Time to go.
Stability and a loyal team are key to any sustained success in any field, and Jurgen Klopp knows that better than anyone. When the charismatic German agreed to accept Fenway Sports Group’s offer to manage Liverpool following the sacking of Brendan Rodgers, he insisted that his loyal backroom lieutenants join him at Anfield.
He bluntly informed the club that he came as part of a trio, along with Zeljko ‘The Brain’ Buvac and Peter ‘The Eye’ Krawietz. Indeed Klopp has modestly insisted that he would be ‘nothing’ without his most trusted aides. Krawietz confirms the sense of collegiality with an interesting musical analogy, that harks back to Klopp’s ‘heavy metal’ metaphor.
“We are like a music band, with their own instrument,” explains the 46-year-old assistant. “Jurgen is the band leader, and others are behind him playing the bass guitar or drum. I’m not sure which instrument is mine!”
Klopp’s close-knit backroom staff doesn’t begin and end with the key trio. They are ably abetted by a crucial network of trusted experts including Pepijn Lijnders (First-team development coach), John Achterberg (First-team goalkeeping coach), Andreas Kornmayer (Head of fitness and conditioning), and Mona Nemmer (Head of nutrition).
The problem with such an established crew is that it can be hard to break into it unless you’re perfectly suited to the environment and attune to the very same aims and objectives. Ahead of Liverpool’s game with Manchester United next weekend, a key but relatively new member of the Anfield staff has discovered this the hard way.
Head of Physiotherapy Andy Renshaw has been relieved of his duties just 15 months after being appointed to the post. He was promoted from within the club’s Academy when long-serving and popular physio Chris Morgan vacated the position in 2016, but has now been sacked from the club he joined back in 2009.
There is no news on who will replace Renshaw on a permanent basis as of yet, but the Anfield outfit will need to decide upon a temporary solution for United’s visit next weekend.
