was sealed before then after a shattering 3-0 home defeat to West Ham United, a 3-1 loss at Manchester United and a penalty shootout win in the League Cup after failing to beat fourth tier Carlisle United after extra time.

Liverpool had a great swagger about them in their heyday in the 1970s and 1980s when they started as favourites for the title most seasons — and won it.

The closest they have come to their last title in 1990 in recent times was their second place finish two seasons ago playing some dynamic football which resulted in 31 goals for the now-departed Luis Suarez.

Klopp could help recapture the glory days with his preferred ‘counter-pressing’ style which is essentially the idea that, as soon as the team loses the ball, they hound the opposition into giving it back, so reducing the chances of the opponents launching their own break.

The first team to face the new Liverpool will be Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Oct.17.

Liverpool have won there 5-0 and 3-0 in the last two seasons, and while it would be optimistic to think they could repeat those scorelines, any victory there would certainly start the new era on the right note.

(Additional reporting by Toby Davis; Editing by Ossian Shine/Rex Gowar)