Jurgen Klopp has been described as a legend at Borussia Dortmund after guiding the team to two successive Bundesliga titles, a domestic double and a Champions League final during his seven year tenure as Head Coach at Signal-Iduna Park. Yet the announcement that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season has not been received with that much surprise with Dortmund now struggling to compete with Bayern Munich in Germany and facing their worst Bundesliga finish for many years.
Having been appointed to the Borussia Dortmund hot seat during the summer of 2008, after the club had finished a disappointing 13th in the Bundesliga that season, Klopp soon transformed the fortunes of the team with a sixth position the following season with further progress during the next campaign before the first title was secured in 2011.
Although Dortmund were to win another Bundesliga crown in 2012, their achievements have since been surpassed by the current domination of Bayern Munich and Klopp has watched two of his more favoured players, Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski, move to the Bavarian club in successive summers. Further departures are also expected at the end of this season with defender and captain Mats Hummels mentioned as a likely acquisition for Premier League teams.
Recent incoming transfer policy has also been viewed as a relative failure with both Ciro Immobile and Adrian Ramos failing to enhance their reputations in the Dortmund attack this season, while injuries have also curtailed the involvement of key members of the title winning team with Jakub Blaszczykowski and Lukasz Piszczek not featuring on a regular basis this campaign.
Klopp has asserted that he does not intend to take a break from football when he leaves Dortmund and his availability will alert several European clubs including Manchester City and possibly Real Madrid should they fail to secure any silverware this season.
However, it would appear that Klopp is seeking a fresh challenge and with Borussia Dortmund currently occupying 10th position in the Bundesliga, having improved from being entrenched at the foot of the table earlier this year, perhaps he considers another rebuilding process as an opportunity for another promising head coach.
Jurgen Klopp was Head Coach at Mainz for seven years before arriving at Dortmund and he guided that team to their first ever Bundesliga appearance during his tenure. Subsequent relegation and a narrow failure to secure a rapid promotion thereafter prompted his resignation and eventual appointment at Dortmund.
Whichever club wishes to appoint Klopp during the forthcoming summer will be securing a popular and charismatic figure, but is also worth noting that the Mainz-Borussia Dortmund connection may once again emerge with Thomas Tuchel mentioned as a potential successor. Tuchel resigned as Mainz Head Coach last season to take a one year break from football, and if appointed at Signal-Iduna Park, he will be following the same road as Klopp with Dortmund finishing a disappointing season.
Nevertheless, Klopp will be a hard act to follow at Dortmund especially with Bayern Munich seemingly set to dominate German football for the foreseeable future.
