Farewell to Jurgen, Planning for Succession

There were emotional scenes at Anfield, the home of Liverpool Football Club on Sunday past, as Jurgen Klopp took charge as manager for the last time. Liverpool beat Wolves in the last fixture of the season and many were in tears as they saluted the contribution of one of the most successful managers in the club’s history.

Earlier in the season, Klopp’s announcement that he would be resigning at the end of the season sent shock waves around the football world. The 56 year old German said he had run out of energy and needed to step back from one of the most pressurised jobs in football. When you manage a club which has a worldwide following like Liverpool, the pressure is unrelenting. The expectations of the fans are huge and the challenge of motivating highly paid elite athletes is not without its challenges. There’s the business side of things where you have to make good decisions in the transfer market about buying and selling players at the right time, you need to nurture young talent and give players the opportunity to develop and gain experience at the highest level. You have to deal with the disappointments players feel at not getting the amount of game time they would like. You have to respond to injuries and fixtures coming at you constantly. You are constantly under the scrutiny of the media, and any defeats or a bad string of results can mean that your job might be in danger. These days in football management, a run of 4-5 defeats is often portrayed as a crisis and, unless you get a good run going again very quickly, the pressure is firmly placed upon your shoulders. Everyone has an opinion about what you should do, your team selection, your style of play. It’s no wonder that these pressures of huge expectation and the intensity of the role means that your health can suffer.

The new manager, who takes charge from June onwards, is called Arne Slot and comes from the Dutch club, Feyenoord. It’s hard to succeed someone, who was not only successful in terms of results, but who was greatly loved it seems by his players and the fans alike.

Jurgen Klopp was an incredibly passionate and charismatic leader. He seemed to understand the city and the place football played in people’s lives. I loved the way he went the extra mile for fans. When Irish fan, Sean Cox, received life changing injuries following a mindless assault by rival fans at a European game, Klopp was quick to champion his cause, to get involved in fundraising in whatever way he could, signing shirts and to meet personally with Sean Cox and the Cox family as he received specialist rehabilitation. He had that capacity to inspire and make people feel that they belonged and were part of a special family.

I loved the way he saw a video on social media of 12 year old Daire Gorman crying as he heard the fans sing ‘You’ll never walk alone’ on his first visit to a game. Daire was born with a rare condition and is confined to a wheelchair. Klopp invited him and his family to a training session and met with them personally and introduced them to his favourite players in the trip of a life time. He spoke meaningfully with him about the sentiments in that song and reminded Daire that, as he went through life, he would never be alone. Klopp spoke honestly and movingly about the role his Christian faith played in his life, something which became very important after he lost his father at a young age and, as a fan and a Christian, I loved the way he spoke so openly and honestly about these things. He was respectful of the beliefs of others and tried to ensure his Muslim players could observe religious festivals and have all their dietary requirements looked after by specialist staff. It was these acts of attentiveness to the needs of others that made him such an inspirational figure to his players and the fans alike.

Some criticised his decision to publicise  his departure when the season was about two thirds completed, but he wanted to be honest with players and fans alike and, I suspect, allow the club to prepare for his successor.

In the life of faith we always have to be thinking about the future. Its great to see young people involved in leading worship, speaking publicly about their faith and mobilising others. We are keen to see a new generation of followers of Jesus coming through and taking their place at the forefront of church life.

We owe a great debt of thanksgiving to our Sunday school teachers and youth organisation leaders, and former youth leaders who have played such a significant role in mentoring our young people in the life of faith and discipleship.

In next month’s magazine we hope to share some plans for the start of a youth group in the autumn and ways in which they might be involved and encouraged in the life of faith following their confirmation. We would love people to pray for this and for the raising up of leaders and volunteers who will encourage our young people to walk on in their journey with Jesus at the centre.

How good to be reminded, as Jurgen did on the last day of the season, that we never walk alone.

Can I ask you, also, to hold in your prayers the family of our dearly loved parishioner, Billy Darragh, who will be laid to rest on Thursday. Billy’s funeral will take place at 1pm in church. So many people remember his quiet witness to God’s love and his faithful commitment to maintaining our church grounds so beautifully as his way of expressing his gratitude to God for all his mercies to him.

Look forward to speaking again soon.

Much love to everyone,

Jono.

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