Jurgen Klopp has saluted Arsene Wenger as he prepares to leave Arsenal.
Wenger announced on Friday that he will step down from the Emirates Stadium hot seat at the end of this season, following 22 years at the helm.
In that time, the 68-year-old won the Premier League title three times as well as seven FA Cups and could still end the campaign with Europa League glory.
Klopp has faced Wenger 10 times in his managerial career, never losing in his five as Liverpool manager, and paid a glowing tribute to the Frenchman.
He said: “First of all I heard it when I came in this morning so I was surprised but it is his decision and we have to respect that.
“Today we would probably say he was, and is still, an influencer in football.
“He had a fantastic career, an outstanding personality; just a really big player in the business where usually things change overnight.
“He was there for so long [22 years] that’s long and very successful.
“Maybe in the last few months not everybody was happy anymore about this or that result but that’s normal and part of the business.
“But he always developed teams, brought fantastic players in and was dominating in the mid-90s, maybe early 2000s when he was really winning pretty much everything.
“He played wonderful football so I admired his work always. Since I’m in England it’s a little bit different because we had to challenge them.
“But [observing] from Germany, he was always a big role model in the job and so it will be different without him.
“I’m not sure if he only steps down at Arsenal and will go to another club. He looks quite fit obviously and enjoyed the job, even in the last few years.
“Maybe he will be somewhere else but, from my side, I wish him all the best.
“Hopefully I can meet him at one point again and tell him that in a personal talk.”