Does Jurgen Klopp deserve to walk into a top job after Borussia Dortmund?

Rumours were rife on Wednesday morning that Jürgen Klopp was to stand down as Borussia Dortmund boss at the end of the season. German publication Bild ran the story, which, via social media, spread like wildfire. The club called a press conference in the wake of the reports, which ultimately confirmed the 47-year-old’s intention to stand down once the campaign came to a head.

Die Schwarzgelben have underwhelmed this season. Dortmund currently sit closer to the foot of the Bundesliga table than they do to league leaders Bayern Munich. A Champions League exit at the hands of Juventus all but ended their chances of returning to Europe’s elite competition next term, given their current league position. Qualification for the Europa League is still possible, but a team of Dortmund’s stature deserve to be plying their trade in the continent's top competition.

"I always said in that moment where I believe I am not the perfect coach anymore for this extraordinary club I will say so. I really think the decision is the right one. This club deserves to be coached from the 100% right manager," – Jurgen Klopp.

Compared to previous seasons, it’s been clear this term that Klopp’s heart has not been in the job. Since the 2013 Champions League final, where an 89th minute Arjen Robben winner proved to the difference between Dortmund and Bayern at Wembley, the charismatic manager has not quite showed the same passion for the role, even if he begs to differ.

"It’s been a fairytale journey," Klopp added. Unfortunately this story did not have the happy ending many hoped for two years ago in England. The departures of key duo Mario Götze and Robert Lewandowski for Bayern did not make things easier for the German at the Westfalenstadion, and many may have stood down following defeat in London. Since that warm Saturday evening in May, Dortmund have regressed, with those aforementioned departures a significant contributing factor.

The number of points per game gained (1.2) and win percentage (32%) this term are both at their lowest in the last four Bundesliga seasons and are a significant drop from their 2011/12 title-winning campaign (2.4 and 73.6%, respectively). Tellingly, though, is the drop in terms of the players winning possession in the final third.

Dortmund are famed for their high pressing approach and their ability to rob the opposition defence of the ball in dangerous positions. Götze, Lewandowski, Shinji Kagawa and, later, Marco Reus all abide by Klopp’s demands and were rewarded for their efforts with winners’ medals of some kind under the enthusiastic manager.

As key players departed for pastures new, however, this high-pressing style waned. In the 2011/12 campaign, Dortmund won possession in the attacking third 9.1 times per game. This season, though, that figure has dipped to 5.9. Those brought in to replace the departing personnel have not bought into Klopp’s philosophy as much as their predecessors. Even the returning Kagawa looks a shadow of his former self, while Reus’ injury worries have not aided Dortmund this term. The players just aren’t pulling in the same direction as their manager anymore.

A manager of Klopp’s calibre with a demanding style of play works best in cycles, akin to Marcelo Bielsa. Nevertheless, the soon-to-be-former Dortmund head honcho is adamant he will not take a sabbatical following his departure. That’s increased the temptation of a number of big teams to consider whether Klopp is the right man for their club in the upcoming season. Manchester City, Real Madrid and Arsenal, despite Arsène Wenger overseeing an impressive return to form, have been credited with an interest in the German.

However, after such a downturn in fortunes at Dortmund, does Klopp deserve to simply walk into another top job in the summer? His reputation alone is enough to see him dubbed one of the best managers in world football.

This is a man who successfully took on Bayern’s monopolisation of the Bundesliga, so much so that the Bavarian outfit gutted the team of their two best players in successive summers. He’s a character with whom it is difficult not to warm to, such is his unbridled passion for the game and exuberant smile. Yet, Dortmund’s form this season has left a lot to be desired, which may have raised question marks over Klopp’s managerial ability.

It’s not only in attack where the team have floundered, but in defence also. An average of 1.3 goals conceded per league game is their worst in their last four seasons. Dips in concentration have crept into their game. Only Freiburg (10) have committed more errors that have led to an opposition goal than Dortmund (9) in the Bundesliga this season, resulting in Klopp's side developing a statistically calculated WhoScored weakness of ‘avoiding individual errors’.

Klopp briefly corrected the flaws that had emerged in both his and Dortmund’s game at the turn of the year, but the players just don’t seem capable of translating the manager’s ideas on the pitch anymore. Announcing his decision to depart the club at the end of the campaign gives Dortmund time to secure his replacement, with Thomas Tuchel and Roger Schmidt among the frontrunners to succeed their compatriot at Signal Iduna Park.

This also gives potential suitors the opportunity to properly assess whether Klopp is the man to take them forward or not. In the cut-throat industry that is football, managers are often cast into the mire before they have a chance to make a name for themselves. At, say, Madrid or Manchester City, where instant success is demanded, Klopp would feel the pressure from the get-go, denting his chances of leaving a legacy a la Dortmund.

However, given the opportunity, Klopp has proven that he can mould a team in his image - his Dortmund side at the turn of the decade was one of the finest at the time. Patience is not a virtue gifted to many in modern football, but Klopp showed the benefits of this approach by leading Dortmund to glory, knocking Bayern off their perch in the process.

This season has been disastrous by Die Schwarzgelben’s recent standards - the tone was set by Karim Bellarabi’s goal barely 9 seconds into the campaign - but that should not tarnish Klopp’s managerial record, given his exploits since taking charge of Dortmund in 2008.