Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been praised after inviting Sir Alex Ferguson to join him for a photo after winning the LMA Manager of the Year award.
The German boss, who also won the Premier League Manager of the Season award, has been rewarded after Liverpool’s incredible season. The Reds have won both domestic cups – the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup. They will complete the treble on Saturday if they win the Champions League Final against Real Madrid.
The club’s achievements in 2022 have been remarkable. Liverpool have dropped just four points in the Premier League, with draws against Chelsea and Tottenham the only blots on an otherwise exemplary copybook.
Their form almost resulted in a second Premier League title in three seasons. Going into the last day, Liverpool needed to beat Wolves and hope that Manchester City dropped points against Aston Villa. The dream seemed very much on with Pep Guardiola‘s side 2-0 down inside an hour.
However, City scored three goals in six minutes to turn the game on its head. Although Liverpool beat Wolves 3-1, it wasn’t enough for Klopp’s side to win the title.
Klopp wins LMA Manager of the Year award
On Tuesday, it was announced that Jurgen Klopp was the recipient of the League Managers’ Association (LMA) Manager of the Year award.
Klopp’s fellow managers vote for the award, which gives it even more prestige.
The German is now a two-time winner of the award, having scooped the top prize two years after leading Liverpool to their first top division title since 1990.
He becomes one of only six managers to win the LMA Manager of the Year trophy. The others are David Moyes, Pep Guardiola, Arsene Wenger and Steve Coppell.
Moyes won the trophy three times when he was in charge of Everton in 2003, 2005 and 2009.
Coppell, meanwhile, was named Manager of the Year in 2006 and 2007 whilst in charge of Reading. In 2006, the Royals gained promotion from the Championship with 106 points – the highest points total gained in a professional league season. It is a record still to be beaten.
Coppell then guided Reading to a credible eighth-placed finish in their first Premier League campaign.
Jurgen Klopp invites Sir Alex Ferguson for a photo
The only other manager to have won the award on more than one occasion is Sir Alex Ferguson. The legendary Manchester United boss scooped the prize five times – in 1993, 1999, 2008, 2011 and 2013.
In fact, the LMA Manager of the Year trophy is officially known as the ‘Sir Alex Ferguson Trophy’, in honour of the Scotsman’s achievements.
On Tuesday night, Klopp received the trophy from Ferguson himself. The ex-United boss joked that giving the award to a Liverpool manager was “absolute agony”.
The Reds boss then revealed he first met Ferguson at a conference in 2012, but “couldn’t understand a word” he said after having difficulty with his Scottish accent.
But the most wholesome moment of the evening came shortly afterwards. Following Klopp’s acceptance speech, it was time for the customary photo alongside England boss Gareth Southgate.
Ferguson tried to shuffle away, but the German wasn’t having anything of it. He pulled the 80-year-old back into the shot, and Ferguson was more than happy to oblige.
The sight of two legendary managers standing together provided an image for the ages, and fans also loved it.
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