There was consternation and shock in equal measure among Liverpool fans everywhere when manager Jürgen Klopp announced he is leaving at the end of the season.
Klopp has been in charge for 8½ years – an eternity in Premier League footballing terms – and is the league’s longest serving manager.
Along with winning every trophy, he has impressed with his demeanour, good grace and thoughtfulness in one of the most pressured jobs in world football.
His impending resignation will dismay a lot of Irish fans of Liverpool and for many younger followers, Klopp is the only Liverpool manager they know.
[ Jürgen Klopp to step down as Liverpool manager at end of seasonOpens in new window ]
[ Jürgen Klopp’s departure echoes Bill Shankly – but what comes next for Liverpool?Opens in new window ]
His absence will be keenly felt most of all in the home of Dáire Gorman, a 12-year-old boy from Tonniscoffey, Co Monaghan who has Crommelin Syndrome and uses a wheelchair.
He visited Anfield last September and Klopp spent a considerable amount of time with him.
Many Liverpool footballers, including Luis Diaz, Darwin Núñez and Mohamed Salah, also met him, but it was the manager who made the greatest impression.
Liverpool FC released the video on Christmas Day and it has gone viral, racking up 70 million views to date on various platforms around the world.
Dáire found out about Klopp’s departure while at school on Friday, according to his mother Shelly Gorman. “It’s a complete shock. He’s completely devastated,” she said.
“It’s just sad. Our whole house is completely flat and down in the dumps. We are all just moping about. It’s like mourning a family member.
“Dáire is so privileged to have spent that one-on-one time with Jurgen Klopp during Jurgen’s free time. It’s something to treasure forever.
“He’s so much more confident now. Instead of people pointing at him and saying that he has no arms, they are pointing at him and saying ‘oh wow, that’s the boy who met Jurgen Klopp’. For Dáire it has been fantastic.”
Klopp did not forget Dáire in his bombshell interview on Friday with Liverpool FC TV in which he announced his impending resignation. He explained how he had to keep his plans secret from everybody, including his special Irish superfan.
“Only recently we met Dáire, our friend, I probably have to explain it to him as well, and I will, that’s no problem. I really will try to do all these things. But in this moment, that’s it and from here we go,” he said.
Mrs Gorman said it was “so touching” that Klopp managed to mention her son during his interview.
She hopes Klopp’s last game in charge will be the Europa League final in May which is scheduled for Dublin by which stage Liverpool may be chasing four trophies.
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