Klopp would be 'ideal' for Liverpool

Berlin - Germany's former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann believes ex-Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp is the "ideal" candidate to replace manager Brendan Rodgers.

According to reports in the British media on Monday, Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti are the leading candidates to succeed Rodgers, who was sacked by Liverpool on Sunday after a 1-1 draw with Everton left them 10th in the Premier League.

Klopp, 48, has been out of work since stepping down at Dortmund at the end of last season.

Hamman, who was part of the Liverpool team which won the 2005 Champions League final and now works as a pundit in Germany, believes his fellow-German is the man to reawaken Merseyside's sleeping giants.

"It must be a coach of international standing. The two who are being most widely mentioned are Ancelotti and Klopp. I think Jurgen Klopp would be the more appropriate," Hamman, 42, told German Sky Sports.

"The emotions in Liverpool need to be awakened.

"The people have lost faith in the team and it is important that someone comes who rouses the people again and gets things going.

"Jurgen Klopp, who lives out his passion and love for the game, would fit wonderfully to Liverpool's mentality. He would be the ideal solution for me."

Liverpool's current Germany international Emre Can told Die Welt that Klopp had what it takes to bring the glory days back to Anfield.

"Jurgen Klopp is certainly a great coach. I think he has demonstrated in Dortmund that he can work at any team in the world," said the 21-year-old.

Klopp led Dortmund to back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012, the year they won the domestic double after routing Bayern Munich 5-2 in the German Cup final when Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick against his future employers.

He also guided Borussia to the 2013 Champions League final, when they lost 2-1 to Bayern.

The charismatic Klopp speaks good English and said last year he wanted to work in the Premier League.

"I think that apart from Germany, England is the only other country where I should work," Klopp told German magazine Focus last year.

"Simply because I know a little of the language and I need the language for my work."