Jurgen Klopp's legendary words of advice for the Liverpool faithful to rally behind their next manager are as vital as ever. Andoni Iraola has been tasked with returning Liverpool to the top of the table just one year after the club secured the Premier League title under Arne Slot.
Klopp's Parting Message
In May 2025, as Liverpool celebrated their 20th top-flight crown, it would have appeared inconceivable that the Dutchman would be without a position just one season on. Everything suggested Slot would be a significant success at the Reds, and he largely was. As Jurgen Klopp said goodbye to Anfield in the summer of 2024, following nine years of brilliantly orchestrated chaos on the pitch, he urged supporters to embrace their new manager wholeheartedly.
"You welcome the new manager like you welcomed me. You go all-in from the first day. And you keep believing and you push the team. Change is good," said Klopp to the crowd as he stood in the centre circle. "No one tells you to stop believing. This club may be in the best position ever."
A famous chant initiated by Klopp - Arne Slot, la la la - even followed. And the Liverpool faithful rose to the occasion as they embraced Slot warmly. Now, those same supporters, who voiced their frustration and restlessness with Slot during the Dutchman's difficult second season, must follow Klopp's guidance once more and extend the same welcome to Iraola.
Fan Support and Banners
While Anfield did express disapproval towards Slot's decision-making at times last season, it's inaccurate to suggest fans at the iconic ground didn't support him, even if they struggled to warm to his detached style. Slot's face was even incorporated into a legendary banner on the Kop to commemorate Liverpool's Premier League title triumph. The banner, which has been displayed since the 2009/10 season, showcases the faces of six Liverpool legends: Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, Sir Kenny Dalglish, Rafael Benitez and Klopp, each of whom secured either the league title or the European Cup during their spell as Reds manager.
Not everyone makes the cut - even the late Liverpool legend Gerard Houllier, who claimed a treble at the club in 2000/2001, doesn't appear on the flag. But what's crucial now is that supporters heed Klopp's words about backing their manager and rally behind Iraola, even during difficult moments, with the club requiring a period of stability.
Iraola's Promising Start
Supporters have turned out in force to welcome the Basque, and he has made a promising initial impression, tapping into Anfield's passion with comments that echo Klopp more than Slot. "I cannot ask them for a lot, I know how they are," Iraola said after being unveiled by the club. "I can only say that I want to become one more of you. I want to earn the right to be one of you, so we can enjoy it together. But it's true that when the game starts, when you have to celebrate a goal, there's something inside. This inner energy, you need it as a player, you need it as a supporter, you need it as a coach. I think there's no better place than Anfield."
It may be somewhat unfair on Slot, but his composed demeanour and measured approach were not always what the furnace of Anfield craved or required. Reds legend Jamie Carragher, writing in his column for The Telegraph, believes the Anfield hierarchy's pursuit of Iraola demonstrates their desire to recapture the electric atmosphere Klopp brought to the club and for supporters to rekindle a passionate bond with their manager once more.
Carragher wrote: "There is sure to be a detailed analysis of how Iraola's teams play in the coming months, just as there were for Slot's Feyenoord when he moved to Anfield. All will indicate he plays exciting football, and his players work very hard. Fenway Sports Group is searching for the next Klopp. Iraola is reminiscent of the 2012 appointment of Brendan Rodgers from Swansea City. Ultimately, there is an irony: if Iraola manages to replicate Slot's first-season success rather than live up to any Klopp comparisons, hiring him will be a stroke of genius."
Whether Iraola's perceived likeness to Klopp will help the Kop connect with their new manager more deeply than they did with Slot is yet to be seen. But one thing remains certain: Klopp's words that day in the summer of 2024 will continue to reverberate throughout the club until Liverpool supporters find a manager they can truly embrace as the German's rightful long-term successor.
