Klopp exiting Anfield stage, but legacy will live on

LONDON : When Juergen Klopp addressed the media for the first time as Liverpool manager in October 2015 he spoke of turning doubters into believers. Nearly a decade and multiple trophies later, he will leave with mission accomplished, and much more.

The 56-year-old German would thoroughly endorse the saying that no individual can ever be bigger than a football club.

But as he prepares for the 491st and final game of his reign on what will be an emotional Sunday afternoon at Anfield, it is impossible to overstate Klopp's impact on the club and the city.

"What he has done is incredible, not just for the club but for this city," John Pearman, founder and editor of the Red All Over The Land fanzine, says of the German.

"We'll never see his like again."

Klopp did not only return the club back to the pinnacle of English and European football, he embodied the Scouse spirit of a city that always regards itself as a bit different.

On the pitch his high-octane heavy metal football delivered seven trophies including a first English League title for 30 years, a Champions League crown and a Club World Cup.

Off it, Klopp grasped the psyche of the city's residents and showed empathy and compassion, always managing to retain an admirable sense of perspective.

As a mark of the bond between Klopp and Liverpool he was given Freedom of the City status in 2022 - a ceremony attended by Margaret Aspinall, chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group which campaigned for justice for the victims of the 1989 tragedy that resulted in the deaths of 97 fans.

"The families have had a lot of sadness but the joy he has brought us, the excitement he gives you, you forget all your sadness, that's what's he does," Aspinall said.

Liverpool have had some great