Norwich City: The story of David Wagner and Jurgen Klopp

The pair's friendship extends beyond 25 years and they consistently speak throughout the year, sharing advice and speaking about football. 

For City's incoming boss, his relationship with Klopp did yield benefits at Huddersfield, including the appointment of Mike Marsh as his first-team coach in 2015, and helped him sign Danny Ward on loan in 2016. 

The friendship was born during their playing days in Germany, specifically when the pair played together at Mainz between 1991-95. 

Speaking to Sky Sports for a documentary on their friendship, Klopp recalls his meeting with Wagner. 

"Somebody, I do not know how it happened, put us together in a room and that was the start of a lifelong friendship," Klopp said.

"It is like family, so we understand each other as brothers and it feels like this as it is that long.

"He was not very consistent, even if he does not want to hear it! A big talent, but not every day! He was very a young player when he came from Eintracht Frankfurt to Mainz, a very skilled boy, very quick, a good striker."

Wagner, who is four years younger than Klopp, felt that their similar views both of life and football saw them develop a special connection. 

“It was love on the first view, as we say in Germany. We became friends more or less from that first meeting. We were able to communicate and we were on the same level. More or less right from the start we became roomies and spent every second around football.

“I’ve known Jurgen longer than I’ve known my wife,” he explained to The Guardian in 2015. “We met up at Mainz and I took his place in the team, so he changed his role from a striker to a defender because it was much easier for him!

"I know he is living this job 100pc. He always thinks about football or his team, always. I think you do this if you are a good head coach. You can never stop your brain from thinking about what could happen tomorrow or next week or the next hour. It is not possible to close your brain to this in football."

Despite their footballing connections, their friendship extends off the pitch with Wagner asked by Klopp to be the best man at his wedding to his wife Ulla in 2005. 

“Yes, I was the best man, but I’ve no idea what the speech was like because I drank too much alcohol!

“I’m not the best drinker – I need two beers and it’s enough," he told Four Four Two. "Klopp’s miles better at drinking alcohol than me!".

Jurgen Klopp and David Wagner have know each other for more than 25 years. (Image: PA)

Wagner had constantly had to field questions on and battle comparisons to the Liverpool boss throughout his managerial career, especially when the two came up against each other in England. 

“I understand all of the excitement in this story from the media,” he said. “Two best friends – sometimes I would say it is more like a family member than a friend – working as managers. I get this story is great for the media.

“But for me, he is only my friend, just like he was my friend 25 years ago. For me, it isn’t something really extraordinary that he is Jurgen Klopp the football manager. That is the case, yes, but even if he was a chef he would still be my friend and I would still have the exact same relationship with him."

After their playing careers, Klopp and Wagner reunited at Borussia Dortmund where Wagner became head coach of the second team. 

Klopp led Dortmund to the domestic double in the season after Wagner's arrival. Despite their closeness, there was no interference from the Liverpool boss to bring him to Signal Iduna Park originally. 

When Klopp departed to Liverpool, there was speculation that Wagner would join him as his assistant, something that was quickly quashed as the 51-year-old became head coach of Huddersfield Town. 

As Wagner was leading them to the Premier League, Klopp was watching on during his holiday. 

"I was in the South of France at a friends' house and we watched it on television," Klopp said.

"He asked me if I wanted to come, but I feel a little bit sorry for him as I really think he is big and strong enough, and what he has achieved so far is big enough, so nobody has to mention he is best man of Klopp.'

"I did not want to come in the stadium and have one camera on me and see how I react when he should be, or his team, in the middle of all interest.

"So I did not want to play this part and we watched it and I was nervous like hell. And afterwards, Ulla [Sandrock, Klopp's wife] sent him a video of me crying like a baby when it happened, the final penalty, as I could not stop."

Wagner has been unapologetically influenced by Klopp's style the football - the pair bonded on their similar ideas of football and have played in similar ways over the years at various clubs. 

Former Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick inspired both Jurgen Klopp and David Wagner. (Image: PA Images)

"There are three main takeaways: the analytical approach of Ralf Rangnick, the human and emotional approach of Kloppo and the style of football they both wanted to play - that's what shaped me as a coach," he told the Bundesliga's official website. "It's difficult with role models. Kloppo's success is exemplary, but very few achieve it.

“I am totally convinced about this way of playing. I like speed, I like passion, I like this style of football. Bayern Munich, for example, are very successful and play another style. I respect their style and it is another idea about football that is very successful but, if I had to choose what style I like most of all, it is this style.

"I'd just joined the reserves when he'd won his first Bundesliga title. I thought: it can't get any better. And then he won the domestic double, and [the reserves] got promoted. I said to myself that his achievements are extraordinary, but I also said it would be difficult to repeat."