Jurgen Klopp has issued an emotional goodbye message to Liverpool fans as he returned to Merseyside for a one-off event.
The German was taking part in ‘An Evening With Jurgen Klopp ‘ at the city’s M&S Bank Arena on Tuesday. The event is being held to celebrate Klopp’s nine years as Liverpool manager, during which he led them to a stunning period of success.
Klopp announced his decision to depart his role back in January, with Arne Slot taking over. He won the Carabao Cup in his final season, before enjoying a remarkable send-off in his final game in charge last week.
The former Liverpool boss will be speaking with John Bishop and Peter McDowall at Tuesday’s event, with thousands of fans in attendance. And before he headed to the arena, Klopp delivered an emotional message to his followers.
“Okay, so now I’ve tried to put myself somehow in proper gear to say now for the last time, hopefully, goodbye. I’m pretty sure it will be a good event – again pretty emotional, but I think we are through the worst now,” he said in a video posted on Instagram.
“So we can have a good time and that’s the plan. So I wish you as well – if you can see it – if you can watch it (I’m not sure if somebody shows it) a wonderful night as well. So let’s go! So here we go, that’s it. Ready for the party.”
Klopp called time on his spell at Liverpool with a 2-0 win over Wolves. Before the game, three of Anfield’s stands were transformed by mosaics – ‘Danke’ in the Anfield Road, ‘Jurgen’ stretching the expanse of the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand, with ‘YNWA’ on The Kop.
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Klopp had an emotional send-off after Liverpool’s final game of the season (
PA)
At the final whistle, Klopp gave each of his backroom team a bearhug before addressing the Liverpool fans himself in the middle of the pitch. Afterwards, the German was overcome with emotion.
“I knew for a long time already that our relationship was pretty special, I love that. I really think that the people made a difference for this club. How I said, these people are the superpower of this club, these people keep the club going, these people push the club, these people carry the club through difficult moments,” he said.
“These people are the club. So, obviously we had a really good time together, nine years, nearly a decade. It was absolutely crazy. Kids who today were in the stadium, they don’t know another manager of Liverpool FC.
“I was a bit afraid of a breakdown. I had one or two moments during the week where it was not great and during the game the last few minutes were tricky, but the general feeling today was it felt more like a start than an end because I know the goodbye is about me, but in general it is about the team.
“I love you all, I love all and everything about the club but it’s time for me to go. But look, it’s not burning behind me and that gives me a good feeling. I know I can come back and I will come back.”
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