Liverpool planning open top bus parade to say farewell to Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool celebrated winning the 2019 Champions League with an open top bus parade – Getty Images/Paul Cooper

Liverpool’s Carabao Cup success has opened the possibility of an end-of-season open top bus parade to invite hundreds of thousands of supporters to bid farewell to Jurgen Klopp.

Discussions have begun at the top level of the club to formulate a plan for the most fitting send-off for the legendary coach, who leaves Anfield in May.

Rarely, if ever, do decorated clubs such as Liverpool hold a parade on the back of a League Cup win. Such street parties are usually reserved for FA Cups, Champions League or title victories.

However, the timing of Klopp’s departure presents the opportunity for a broader celebration, with the presence of silverware making it more likely Liverpool will seek permission from city council leaders to push ahead with the idea.

With Liverpool still fighting for three more major trophies between now and May, it could be that a parade would have been deemed compulsory anyway.

But the club knows there are supporters who would like to travel from around the world to thank Klopp for his stellar service to Liverpool since his appointment in 2015.

His final Anfield game in May will be emotional, but there are many more than the 60,000 who are lucky enough to have seats for that fixture who will want to show their appreciation.

When Liverpool won the Champions League in 2019, Liverpool’s streets were flooded with 750,000 fans. A similar number would be anticipated whether Liverpool add further trophies to the League Cup or not.

Liverpool insist no decision has yet been taken, although progress in the FA Cup and Europa League could firm up plans.

Klopp would also have to agree to such an idea. The German coach reluctantly accepted a request from his skipper, Virgil van Dijk, to share the duties of collecting the League Cup at Wembley.

Despite hailing the latest tournament win as the most ‘special’ of his career, there is no prospect of Klopp changing his mind and remaining as Liverpool manager beyond this season. He is intent on enjoying at least a year’s break, so Liverpool’s unenviable task of finding a replacement continues.

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