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Robert Lewandowski: Jürgen Klopp At "Optimal Club"

The in-form Bayern Munich striker praised his former manager and thinks Liverpool is the right move for the 48-year-old tactician.

Simon Hofmann/Getty Images

With all the talk surrounding Jürgen Klopp's recent arrival at Liverpool, analysts often forget that all the stars who made their name under his guidance at Borussia Dortmund were relatively unknown. They may have possessed potential or been youth team stars, but there have been countless examples of talented young players who didn't fulfil whatever destiny they were supposed to. This doesn't mean that investment won't be required, but if there are talented players who are yet to break through or feature regularly for the senior squad, the next 12 to 18 months may provide the ideal conditions to thrive.

The fact that Klopp recently referred to Robert Lewandowski's progress as a source of pride could be part of his blueprint for a revival at Anfield: "The biggest satisfaction you can get is when you take a player from Poland, from a small club and watch him play like he does today."

At the moment, Europe's hottest striker is Bayern Munich's Lewandowski. Formerly of Borussia Dortmund, the 27-year-old has been putting the ball in the back of the net for over four consecutive seasons. Was he widely coveted and feared in 2010 after two productive seasons for Lech Poznań? Not quite, but Lewandowski knows Klopp better than most. He shared his admiration for his former manager with Goal along with his belief that the 48-year-old is at the right club.

Kloppo fits perfectly with the Premier League. At Liverpool he can make a difference with his positive thinking and sweep the players along with him. They will play really well and they will win. I can only wish him the best of luck. I know the team are not playing that well, but Kloppo definitely has an idea of what he wants to do. This is the optimal club for him - and league also. He's a great guy, a great coach. He knows that the Premier League and Bundesliga are not the same. He will do things differently and find a new approach than at BVB because it is a different league and he has new players. I heard that he put on a show at the press conference - this is Klopp. He has fun and is a great coach, a great guy. I can only wish him the best of luck.

The amount of praise for Liverpool's new manager is heartening and reflects the reputation he has built in management at Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund. Tomorrow he'll lead out a new team in a different environment than he's used to. The challenge will be there, but as Lewandowski says, there may be some surprises for opponents that will be unprepared for a possible "new approach" from Klopp. There's an element of uncertainty surrounding how Liverpool will make strides, but fans can expect an exciting ride starting tomorrow.

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