“The mood, the atmosphere, the players. He’s lifted them all up”. It’s instantly obvious that Rob Kershaw has the utmost respect and admiration for Jürgen Klopp. As I sit and listen to him from across the table, I can’t help but notice the corner of his lips slightly raise at the mention of the Liverpool manager’s name.
Klopp first joined the Premier League club in 2015 following a seven-year stint at Borussia Dortmund. The club was in a state of somewhat disarray- The sacking of Brendan Rogers compounded by a steady pattern of poor performances had left fans demanding change.
Enter Jürgen Klopp.
“You could feel a shift in the atmosphere during games. He just seems to bring a sense of energy that Rogers could never do. He believes in his players and brings belief to the club that they can be great and is just a great motivator for the players”.
Liverpool currently stand at the top of the Premier League, six points ahead of Manchester City after playing ten games. Kershaw knows the dangers that lay ahead for the club in terms of the battle to remain top of the tree, but has faith that they can maintain a level of consistency required.
“We’ve seen before how teams can chase down leads no matter how big they are. We saw last year how Man City closed what was a 9-point lead at one stage,” said Kershaw. “I think last year there was almost a sense of immaturity, a sense of negativity in their play that we shouldn’t be seeing from a top flight team.”
Rob Kershaw
“It’s important to remember that Klopp is fielding a young side, and nerves are going to come with that. This team should be thinking about each game as they come,” continued Rob. “The league is far from over, and it’s not until January or February that the competition really steps up.”
It’s clear that Rob has no doubt in Liverpool’s ability to go the full mile and in some ways, it’s the mindset that resonates across the club’s nationwide following. The so-called ‘Klopp Effect’ seems to be building a positive confidence in the team, and with the season yet to shift into top gear, who knows what’s in store for Liverpool?
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