---
title: "Liverpool: Fans fume as The Athletic reveals Jurgen Klopp wasn’t FSG’s first choice"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/liverpool-fans-fume-eddie-howe-fsg-klopp/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Thomas Ward"
section: "Liverpool Football Club"
published: "2020-07-01T17:50:13Z"
modified: "2020-07-01T17:50:13Z"
---

# Liverpool: Fans fume as The Athletic reveals Jurgen Klopp wasn’t FSG’s first choice

**Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has transformed the Reds into a world-beating side inside an extraordinary 13 months.**

Klopp will be immortalised forever at Anfield alongside the likes of [Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/jun/26/trust-patience-and-hard-work-how-jurgen-klopp-transformed-liverpool). However, life could have been very different for the Premier League champions.

According to [The Athletic](https://theathletic.co.uk/1896993/2020/06/30/michael-edwards-liverpool-premier-league-jurgen-klopp-sporting-director/), as relayed by [@AnfieldEdition](https://twitter.com/AnfieldEdition/status/1277939785638838272), Fenway Sports Group (FSG) were interested in appointing Eddie Howe after sacking Brendan Rodgers in 2015. Rodgers, who is now in charge of Leicester, met his demise following [a slump in form](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34440168).

FSG “gave serious consideration to hiring Howe” as he was on a three-man shortlist with Carlo Ancelotti, who later ended up at Merseyside rivals Everton, before opting for Klopp instead.

[\[freshpress-poll id=”307425″\]](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/[freshpress-poll%20id=%22307425%22])

By that stage, [the Cherries boss](https://theathletic.co.uk/1896993/2020/06/30/michael-edwards-liverpool-premier-league-jurgen-klopp-sporting-director/) had earned a reputation for developing young players and playing attractive football, although he was still [relatively inexperienced at the time](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/eddie-howe/stationen/trainer/10976).

Bournemouth are engulfed in a relegation scrap for survival and remain in the drop zone on goal difference ahead of the game against Newcastle [this evening](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/bournemouth-eddie-howe-fixtures-latest-news-a9593936.html). To make matters worse, Callum Wilson, who is [the club’s top scorer](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/bournemouth-eddie-howe-fixtures-latest-news-a9593936.html), has been handed a two-match ban.

Unsurprisingly, loads of LFC fans blasted the “close shave” on social media, with one fan tweeting that Howe could have been “another Brendan Rodgers” in reference to [Bournemouth’s dramatic decline in form](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/bournemouth-eddie-howe-fixtures-latest-news-a9593936.html), while another added that he is “garbage”.

Scroll down through some of the scathing reactions so far…

https://twitter.com/45Dxt/status/1277940279803367424?s=20

> We didn’t dodge that bullet (Eddie Howe), we dodge a asteroid. Thank goodness wisdom, sanity and sense prevailed.
>
> Liked Klopp at Dortmund & was ecstatic when we signed. Had no doubt that he was a quality coach who would turn the club around
>
> — Patrick (@B2Life33) [June 30, 2020](https://twitter.com/B2Life33/status/1278100014951280640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> THAT IS SCARY! 😲
>
> — Naveed Ahmed (@naveedciao) [June 30, 2020](https://twitter.com/naveedciao/status/1277949285804408833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> He’s been absolutely garbage this season
>
> Him being English completely absolves him of any blame though naturally
>
> — Rob91LFC (@Rd91L) [June 30, 2020](https://twitter.com/Rd91L/status/1277991522634330113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Eddie Howe wth were they smoking to consider him!
>
> — Raz,LFC (@raz2fast) [June 30, 2020](https://twitter.com/raz2fast/status/1278017438853017600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Howe would have been another Brendan Rogers [pic.twitter.com/MDw0DJU4K3](https://t.co/MDw0DJU4K3)
>
> — Bart “Unbearable All Season” Hobson\* (@BartHobson) [June 30, 2020](https://twitter.com/BartHobson/status/1277940315501060096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

***Liverpool fans, are you glad you ended up with Jurgen Klopp and not Eddie How? Let us know your views in the comments below!***