Liverpool

Wright: Klopp handling title pressure “unbelievably”

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Jurgen Klopp is handling the title pressure “unbelievably” at Liverpool, according to Ian Wright.

Speaking on Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club (18 March, 20:57), Wright says Klopp is not cutting quite as calm a figure as Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola but has been impressed by how the Anfield manager is dealing with the immense expectation.

“Yes, you’d have to say, he’s (Guardiola) more experienced in that arena,” the former striker said. “Yes, Klopp’s been to finals of Champions Leagues and won the league in Germany, but he’s at Liverpool now, with the expectation.

“We constantly mention the 29 years and that, that’s on him and you can see that’s on him. I think he’s handling it unbelievably up to this point.”

OPINION

The levels of expectation at Liverpool and Manchester City, from the fanbases, the media and the wider football fraternity, are incomparable. City have won three league titles during the Abu Dhabi era and have the immense financial backing that makes top-level success a necessity, but the club can at least reflect on recent silverware-hoarding, not least in starting their quadruple push with last month’s League Cup triumph. Liverpool, the fans, the city, everyone, aches for the 29-year title itch to be scratched, for the club to be restored to the perch from which Manchester United and others knocked them off. That amplifies the pressure on Klopp and the players, but goes with the territory of being at a club of Liverpool’s prestige and history. The German is a manger of emotion. He feeds off it from the terraces and imparts it to his players, at training and on match days. His management style is based on making his players feel a million dollars, but also in getting out the stick when the carrot has failed. 

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