Klopp: Liverpool’s hot prospects can be like Robert Lewandowski

JURGEN Klopp believes Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski would not have been the player he is now if it were not for his guidance at Borussia Dortmund.

The recently appointed Liverpool manager coached Lewandowski at Signal Iduna Park between 2010 and 2014 and hopes to be equally important in the careers of some of his new club’s promising youngsters.

The Poland international joined Dortmund from Lech Poznan as a relative unknown and has since developed into one of the most sought-after attackers in the game and is currently in incredible form for Bayern.

Klopp has highlighted his role in Lewandowski’s development and hopes some of Liverpool’s hot prospects can follow the same career path under his tutelage.

“The biggest satisfaction you can get is when you take a player like Lewandowski from Poland, from a small club and watch him playing today,” Klopp said.

“The difference between that player and the player he is today is unbelievable. I’m not self-confident enough to think I have had the only role in his development, but of course I did play a big part.

“We all know the best players of today. Tomorrow we don’t know who it will be, so we can work on this. The will to improve is the most important thing for a Klopp player. Character.

“When I manage a club, each young player should smile because the chance is bigger for them than it ever was. The door is pretty wide open and I don’t care about experience. Experience is an important point, but not the most important. 

“Of course if a player is on a top level already and you can hold this for two or three years, then everything is perfect. But the young guns are very interesting. That’s what I enjoy doing.