In an interview with Sky Sports, Jurgen Klopp opened up on the relationship with the Reds saying: "There are moments when you are a father, there are moments when you are a friend, there are moments when you have to criticise them."
And looking at what Klopp's former and current players say about Jurgen, you can clearly see: Klopp really is a father figure who brings out the best from his players.
Sadio Mane: "His secret, I think, is to be the team’s dad. Between us, everything clicked straight away. We all love him like a father and we fear him like one too. He takes up a lot of space in my life, and not just in football. He’s great as a person. I trust him blindly, like most of the dressing room, I think."
Roberto Firmino: "I've learned so much from Klopp. We knew each other a bit in Germany. Of course, I had to show him what I could do in order to play. But I've learned a lot from him. He's a father figure, so passionate."
Naby Keita: "He will always defend his players because for him all the players are the same. There is no difference to him. He’s always there to explain things to you, such as if you haven’t played the best in a game, which is hard for coaches to do."
"Overall he is a coach that gives you confidence and he is the motivating factor before a match. When you see him on the sideline and you’re on the field, it’s as if he’s playing with you and that gives you a lot of desire to do better. He’s always there for his players, he’s almost like a best friend."
Robert Lewandowski (played under Klopp at Dortmund between 2010 and 2014): "Jurgen was not my father, of course, but in many ways, he replaced one, he entered that role. He developed me a lot and pretty much opened me the football world."
"He’s a coach you jump in a fire for. He has great charisma, knows how to build atmosphere, when to joke around but also when to be harsh and criticise you. We remain in a great relationship. It always warms the heart when you see his beautiful smile on TV or elsewhere."
Trent Alexander-Arnold: "I said thank you to the boss [after I got called up for England national team duty] because without him I wouldn't be where I am now. The faith and trust he has in me is why I've played so much and been able to develop.
"The way he treats me in training and the way he goes about it with the young players is unbelievable. He really is a father figure to us all. We try to do what he says and hopefully I can make him proud."
Andy Robertson: "He's a fantastic man, a fantastic manager, and for him to think I don't have negatives is great. He's the father figure of this training ground, this group of boys, and he's here for us in every way, whether on the pitch or off the pitch.
"That's why we're so successful just now, it's down to him, and long may that continue. I know it's a work thing, and he's my manager, but we're more than that, we're a family here and that's why we've been so successful."
