There will come a time, likely sooner rather than later, when Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola will leave the Premier League and make no mistake, we are really going to miss them. It is difficult to understate what both men have brought to English football.
They are two elite managers with different styles on the pitch who have built and led their clubs to the highest levels in European football. The legacy they will eventually leave on Liverpool and Manchester City respectively will be massive. Despite their tactical differences, I believe they share a lot of the same qualities as men that will be the reason that their effects will be so lasting.
Both Klopp and Guardiola have emersed themselves in every part of their clubs. Not for a moment could you accuse either man of seeing their jobs at the club as a stepping stone to something else or a short-term highly rewarding financial arrangement. Sadly, this is quite rare in top-flight football now as both managers and clubs have come to accept the fickle nature of their relationships.
Yet both men have understood the intricacies of what is important to both sets of fans. Klopp and Guardiola have respected and been emotionally attached to the fans, whether it be through the handling of players, derby rivalries or what is important socially in their cities. It has meant that fans have felt part of every signing, every sale, and every tactical move. Both managers have been able to make the fans feel part of what they are doing.
Importantly, both men have believed in developing younger players at their clubs with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Phil Foden being shining examples. This has been part of their careful and long-term vision for their clubs. It has always been more than just about spending big, winning big and getting out for both Klopp and Guardiola.
They each have distinctive tactical set ups for their teams, and they have been patient in building that at their clubs. There have been hiccups along the way as they find the players that suit what they want but their commitment to this means that it will be extremely hard for their successors to move away from those styles.
Whether it be Klopp’s high intense, counter-attacking style or Guardiola’s short and intricate passing style, Liverpool and Manchester City now have those as part of their identities. The biggest compliment I can give both men, regardless of trophies, is that they will leave their clubs in a far better place than when they joined them.
They will be extremely hard to replace but I can’t see either club having the issues that Manchester United have had post Sir Alex Ferguson. The reason for that is that their leadership of their clubs has stretched way beyond just the football.
They have been part of setting up solid structures at the clubs that should see them be major forces in English and European football for many years to come.
