Stint at Dortmund
In October 2015, Jurgen Klopp succeeded Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool.. Now that it's been three years since his arrival, question marks loom over the German's brief but brilliant reign. How has he really performed since joining the Reds?Has he actually improved things over the past 28 months?
Is Liverpool in a better place now than they were in October 2015? These questions have no easy answer and so it should shock no one that supporters of the club are divided in their responses. Should LFC be challenging for the league title at this point, rather than struggling to maintain a Champions League place in the table?
Klopp inherited a Dortmund side in 2008 that was a shadow of its former self from the previous decade. From 1995-2002, BVB won three German Championships and the 1996-97 UEFA Champions League. Borussia Dortmund was undeniably one of the best football clubs on the planet during this time. Things quickly unraveled though, as the club was in danger of becoming bankrupt only a few years later in 2005.
After a few seasons of avoiding relegation, poor managerial hires, and a depleted roster, Jurgen Klopp was appointed as the next manager of BVB during the summer of 2008. His positive impact was immediately felt as he guided Dortmund to a sixth place finish in the league upon concluding his debut season in the Ruhr. The year prior, the club finished 13th in the Bundesliga table.
Under Jürgen Klopp, BVB qualified for Europe in six of his seven seasons as the boss (the lone exception being his first season), won the Bundesliga twice, won the German Cup (DFB-Pokal) in 2012 and advanced to the 2013 Champions League final. His time at Borussia Dortmund was an overwhelming success as he helped make the club’s “Echte Liebe” brand a worldwide-known commodity. They were once again a giant in the Bundesliga.
