TheCable

New Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has a message for the team’s supporters: We have to change from doubter to believer. Now.

The 48-year-old German was appointed as Brendan Rodgers’ successor on Thursday, signing a three-year deal worth £15m to become the 20th boss in the club’s illustrious history.

He arrives with a formidable pedigree and a track record of success which he hopes continue on his new job. But he expects the fans to “change from doubter to believer”.

“At the moment, all of the LFC family is a little bit too nervous, a little bit too pessimistic, too often in doubt,” Klopp told LFCTV.

“They all celebrate the game, it’s a great atmosphere in the stadium, but they don’t believe at the moment. They only want to see five years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago. History is great but it’s only to remember.

“No, we have the possibility to write a new story if we want. For that, we have to clear a few things. Maybe we can do that in the next few weeks. [We want to be] as successful as we can be. I’m not the guy to say ‘this year will be the best year in the history of LFC’. If it happens, we can celebrate. If not, we have to work further.

“We have to change from doubter to believer. Now.”

Klopp takes over a side who are 10th in the Barclays Premier League with 12 points from eight games. But he knows what’s expected of him starting with his first game against Tottenham on Saturday, October 17.

“I’m not here to promise you will see against Tottenham the absolute new LFC – but some of the new LFC would be cool. That’s what we’ll try to do,” he said.

“Everything in life takes time. To be an adult takes time; to become a football player takes time; everything takes time. The only thing nobody gives time is development. If somebody feels they have waited enough for success – restart and then everything can happen.

“The important thing is we have speed, we have technical skills, we have tactical skills, we have good defenders, good midfielders, good strikers, wingers. Now we have to see who is fit for the first game against Tottenham and then we have to make a team for this game, then we can start.

“I’m not a dream man; I don’t want to have Cristiano (Ronaldo) or Lionel (Messi) and all these players in one team. I want these guys (the current squad), it was a decision for these guys. Now we start working.”