RB Leipzig’s sporting director Ralf Rangnick has claimed that Liverpool pair James Milner and Jordan Henderson were ‘totally average’ before being coached by Jurgen Klopp.
Henderson was appointed Liverpool’s club captain a few months before Klopp succeeded Brendan Rodgers as manager in 2015 while Milner was a recent arrival from Manchester City.
Both players have played an influential during Klopp’s time, though, with Henderson captaining the side to a Champions League title last season and Milner playing his part in that success.
However, Rangnick insisted that their improvement over the past few years is entirely down to their manager.
‘If you look at Jordan Henderson or James Milner before Klopp they were totally average,’ he told the Frankfurter Allgemein.
‘The fact that they have now become such players is entirely up to their manager.’
Liverpool’s emergence as a major force both in England and in Europe in recent seasons has been spearheaded by their frightening attack consisting of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
Although Liverpool’s front three are renowned for their attacking qualities, they also play an important defensive role by pressing from the front and Rangnick claims Klopp instilled that part of the game in each of them.
‘Sadio Mané, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino were, until three or four years ago, everything other than typical pressing strikers.
‘They just wanted to have the ball and play with it. The fact that they have grown together at Liverpool is all down to Jürgen Klopp.’
