What makes a cult hero? The definition can fluctuate relying in your interpretation of the phrase. As of late it would embody whether or not a participant has ‘gone viral’ – simply as Ragnar Klavan did throughout his time at Anfield.
The ‘Klavan Flip’ was one thing followers loved through the Estonian’s time at Liverpool and his trademark transfer has even been featured within the FIFA online game.
He’s additionally entertained with a stint on Estonian TV in Dancing with the Stars, furthering his cult hero standing and meme-ability.
The centre-back was again at Anfield final weekend, making his debut look for the Liverpool Legends within the LFC Basis’s match towards Celtic.
This Is Anfield spoke to the participant, who made 53 appearances for the Reds in his two seasons on the membership, scoring two objectives – one in every of them a memorable injury-time winner at Burnley.
Becoming a member of Liverpool and studying from Jurgen
Klavan arrived from Ausburg in summer season 2016 for a £4.2 million price.
“My first day once I arrived right here was one thing particular,” he recollects. “That is one thing you’ll always remember in your life.
“To be a part of this superb group, to go and work with so many superb gamers collectively and below Jurgen Klopp and to do in these two years, that type of growth what occurred with Liverpool Soccer Membership.
“To be a part of it, to witness it, it was one thing that I keep in mind prefer it was yesterday.”
Klavan made 20 league appearances in his debut season, Klopp’s first full marketing campaign in cost on the membership – a season that basically set the foundations for what was to observe.
“Jurgen, his charisma,” says Klavan with a smile. “Along with his teaching model, along with his group conferences, along with his talks, how he can inspire the gamers and when occasions are getting onerous and he can coach you or speak you again into getting one of the best out of you.
“I realized additionally so much from him and likewise from all people right here from Liverpool Soccer Membership. So these two years I actually, actually absorbed lots of issues.”
The Klavan Flip Defined
One of many issues we have now to ask is that flip. Is he conscious of the memes?
“Yeah, it’s been round,” he laughs! “This, this has gone a bit bit viral.” Does he get pleasure from it? “Yeah!”
Explaining it, he says: “It was one thing that I did [due to] eager to make the sport faster in that place.”
Creativity takes braveness. Presenting ….
Klavan Flip. pic.twitter.com/dIakFA4fJJ
— RoadTripMoments® (@RoadTripMoments) October 30, 2017
47’ | Klavan simply did *THAT* flip once more ?
?0-0? (0-2)
— Paide Linnameeskond (@PLinnameeskond) August 11, 2022
Do you know? In Estonia they do not use clocks, as an alternative measuring the times by watching Ragnar Klavan flip.
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) April 8, 2017
Swapping soccer boots for dancing footwear!
So was The Klavan Flip one thing he labored into his Dancing on the Stars – ala Tony Adams on Strictly?
“When your profession is ending and you’ve got much more free time to tackle completely different initiatives that was one thing that I wished to attempt,” he says.
“It was actually tough coordination-wise, movement-wise. And I’m actually joyful that I took on that problem and skilled various things in life. That’s at all times been my character.”
So who out of the present Liverpool squad can be good on Strictly Come Dancing? It’s a simple reply:
“Properly, Roberto Firmino for certain. He was already [able] with out teaching, he was good [on the dancefloor]! I wanted lots of teaching to to get myself shifting!”
We must always have guessed!
Returning to Liverpool
As the one outfield participant Klopp has signed aged 30 or above, Klavan’s debut for the LFC Legends means he’s the primary – and solely up to now – participant who was signed by Klopp to play for the membership’s Legends aspect.
“[Being back,] it brings again lots of reminiscences,” says the now 37-year-old, talking on the eve of the match on the AXA Coaching Centre.
“I traveled right here with my household, so we walked round a bit bit within the metropolis as effectively.”
The gamers don’t obtain a price for enjoying for the Legends, however they do get to return to the membership, carry their households and luxuriate in being again at Anfield, on the pitch, enjoying in entrance of a full stadium. It’s a particular second for any former participant.
“It’s an ideal expertise for me to do it,” says Klavan. “And a bit bit completely different setting, [the new training ground].
“The charity factor is the primary factor. In fact, carry these individuals [fans] to the stands and to do it for an ideal trigger. And even when we outdated gamers can nonetheless assistance on that trigger we’re joyful to do it.”
It additionally means the chance to be alongside legends of the membership from earlier than Klavan’s time at LFC, the likes of Steven Gerrard, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush and John Barnes:
“I met him [Dalglish] earlier than, however to even nearer with them, it’s very nice. They’re true and massive legends of Liverpool.”
Whereas some supporters could scoff on the semantics of the phrase legend, any former Liverpool participant who contributes their time for charity must be applauded and deserving of such experiences.
For Klavan, he’ll at all times be remembered as a stable defender, whose expertise and professionalism performed a task in laying the foundations for the success that quickly arrived after he left the membership in 2018.
