‘Without doubt’ – Insider highlights one big difference between Jurgen Klopp and Alex Ferguson

Jurgen Klopp and Sir Alex Ferguson have quite a bit in common – they’ve both won the Premier League and Champions League, and they’re both regarded as legendary figures at clubs in the northwest of England.

However, as highlighted in an article by Paul Joyce for The Times, there’s one inescapable difference between the two managers.

One source who spoke to the journalist regarding the departing Liverpool boss said: “Without doubt relationships mean more than trophies to Jürgen. He genuinely loves his players. He is not ruthless like Fergie with Paul Ince or Jaap Stam.”

Anyone who’s followed Liverpool over the past eight-and-a-half years will be fully aware that Klopp is a manager who demonstrably cares about his players as people, willingly exchanging bear hugs on the pitch even after routine victories.

However, the German has shown a ruthless streak when he feels that his authority isn’t respected, as Mamadou Sakho discovered to his cost when he was sent home from the Reds’ pre-season tour of USA in 2016 for repeated tardiness.

Whereas that incident remains the standout moment of insubordination under the 56-year-old in nearly a decade at Anfield, such instances seemed far more frequent under Ferguson at Manchester United.

Distinguished players such as Ince, Stam, Roy Keane, David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy were all ostracised and/or jettisoned by the Scot at Old Trafford as he firmly adopted a ‘one strike and you’re out’ policy.

His trophy haul with the Red Devils vindicated his ruthlessness, although Klopp hit that sweet spot of winning plenty of silverware with Liverpool while also being a manager who very much cares about those who play for him.