YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB EST-1892 SLOT MACHINE

ROBERT J WILSON LOOKS AT THE IMPACT OF NEW BOSS ARNE SLOT AT LIVERPOOL AND THE CHALLENGES THAT LIE AHEAD

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URGEN Klopp's size 12 boots were certainly gigantic ones to fill after nine successful years at Liverpool.

The esteemed German returned the club to domestic and European success - winning the Premier League title for the first time in 30 years and a sixth European Cup in 2019.

His trophy haul of six would have probably been much grander but for the consistency of Manchester City and Real Madrid.

Klopp transformed Liverpool into serious contenders for major honours again. Losing titles to Pep Guardiola's dominant City force and to Madrid in the Champions League should not detract from what he achieved.

His decision to stand down, citing a lack of energy, came as an almighty shock.

Veteran Liverpool fans had at least former experience of that occurring with Bill Shankly in 1974 and Kenny Dalglish in 1991, the latter in the aftermath of the Hillsborough tragedy.

In the 70s, the boot room succession at Anfield worked perfectly with the unassuming Bob Paisley reaping the rewards of the foundations constructed by Shankly.

Paisley (who should have been knighted) went on to win three European Cups and six First Division titles in just nine years before his own assistant Joe Fagan succeeded him in 1983.

The transition was flawless again with Fagan winning the treble of the First Division title, the European Cup and the League Cup in his first year.

Fagan would be haunted by the Heysel Stadium disaster the following season, choosing to retire after the horrific events in Belgium.

Dalglish was promoted to the position of player/manager and the club cleverly returned to Paisley to help mentor the young Scot throughout his first steps in management.

Dalglish guided Liverpool to the double in his first season and he was unfortunate not to replicate that success in 1988 and 1989. There would have surely been European success too, but for the imposed five-year ban following Heysel.