How did the journalists laugh back in Mainz when the not particularly talented defender Jürgen Klopp was introduced to them as interim coach. That was 2001, FSV Mainz 05 was in a relegation zone in the Second Bundesliga and there was actually hardly any hope left. Soon no one was laughing anymore: the club managed to stay in the league and narrowly missed promotion twice in the following two years. In 2004, Jürgen Klopp made it: He led his “carnival club” into the Bundesliga.
In his biography “I like it when it crashes”, the sports journalist Raphael Honigstein traces the coach’s breathtaking rise – from his beginnings in the Black Forest through his playing days, which took him to the second division, to his great triumphs with Borussia Dortmund and the successful move to England to Liverpool FC. The author does not proceed chronologically, but jumps back and forth from the different locations – which significantly increases the appeal of his story. Honigstein spoke to many of the coach’s companions for this book. These included the then Mainz manager Christian Heidel, BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke and former Kloppos players, including Neven Subotic and Ilkay Gündogan. The result is a very lively narrative that focuses heavily on the life of the charismatic person. Klopp’s tactical innovations are also touched on, but if you want to find out more, you should consult the specialist literature.
Due to Jürgen Klopp’s extraordinary popularity, this audio book is also interesting for people who are not particularly interested in football. “I like it when it crashes” is almost Hollywood-ready material. The book tells a fairytale story of rise – who doesn’t like that?
The actor and speaker Achim Buch guides the listener through the book without any false drama – and this is precisely how he manages to arouse curiosity about what happens next. Many a sports commentator can learn a lesson from this: tension can be achieved without shouting.
The well-researched biography was written by Raphael Honigstein. He is not only an excellent sports journalist, but also an excellent expert on English sport: Honigstein has lived in London for more than 25 years. There he is active as an intercultural mediator: In the “Guardian” he brings the Bundesliga closer to the British, and conversely he writes about English football in the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”.
Due to the intricate structure of the book, it sometimes takes a while to get your bearings when returning to the book after a long listening break: Are you now in Mainz, Dortmund, Liverpool – or in the Black Forest? A more theoretical objection: Once you start with the audio book, you will quickly get hooked and listen to it in one sitting.
