Daniel Sturridge has regained his fitness and suddenly, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has changed his tune.
Liverpool can only reach its full potential if striker Daniel Sturridge and manager Jurgen Klopp are on the same page. The two have had a tumultuous relationship in their brief time together, but Klopp is working hard to repair the relationship between the two before it’s too late.
It’s funny how the entire tone of Klopp’s comments on Sturridge have changed over the past week. Klopp was quoted in The Independent with his hope that they would “not think about the past and how it was.” Instead, the manager hopes the relationship between the two can “start now.”
That’s a pretty significant change from Klopp’s previous commentary on Sturridge. His rhetoric of old tended to focus on how his striker needed to learn the difference between being injured and just being sore from the wear and tear of a Premier League season. Klopp did everything short of openly calling Sturridge a soft player over the past few months.
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Now Klopp needs Sturridge to perform on the field and that’s caused his attitude to change dramatically. Klopp continues to have difficulty finding a first-choice striker and Sturridge has the talent to solve his dilemma. If he can get Sturridge to stay fit and play up to form, he’ll nail Christian Benteke to the bench and Roberto Firmino to a different position.
Sturridge may very well get his opportunity in Liverpool’s FA Cup replay versus West Ham. His timing couldn’t be better. His return could coincide with the re-introduction of Philippe Coutinho into the Liverpool lineup. The Brazilian midfielder is due back after his own month-long injury induced absence.
Starting Sturridge and Coutinho together would represent Klopp’s first opportunity to put out a starting 11 that is anywhere near ideally suited to his style of play. Again, this hinges on Sturridge being fit and motivated to play hard for the manager.
That’s why Klopp’s tune has changed in the media. He’s not stupid. He knows his previous criticism of Sturridge strained the relationship between the two severely. He hoped it would light a fire under his English striker, but it only seemed to breed ill feelings.
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As such, Klopp is smart to try to publicly praise Sturridge. It’s in his best interest to make the striker willing to play hard for the rest of the season. He could make a world of difference to what the club is able to accomplish on the pitch over the rest of the season.
Of course, it’s also in Sturridge’s best interest to make up with Klopp. He’s got a well-deserved reputation as an injury prone player and he needs to display some toughness to win over his critics. Even if he can’t regain Klopp’s trust, he needs to provide some good showings in the shop window for other clubs who may be interested.
Look for the relationship between Sturridge and Klopp to continue to improve as long as the player remains healthy. Both of these men need one another to have the best season possible. Fortunately, both of them are smart enough to realize that.