Liverpool, 11 oct (dpa) – La fiebre por la llegada del alemán Jürgen Klopp al Liverpool motivó que el sábado ya salieran al mercado las camisetas, gorras y tazas con la imagen del entrenador, un día después de haberse confirmado su arribo al cargo.

La camiseta de Klopp, con sus tradicionales gafas y la leyenda «the normal one» (alguien normal), la frase con la que se identificó en su presentación para diferenciarse de Jose Mourinho ya se vende a 15 libras esterlinas (23 dólares), mientras que en talle niños baja a 12 libras.

Otro artículo muy solicitado del entrenador es la gorra de béisbol toda roja, que se cotiza a ocho libras.

En la tienda del Liverpool también se pueden encontrar diversos artículos con la figura del ex técnico del Borussia Dortmund, como vasos, tazas y banderines.

—
ENGLISH:

Klopp Mania hits Liverpool as new manager makes lasting impression

London (dpa) – Not since The Beatles has there been this much excitement on Merseyside.

The official unveiling of Juergen Klopp as the new Liverpool manager on Friday captured the imagination of fans and media alike as he promised to bring success back to a club that last won the league in 1990.

But it was the manner in which he said it, as much as the words themselves, that went down so well, for the man who replaces Brendan Rodgers in the hot-seat.

As the manager of Borussia Dortmund, Klopp took on the mighty Bayern Munich and won the Bundesliga twice, the German cup and reached the Champions League final (against Munich at Wembley) in 2013.

His credentials are unquestioned but his charisma, modesty, self-deprecation and sheer enthusiasm were an instant hit.

Even before he arrived, his journey from Dortmund to Liverpool was followed by 35,000 people on flight tracker, while the city’s local newspaper, The Liverpool Echo, simply said: Kloppmania.

The club has not been slow to capitalise, either, releasing a number of novelty items already on sale in the club’s online shop.

Caps, mugs, place mats and computer mouse mats are all available.

But the best item has to be the 15 pounds (23 dollars) t-shirts emblazoned with «The Normal One», quickly produced after the new man labelled himself as that in comparison with Jose Mourinho’s famous «The Special One» comment when arriving at Chelsea.

His arrival was also greeted with delight from former players, with former captain Steven Gerrard taking to Instagram to wish him luck, saying: «Exciting times to be a Red» and the likes of Xabi Alonso, Luis Garcia and John Arne Riise all liked what they saw.

Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann and one of the club’s legendary players and managers, Kenny Dalglish, both pointed out his lack of arrogance.

«Great start for Klopp in England,» Hamann wrote on Twitter. «Refreshing to see the humility he showed. Doesn’t take himself too serious unlike some others».

«He seems like someone who is not in love with himself, which LFC fans can relate to,» Daglish wrote on Twitter.

Writing in his column for The Daily Mail, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, now working for Sky Sports as a pundit, said signing Klopp was «a real statement for the club.

«In the last five or six years there was a fear that Liverpool could not attract the absolute top players and managers,» he said.

«But if Barcelona or Manchester United had been looking for a new boss last summer Klopp would have been in the reckoning, so Liverpool have done very well to get him.»

Even Dortmund got caught in the frenzy, first posting a photo with the manager walking across Abbey Road just like The Beatles famous album cover, and using the The Beatles’ «A Day in the Life» line by saying «We heard the news today, oh boy! All the best at The Kop, Jürgen Klopp! All the best at LFC!»

Bookmakers immediately cut Liverpool’s odds to finish in the top four this season but although Klopp said he hoped to win a title within four years, he played down talk that in time, he might become one of the club’s legendary figures.

The Guardian’s Daniel Taylor said Klopp was right by saying that «legendary status is attained through trophies not talking.»

«Yet Klopp, one imagines, has already seduced Liverpool’s supporters,» he said. «His last line at Dortmund, he explained, was «it’s not so important what they think when you come in, it’s much more important what people think when you leave».

«Yet first impressions are important, too, and Klopp Mania may be here to stay.»