Liverpool not title candidates under Klopp – Barnes

Liverpool will not immediately become contenders for the Premier League title after announcing Jurgen Klopp as their new coach, says former midfielder John Barnes.

The German was presented as Brendan Rodgers’ replacement on Friday with the club currently 10th in England’s top flight.

And while Barnes is sure Klopp is the right man for the job, he has called for supporters to remain realistic about their expectations as they still lack the quality of the Premier League’s top clubs.

“He is the best man for stabilising Liverpool and maximising their potential,” Barnes is quoted as saying by The Daily Mirror.

“Is Liverpool’s potential good enough to win the league? I don’t think so.

“We still need better players and I think one of the reasons he has been brought in is because of his knowledge of good, young German players.

“But he has to be given time because if you look at the players we have…we do not have better players than at Arsenal, Chelsea, Man [Manchester] City and [Manchester] United, so why should we finish higher than them?

“The fans have to understand that. So if everything remains positive, even if we don’t win the league in the first year or second year, we have to keep the faith and know there is no better manager than Klopp.”