It was an event over 30 years in preparation. But finally, after such a long wait, Liverpool is again England’s champion.
An important factor has been Jurgen Klopp, who not only helped transform the club and take them to new heights, they had never before been reigning European, world and national champions, but also embraced their adoptive home.
And, in recognition of the Reds’ achievement, the Liverpool manager has written an open letter to ECHO addressing not only the club’s supporters, but the city’s people in general.
Dear echo reader,
First of all, if you are reading this newspaper it is because you care about the city of Liverpool and want to know more about it, so in this sense we already have something in common.
I had never written a letter to a newspaper before. I do a lot of press conferences and I know I am mentioned in the media more than usual, but this is the first time that I feel the need to write a letter and the reason for this is that I want to speak directly to the people of Liverpool.
This is an amazing time for the amazing fans of an amazing club in an amazing city. For some of you, it is the end of a long wait for Liverpool to be champion, but whether you have been waiting for 30 years or 30 minutes, I hope you are enjoying this moment as much as you deserve.
I have the great privilege of being manager of Liverpool Football Club. It is a privilege that I carry with me every day because I know that I am working for you. I knew Liverpool was a special place before coming here almost five years ago, but it’s only when you meet the people that you feel the heartbeat of the city and then realize how special it is.
This doesn’t just apply to Liverpool fans either. Obviously I’m biased because Liverpool is my club, but I’m not so biased that I can’t see that Everton fans are the flip side of the same coin and that the rivalry that exists is so important to the city’s identity.
I know this is not his favorite moment and if roles were reversed it would not be our favorite moment either, but at Carlo Ancelotti Everton has a great manager and a great person and I have no doubts in his mind that his improvement since he came alone to be continue. Everton is a great rival in every way. I don’t need anyone to remind me of this.
For us, finishing above Everton and the other 18 Premier League clubs is an incredible achievement. I respect them all because together we combine to make English football so competitive and compelling that people around the world are captivated by it.
The mistake would be to focus only on how many points we lead because I can’t think of too many games where we weren’t forced to fight for every inch. In some, we had to dig deep into our souls to find a way to win. On so many occasions I entered the locker room afterwards, amazed and very happy with what I had just seen, only to find the boys standing because they had given so much on the field. This is a difficult league and it has been won the hard way no matter what the table says.
For this to happen, we have needed so many ingredients to come together. The actions and achievements of the players speak for themselves. All the tributes they have received are so deserved and, like their manager, they could not be more proud. But despite all the focus on their ability and commitment, one thing that has been overlooked is that, as a group, they understand exactly what it means to represent this city and bear its name.
This is the gasoline in your tank that is always there and has fueled us every step of the way.
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In addition to current players, I would like to pay special tribute to two of our former players who set many of the standards that we all must follow. Sir Kenny Dalglish is the soul of this club. Your understanding of what Liverpool is and what it means to people is vital to everything we do. I saw how happy he was after we were confirmed as champions on Thursday and his smile meant so much to me that I can’t put it into words.
Steven Gerrard is the legs. He ran the club in many ways as a player and there is no one who deserves this title more than him. Along with Kenny, Steven is a symbol of this club and it is important that at a time like this we remember everything that all our former players and former managers did to help us put ourselves in the position we are in today.
These are the people who built Liverpool. The same goes for our owners and I cannot speak highly enough of them or what they have done. In modern soccer, you must have a vision, a strategy, and an unwavering commitment to the cause to have any chance of success. On all three fronts, Fenway Sports Group has shown me that they are leaders in the field. My appreciation for them is absolute.
So we have brilliant players, amazing former players, outstanding owners and we also have the best fans any club could wish for and their part in building the club, inspiring and pushing it to be their best. It is so important that without it, nothing we have achieved would be possible.
I love your passion, your songs, your refusal to accept defeat, your commitment, your understanding of the game and your faith in what we are doing. Although you can’t be in our games right now, I love that you made sure to be with us by making the Kop look like the Kop, even if it can’t sound like that. I can’t begin to tell you how much the players and myself appreciate that and I have no doubt that was one of the reasons why our performance against Crystal Palace was so good.
What I didn’t love, and I have to say this, were the scenes that took place at Pier Head on Friday. I am a human being and your passion is also my passion, but right now the most important thing is that we do not have this type of public meeting. We owe it to the most vulnerable in our community, to the health workers who have given so much and to whom we have applauded, and to the police and local authorities who help us as a club not to do this. Please celebrate, but celebrate safely and in private settings, so we don’t risk spreading this terrible disease in our community.
If things were different, I would like nothing more than to celebrate together, to have a parade that would be even bigger than the one we won the Champions League last year, so that we can all share this special moment, but it simply is not possible. We have all done a lot to fight COVID-19 and this effort cannot be wasted. We owe it to ourselves and to others to do the right thing and at this moment that means being together and being together for each other by being apart.
When the time is right, we will celebrate. We will enjoy this moment and paint the city in red. But for now, stay home as much as possible. This is not the time to be in the city center in large numbers or to get close to the soccer fields. At the beginning of this crisis, I said that we didn’t want to play in an empty stadium, but if that meant that it only helped one person stay healthy, we would do it without asking questions and nothing has changed to make me alter this opinion.
I already knew and liked the German word solidarität before coming to Liverpool and now I have learned that the English word is solidarity because I have heard that it was used by our followers over the past few months. For me, it is the word more than any other that captures what the people of Liverpool are about. This is why they have come together to do PPE, it is why they have delivered food and medicine packages to people when they need it most, and it is why they have come together in so many different ways during such a difficult time.
If we can continue to unite separately, we hope to play an important role in the fight against this disease. I know we can do this because I have experienced the difference and the players and I have benefited from it. Hopefully in a few months, or more if necessary, I can write another letter to the Liverpool Echo to thank you for putting the health of our people above all else.
Nothing would make me feel prouder.
For now, I would like to thank Liverpool fans and the people of this city who have helped us become champions. This is our moment. It is a special moment in all our lives and you are the ones who have made it possible. Each of you is a champion in your own right and we cannot wait until we have a chance to celebrate what you have accomplished.
You will never Walk alone
Jurgen
Congratulations to Jurgen and the team placing a Premier League trophy on our map
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