Harry Diamond
Danny Murphy has praised Liverpool’s ‘phenomenal’ recruitment and progression under Jurgen Klopp following the club’s coronation as Premier League champions.
Manchester City’s defeat to Chelsea on Thursday night saw Liverpool crowned as champions of England’s top tier for the first time in three decades, the Reds possessing an unassailable 23-point lead at the top of the division with a record seven games remaining.
Murphy won four major honours during his career on Merseyside but was unable to end the club’s wait for a league title, and the former England international has paid tribute to Jurgen Klopp and his players after they ended a 30-year wait for title success.
“I was trying not to get too carried away last night. It’s been a long time coming,” Murphy said on BBC Radio 5Live.
“I was an apprentice when we last won the league I’ve been around quite a bit and I’ve seen quite a lot of the characters that have come through Liverpool and I must pay tribute to Jurgen Klopp and his team and everyone else around, they’ve been amazing, they’ve been a joy to watch. Especially for me, seeing someone like Klopp gives me a lift.
“It was brilliant to see them get it over the line.”
Murphy was full of praise for the club’s progress in recent seasons after following last season’s Champions League success with Premier League glory, believing Klopp has created a formidable side which ‘phenomenal’ recruitment and an ability to improve individuals.
“I think the progression has been obvious, even after the first season in terms of the way they wanted to play, in terms of where they are now, the Champions League run where they got to the final and lost, that was when they turned from a nearly team to a super team for me. The progression has been tremendous but I think its happened quicker than most people expected, particularly with limited spending really in terms of what other teams around them have spent.
“Name me a Liverpool player who hasn’t progressed under Jurgen Klopp? He’s improved individuals while making the collective better which is the hardest thing to do. The recruitment has been phenomenal, the patience they showed with Virgil Van Dijk for example. He makes players better it’s as simple as that. It’s a mixture of motivation coaching and being able to spend money on the right player – the right temperament and talent.”
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