‘Shankly would give seal of approval to Klopp’ – Liverpool legend

Oli Fisher
Jurgen Klopp: endorsed by Liverpool legend

Jurgen Klopp: endorsed by Liverpool legend

Former Liverpool midfielder Steve Heighway believe’s Bill Shankly ‘would approve’ as to what is currently happening at the club, under charismatic manager Jurgen Klopp.

Klopp is undergoing his first full season as Liverpool boss and has brought the ‘fear factor’ back at Anfield as his team sit top of the Premier League after 11 games.

The former Borussia Dortmund coach took over from Brendan Rodgers in October of last year and guided Liverpool to the Europa League final in May.

Heighway, who won a number of trophies including two European Cups and four Football league titles over the space of 11 years with Liverpool, feels that his former manager in Shankly would definitely give Klopp the blessing.

“There is no relationship between football now and from the Bill Shankly days, but that does not mean the people from the past did not leave an indelible mark on the football club,” Heighway told The Telegraph.

“There has been enormous change at Liverpool, but when I see what is happening here now – and what the first team are doing – I approve. And I think Shanks would approve, too.

The 68-year-old has worked in four different decades with Liverpool including significant roles with the clubs academy, developing players such as Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman.

Klopp’s passion and determination hasn’t gone unnoticed among the Liverpool supporters, and with the contract extensions of youngsters Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ben Woodburn, as well as chances given to academy players like Sheyi Ojo and Ovie Ejaria, Heighway believes Shankly would enjoy seeing the development.

“He’d approve of the ethics. He’d approve of the work rate. He’d approve the way the first team is playing. And he’d approve the way we are treating the youngsters. He would like that. He would like that a lot.”