Gini Wijnaldum claims Jurgen Klopp is quite similar to Louis van Gaal

Wijnaldum
Wijnaldum

Liverpool have seen their fortunes on and off the pitch increase tremendously since the arrival of manager Jurgen Klopp.

While they are yet to win silverware under the German, reaching three finals and topping the Premier League table at the moment after going 18 games without defeat continue to give fans a lot of hope.

Klopp is known for his distinct heavymetal football and high pressing, while his wild passion is also well-documented.

The relationship of the former Borussia Dortmund boss with his players is cordial and strong, and Liverpool midfield sensation Gini Wijnaldum has compared him with former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal.

“He’s actually quite similar to Louis van Gaal,” the 28-year-old told ECHO.

“He also asks a lot from players. It’s not always easy for a player when a manager is that dominant and sees everything. But they only have one reason for it – to make you better.

“When you keep that in mind, you can deal with it. If you think ‘he always wants to say something about me’ then it can be hard. I always have the mindset that both those managers wanted to help me.”

Van Gaal managed Wijnaldum at international level, helping the Netherlands to a third-place finish at the 2014 World Cup.

The Dutchman, however, wasn’t much of a success at Old Trafford during his stint a few seasons ago.

Klopp will hope he can finally lead Liverpool to a silverware this season, and helping them to their first ever EPL title will be a good way to start.

The German believes his side can still improve despite their perfect and record-setting start to 2018-19, and he will surely keep demanding a lot from his players till the last day of the season.

That could go a long way in helping Liverpool to the topflight title.

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