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Options abound for Jurgen Klopp after his Borussia Dortmund departure
In a Champions League knockout week, it's not often that a coach announcing his imminent departure becomes the biggest story, but then Jurgen Klopp, whose seven-year spell at Borussia Dortmund brought the club two league and Cup doubles and a run to the 2013 Champions League final, is no ordinary coach.
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On Wednesday, he gave an emotional press conference in which he confirmed he would be standing down at the end of the season, and would not be taking a sabbatical year off.
"It was just right that we announced this today so that the club can plan ahead," he said.
In so doing, he may have pulled off the perfect poker move: Dortmund is not the only club planning next season.
So are the likes of Manchester City, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and many more who have uncertainty surrounding their coach. Klopp said he has not had contact with any other clubs, but that will change in the next few days.
Here are some of the options among Europe's top five leagues that might come his way:
England
Klopp told BT Sport last season that because he speaks English, it would make sense that his next move was to the Premier League. The reigning champion, Manchester City, showed little interest in the German in 2013, when it appointed Manuel Pellegrini; however, even with Klopp's nightmarish 12 months at Dortmund, the landscape has changed now.
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Every week it seems that Pellegrini says he is not scared of losing his job, and with every passing game, his hold on the position becomes more insecure. City has lost six of its last eight games, and an overhaul of the playing staff, at the least, is expected in the summer.
It has long been reported that the board sees Pep Guardiola as the ideal coach when his Bayern Munich contract expires in 2016.
So City has a dilemma: should it make a move for Klopp, who can develop a playing style (City has no obvious one at the moment) and build a side for the long-term, or stick with Pellegrini, or a shorter-term solution like Rafa Benitez, in the hope of getting Guardiola in 12 months?
Klopp bills himself as a romantic and that could be a sticking-point at the newly-rich City. Not so at Arsenal, although the timing is wrong at the Gunners. Arsene Wenger was on a sticky wicket last year, but winning the FA Cup and a likely improvement on its league placing this year, not to mention a recent three-year contract which the Frenchman has no intention of breaking, renders Arsenal unlikely.
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Manchester United is enjoying a renaissance under Louis van Gaal and would not disrupt that progress. Liverpool is undergoing a similar transition under Brendan Rodgers. Klopp's name has been linked to Anfield before and in terms of community and tradition, the similarity to Dortmund is evident. Rodgers won over the club's American owners last season and although this season has been one of ups and downs, it would be harsh on Rodgers if he was jettisoned this summer.
Newcastle, Spurs and West Ham may also cheekily ask about Klopp's availability, but the answer is likely to be "Nein." For a coach of Klopp's stature, if there's no Champions League, there should be no interest.
Spain
At this stage of the season, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is in the danger zone: had it lost the Champions League final last season, Ancelotti would have been fired. The same is expected to happen if Atlético Madrid beats Real Madrid in next week's Champions League second leg.
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Would Klopp fancy the job in Spain, where the turnover of coaches is notoriously quick? He might prefer more stability in his next job, though Wenger aside, not many coaches find it easy to turn down Florentino Perez. If Klopp does take that job, it would allow Manchester City to swoop for Ancelotti, who I believe would be a better fit in England.
Barcelona, the current La Liga leader, could also be in the market for a new coach.
Luis Enrique has recovered from the winter crisis and reported fallouts with Lionel Messi, and the team is still on course for a trophy treble, but if the Catalans somehow end the season empty-handed, its former midfielder could find himself cast aside.
One club not looking for a new boss is Atlético, who signed Diego Simeone to a long-term deal last month. Simeone will not be on the move this summer, but don't rule out a switch in 2016 when the end of Euro 2016 will see more movement on the managerial merry-go-round–not to mention the end of Guardiola's contract at Bayern. Might Bayern go for Simeone in 15 months? As Klopp has proved, a long-term deal does not always last the distance.
France
There was a funny moment at the Ballon D'Or ceremony in 2013 when Zlatan Ibrahimovic was being interviewed and Klopp came over to say hello. The pair embraced and Ibra said to the coach: "When are you going to bring me to Dortmund?" Klopp laughed and the mutual respect was obvious. That might be relevant soon if Ibra's club Paris Saint-Germain loses to Barcelona in the Champions League this week.
PSG boss Laurent Blanc is perpetually on thin ice, despite beating Chelsea last month, and despite PSG being in the running for all four titles it's going for this season. Klopp would be a perfect fit for a club that is obsessed with image as well as success, but would he fancy a move to a lesser league? Marseille is likely to be after a new coach as well, but its Champions League position is not secure yet either.
Italy
Roma boss James Pallotta told the Leaders in Football conference last October that he could see Rudi Garcia staying as coach for as long as Sir Alex Ferguson was at Manchester United. That was then, though: after a wretched spring, Roma has dropped out of the top two in Serie A, and Garcia might not start on the bench next season.
Klopp would be a good fit at Roma, a forward-thinking club with progressive owners, but is Serie A the right fit for Klopp? Napoli and AC Milan are two other options that could be available, but once again the Champions League question rears its head.
Germany
It would be an incredible twist if Klopp stayed in Germany, as there is really only one place he can go after Borussia Dortmund: Its rival Bayern Munich. Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski have taken the same path, much to Klopp's chagrin, but would the coach really do such a thing? He'd have to take a sabbatical first and he has already said no to that. It would be fun if Bayern showed interest, just so we could hear Klopp's response.
GALLERY: Tifos around the world
Best soccer tifos from around the world
Galatasaray fans display a sensational "Rocky" tifo ahead of their clash against rival Fenerbahce. It didn't inspire a victory, though. The Turkish rivals played to a 0-0 draw.
Borussia Dortmund fans channel their 1963 cup triumph over Benfica ahead of the teams' second leg in the Champions League round of 16 at Signal Iduna Park.
Hapoel Be'er Sheva fans turn to Moses for tifo inspiration, with his splitting the Red Sea illustrating how "impossible is nothing" in their Europa League series against Besiktas.
Fans of Tunisia's Club Africain display this pointed tifo at a friendly against PSG, whose Qatari owners have pumped millions and millions into the club.
U.S. fans in Columbus, Ohio, make a "One Nation, One Team" statement ahead of the USMNT's World Cup qualifying match against Mexico on November 11, 2016.
Germany fans display their heart for the team colors ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Czech Republic in October 2016.
Italy fans spell out their support for the Azzurri ahead of a massive World Cup qualifier vs. Spain in October 2018.
Iceland fans keep up their world-famous passion for the national team during a World Cup qualifier against Turkey in October 2016.
Fans in the United Arab Emirates set their sights on reaching the 2018 World Cup in Russia during a qualifying match vs. Australia in September 2016.
Colombia fans send a massive jersey around the stadium during a World Cup qualifier vs. Venezuela in September 2016.
Seattle Sounders fans turn to Game Of Thrones for inspiration in a game against the Cascadia rival Vancouver Whitecaps in September 2016.
Djurgardens fans go all out in Sweden for a match against AIK in September 2016.
Zulte Waregem fans prepare Kortrijk for the absolute worst in this Belgian top-flight match in September 2016.
Seattle Sounders fans turn their pop culture reference to Poltergeist in March 2016 ahead of the season home opener against Sporting Kansas City.
The Timbers Army doubles down on their Eastbound and Down theme, adding another wrinkle during the club's MLS Western Conference final first leg vs. FC Dallas on November 22, 2015 at Providence Park.
Fans make a French flag tifo at Wembley Stadium during the singing of Le Marseillaise ahead of England's friendly vs. France, which took place days after the terrorist attacks in Paris.
The Timbers Army referenced Eastbound & Down's Kenny Powers with their "Cup Bound and Down" tifo for the Portland Timbers' MLS playoff elimination game against Sporting Kansas City on October 29, 2015.
Brondby IF fans display a gladiator holding up a lion's head during the team's Danish Alka Superliga match against FC Copenhagen, whose logo is a lion's head, on September 27, 2015.
New England Revolution fans equate Jermaine Jones to Indiana Jones on their quest to capture the 2015 MLS Cup on September 26, 2015.
New England Revolution fans display a Lion King theme in honor of Orlando City FC's first visit to Gillette Stadium on September 5, 2015.
Red Bulls fans take a shot at NYCFC's two summer arrivals, 37-year-old Frank Lampard and 36-year-old Andrea Pirlo, ahead of their third MLS meeting of 2015.
Germany fans in Cologne salute their World Cup champions ahead of a friendly against the United States in June, 2015.
Real Madrid fans went all out prior to the second leg of the 2014-15 Champions League semifinal vs. Juventus.
Lazio fans display a stunning eagle tifo ahead of the Rome derby against AS Roma in their penultimate Serie A match of the 2014-15 season.
Barcelona fans bid farewell to veteran midfielder Xavi with this banner at his last league game at Camp Nou before he departs for Qatari club Al Sadd.
Fans at Anfield pay tribute to Steven Gerrard in his final home match as a Liverpool player in May 2015.
Juventus fans state their case to beat Real Madrid in the 2014-15 Champions League semifinals and reach the final in Berlin.
Fans at Benfica's Estadio da Luz remind rival Porto who the Primeira Liga reigning champion is during an April 2015 match in Portugal.
New York Red Bulls fans send a pointed message to their NYCFC counterparts prior to the teams' first MLS meeting in May, 2015.
Inter Milan's Curva Nord announces its presence ahead of the April 2015 Derby della Madonnina–the annual clashes between city rivals Inter and AC Milan.
Bayern Munich fans implore their club to (translated) "Never give up" in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg vs. Porto. Bayern then turned a 3-1 first-leg deficit into a 7-4 aggregate win and a place in the semifinals.
Dortmund fans commemorate their 1997 Champions League trophy in the club's clash vs. Juventus–the opponent on the wrong side of that title bout.
Portland Timbers fans speak out against homophobia with this tifo in a 2013 match against Chivas USA
Atletico's supporters display a banner reading "Atleti crushes" before the Spanish league match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid,
Borussia Dortmund fans put on a remarkable display ahead of a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg match.
Brondby IF fans unveil a tifo ahead of a match in Denmark against Randers FC.
FC Barcelona fans display a huge banner in memory of former head coach Tito Vilanova.
Galatasaray fans support their team during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray at the Turk Telekom Arena in Istanbul.
The American Outlaws unveil a huge tifo ahead of a 2014 World Cup send-off match between the USA and Turkey at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
Marseille's supporters use paper sheets to create an "OM" (Olympique de Marseille) tifo at the beginning of the French L1 football match between Marseille and Genoble.
Seattle Sounders fans display their tifo that shows coach Sigi Schmid playing cards and holding a Royal Flush before a match against the Portland Timbers.
Panathinaikos Athens fans display a banner during the UEFA Europa League match against Dynamo Moscow.
Fans of the Saudi Al-Hilal team celebrate after the scoring of a goal against Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor.
Seattle Sounders fans unveil a tifo inspired from the “Build a Bonfire” chant, featuring Sounder players holding torches on horseback ahead of a game against the Portland Timbers.
Fans of Hertha BSC before the Bundesliga match between Hertha BSC and Werder Bremen in Berlin.
Sporting Kansas City fans channel their inner Mario ahead of the 2013 MLS Cup final vs. Real Salt Lake.
Brondby IF fans.
Thousands of Barcelona fans hold up cards to spell out "Barca! Orgull," which translates to "Barcelona pride" ahead of a Champions League clash with Bayern Munich at Camp Nou.
Fans raise a tifo celebrating “Community, Club and Country” ahead of a CONCACAF Gold Cup match between the USA and Belize in Portland, Oregon.
Vitesse fans unfurl a massive Eagle banner at the Dutch Eredivisie match against Ajax at the GelreDome.
Valencia fans drape a banner featuring a king for a Copa del Rey ("The King's Cup) match against Atletico Madrid.
Juventus fans make a statement in Turin in a match vs. Inter Milan.
Dortmund fans put on another strong display at a Bundesliga match against Mainz 05.
German fans boast the newest star earned by the national team, symbolizing its 2014 World Cup triumph, at a Euro 2016 qualifying match in Dortmund.
Real Madrid fans make a point to display the club's 10 European championships ahead of the October 2014 clash against rival Barcelona at the Bernabeu.
San Jose Earthquakes fans unleash a massive tifo to mark the opening of Avaya Stadium, MLS's newest soccer-specific venue, in March 2015.
Barcelona fans show all who the real 12th man is ahead of the March 2015 Clásico vs. Real Madrid.
Ahead of a clash with Mexican foe Monterrey, Tigres players are treated by this message by its fervent supporters.
Standard Liege fans have a pointed message for Steven Defour, who departed the club for Belgian rival Anderlecht.
Orlando City fans mark their club's inaugural MLS game vs. fellow expansion side New York City FC with a statement that the Lions' "reign begins now."
Real Madrid fans salute Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo after he captured the most prestigious individual prize in world soccer again.
Vitesse fans pay homage to Operation Market Garden ahead of an Eredivisie match against SC Heerenveen.
Sevilla's fans deploy a giant banner in the stands before the UEFA Europa league final match between Benfica and Sevilla.
Fans in Liverpool’s Kop End at Anfield commemorate those lost in the Hillsborough disaster.
Lyon fans during a game against Saint Etienne.
A journalist, broadcaster and consultant, Ben Lyttleton also wrote the book on PKs with his “Twelve Yards: The Art and Psychology of the Penalty Kick.”