After Borussia Dortmund’s meteoritic rise to the top of German football, Jurgen Klopp’s side now have a great chance at winning the Champions League. The German has masterminded his side’s success since taking control in May 2008, within three seasons, Dortmund have advanced from finishing 13th place to winning the Bundesliga League title.
Manchester United’s owners have been impressed by the job Klopp has done in Germany and as a result he is now the hot favourite to take over from Sir Alex Ferguson when he eventually decides to step down, as manager at Old Trafford.
Although Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho have been heavily linked with the United job in the past, both seem to be heading in alternative directions come the end of the season. With Pep set for Dortmund’s rivals Bayern Munich, whilst the latter is expected to return to Stamford Bridge in the near future.
Klopp has enforced an exciting brand of football at Dortmund, this philosophy has gained the club many admirers in the past few seasons. In 2012 the club made history by securing their first ever domestic double and although season hasn’t reaped such success, the Champions League final is still all to play for.
In 216 games as Dortmund boss, Klopp has won 124 games, recording a win ratio of 57.65%. Considering he has taken the year from rags-to-riches, these statistics are remarkable. Fergie’s win percentage stands at 59.69%, when you compare the two sets of figures, it’s hard to doubt the German’s ability as a manager.
Although Klopp doesn’t have a huge experience at the top end of European football, his man management and play development skills are second-to-none. Not only has he revolutionized the way Dortmund play, he has also a fantastic knack for signing future superstars. The likes of Shinji Kagawa, IIlkay Gundogan, Robert Lewandowski, Mats Hummels, Sven Bender and Lukasz Piszczek have all arrived at the club during Klopp’s time in charge. All of these players were signed for a fraction of the value they are now considered to be worth.
On top of this, a number of players have graduated from the club’s youth academy, with Mario Gotze being the most notable name in recent years. The 20 year old has recently secured a £30 million move to Bayern. Financially this is a great bit of business on Dortmund’s behalf.
To epitomise his rise to success, Klopp has been crowned German manager of the year award twice as Dortmund Coach, for the first time in 2011, then again in 2012. These awards are a real merit to what he has helped the club achieve during his time in charge.
United can now only hope Jurgen Klopp is not snapped up by another top European side, whilst they wait for Sir Alex Ferguson to announce his departure from the game. In the meantime, the Red Devil’s fans will just have to keep their fingers crossed. The Dortmund boss is clearly a fantastic manager, he would be perfectly compatible at Old Trafford. In my opinion, he is the best candidate to eventually replace Sir Alex.