Former Liverpool winger John Barnes thinks that only Bill Shankly is a better Anfield manager than Jurgen Klopp.
Klopp announced earlier in the season that this would be his final season as manager with Liverpool after believing he would not have the energy for another campaign.
While Liverpool remain in the hunt for this season’s Premier League title, so far the German already has one Premier League and one Champions League to his name in his time at the club.
Shankly won three league titles and one UEFA cup, amongst other titles with Liverpool, and Barnes would put him at the top of the pile given all his work to lead the club to the summit.
But speaking to Genting Casino, he thinks Klopp follows behind him.
He said: “He’ll be remembered as one of the top three Liverpool managers ever. I always put Bill Shankly above everyone because he started in the second division and started the Liverpool winning dynasty.
“Bob Paisley was much more successful than Bill Shankly, but it’s much easier to be successful when you’re following on from someone rather than starting from the bottom. Bob Paisley continued what Bill Shankly left. Paisley was much more successful in terms of trophies.
“You had Joe Fagan, who was brilliant, then Kenny. Kenny won the double and did what he did, but he was continuing with the best team in the country. When Klopp arrived, Liverpool were looking to challenge for a place in the Champions League at best, and Jurgen changed that.
“Jurgen brought Liverpool back to the top and, when you consider who we’ve been fighting with in Manchester City, it was always going to be difficult for Klopp to do what he has done. I would put Jurgen alongside Bill Shankly, so he is in the two greatest managers of Liverpool category.”
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