Fenway Sports Group have been told "no-one can replace Jurgen Klopp" but are being backed to ensure a successful transition from their departing manager.
Klopp will leave Anfield at the end of the season - along with assistant managers Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz and elite development coach Vitor Mato
The stability with which Liverpool have operated in recent times was this week praised as a benchmark by new Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Lijnders believes the Reds have shown in the past with the success of Bob Paisley following the departure of Bill Shankly 50 years ago that contrasting personalities are no obstacle to silverware.
Lijnders
“It that a compliment from United? That says everything if we get compliments from them,"
"About the summer: no-one can replace Jurgen Klopp. But I think the past showed already a few difficult transitions.
"What was the most difficult transition inside this club was Shankly saying 'That's me'. Paisley stepped up and was completely different from Shanks."
"It shows we as a club have to search for someone who wants to grow, who has the mindset to develop.
"It's not for us, the owners can make good decisions about that, but I think we did the right thing by announcing early so the club has real time and to make this transition smooth but the past has already shown that it is really impossible.
"The Guardiola team of Barca, he says out of nothing 'That's me' and then Tito (Vilanova) took over and has the highest win ratio ever.
"That was probably the most difficult transition in the last 15 years.
"I was at Porto when Villas Boas won four trophies – the Europa League, the UEFA Cup at the time, in Dublin, the championship away at Benfica – and then Vitor Perreira took over and was completely different from Andre and became champion the year after and for Porto that year was the biggest year ever.
"What I'm trying to say is they don't have to replace Jurgen, they have to find a good, good manager because nobody will replace Jurgen."
"We knew already in the summer that we are coming toward the end of this project," he said. "The last years, I got offers.
"My heart always said yes, my loyalty and my respect and friendship with Mike and Jurgen said no."
"So, the moment we spoke and he said 'I'm thinking about (leaving)' I said that is, for me, clear: I will go and manage. We will end this project together.
"I feel that it's the project of a lot of people and I feel that it's the right way to do it, like this. The club can find a new coach with new elements.
"But I'm excited to manage, I'm excited to go, to find the right club who really wants (me).
"But until the last final of the season, I'm focused on Liverpool, not on what's happening now. That's why we have agents, no?"
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