"He's a great coach" - Firmino heaps praise on Klopp

Roberto Firmino has hailed Jurgen Klopp as a ‘great coach’, admitting he was delighted when he took charge at Liverpool.

Firmino joined the Reds in the summer of 2015, but struggled to fire under Brendan Rodgers.

The Ulsterman was replaced by Klopp a few months into the 2015/16 season, however, and the Brazilian has flourished ever since, scoring 75 goals in 223 appearances for Liverpool.

Speaking to Premier League Productions, via LiverpoolFC.com, Firmino revealed what makes his manager so special:

I knew him from playing against Dortmund in Germany.

I was happy, of course, when I found out he was coming here, as he was German and I’d played there as well and I have a bit of the German mentality.

He changed the club a lot generally, in every way, tactically, mentally. Today we are what we are, not just because of him but he’s responsible for a large portion of our transformation, so I’m really happy to be playing under him, he’s a great coach.

Read Liverpool Verdict

In my opinion, Firmino is the player that most embodies the Klopp era at Anfield.

The 28-year-old is classy in possession, brimming with quality and works hard for the team, all of which Klopp teams are associated with.

I still think Firmino is arguably Liverpool’s most important player, in terms of what he brings to the side, and how dependent the system is on him playing well.

Only when he is out, or doesn’t play well, does the forward’s brilliance truly come to the fore, with so much of the Reds’ attacking play not as slick and polished.

The 3-1 win at home to Newcastle earlier in the season was a prime example, with Liverpool struggling and drawing 1-1 in the first half, only for Firmino to replace the injured Divock Origi and turn the game on its head.

Firmino and Klopp are a match made in heaven and I think both are fully aware of that.