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Klopp 'lives and breathes' Liverpool job, says former Huddersfield boss

  /  autty

Jurgen Klopp "lives and breathes" the Liverpool job, according to David Wagner, who hopes his friend can lead the Anfield side to the Premier League title this year.

The former Huddersfield boss, who met Klopp while playing for Mainz almost 30 years ago before they worked together at Borussia Dortmund, was speaking after Klopp was shortlisted for Best FIFA Men's Coach of the year alongside Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino.

Wagner says 52-year-old Klopp is fully invested in his role at Anfield and hailed his achievements on Merseyside after he guided Liverpool to their sixth European Cup last season, leading to his FIFA nomination.

"Sometimes you need a little bit of luck to win a title, but he absolutely deserved this," Wagner told FIFA.com. "He lives and breathes this job 100 per cent. He thinks about football or his team every minute of every day."

"That's the way good coaches are - you can't simply switch off from what might happen to the team tomorrow, next week or in an hour's time.

"What he has already achieved in the time he's had with Liverpool is incredible."

Wagner, who is now in charge at Bundesliga side FC Schalke 04, hopes Klopp can go one step further in the Premier League this season after a remarkable run last term saw them narrowly miss out on a title win to Manchester City.

"I hope that he goes one better this year and takes the Premier League title, even though we all know that that's easier said than done," Wagner said.

"He and his lads will work incredibly hard for it, but that league is such a tight one… He's really put on a show with them up until now though. I hope he wins the title with them this season."