Life, the 2nd chance and Jurgen Klopp

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I am good with dates. I vividly remember it was 26th May 2018. I had my final exam of Engineering life and Liverpool were set to face Real Madrid for the UCL final. The build-up to the game wasn't ideal for me personally. I had already received 3 rejections for my MS applications. For some reason, I built up a mental image that "Everything can't be bad" and LFC are gonna lift the 6th. That obviously didn't happen. After the final, a dejected Jurgen Klopp said back then: "This is not the end, only beginning". But I kinda refused to believe it. This was a golden opportunity that LFC lost.

I remember waking up on the 27th. Never felt worse in life. Had nothing to look forward to. Engrossed in despair. On the 29th something changed. I wake up to my Twitter notifications at 5:30 AM. Liverpool FC have signed Fabinho. Out of nowhere. A type of player Klopp has never signed before. That made me thinking, I should probably change my approach too. And I started preparing for GATE. The point I wanted to reach was still the same, but the path changed a bit.

The following season (2018-19) Liverpool were on fire. But it seemed that this was going to be another "So close but yet so far" kind of season when Barcelona beat us 3-0. Klopp, however, clearly had different plans. I will never forget his press conference before the return leg of Barcelona: "If we can do it, wonderful, If not, let’s fail in the most beautiful way". Liverpool did the unthinkable. Defeated Barca 4-0 and then went on to become the European Champions for the record 6th time. Meanwhile, I had another rejection from ISI Kolkata before joining Jadavpur University for a similar course.

Fast forward to 2021, Liverpool FC have lifted the 1st Premier League and 19th League title. Klopp has made the dreams of millions come true. I am also in a much better place than I was back in 2018 March. Over the years, days after days, when I had nothing to look forward to, I have taken my much-needed inspiration from Jurgen Klopp. I have learned so much from his general approach to life. I am now quite comfortable in accepting things that I am not good at. But the most valuable lesson I've learned from Mr. Klopp is this: Life really provides you the 2nd chance if you work for it (I think Klopp has said something similar too). Jurgen Klopp is the living embodiment of the '2nd chance' that many doubters refuse to believe. I used to be one of them too. But he has changed me from a doubter to a believer, just like he promised. Thank you, Jurgen Klopp. You'll never walk alone.


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