The long-serving former Reds goalkeeping coach, who spent 15 years at Liverpool FC, admitted almost nobody inside the club saw it coming when Jurgen Klopp announced in early 2024 that he would step down.
“We were all a little bit surprised,” Achterberg told Football Presse.
“No one saw it coming, apart from the guys who already knew.”
Klopp’s decision ended a trophy-laden era that delivered the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and more — transforming Liverpool back into European heavyweights.
Achterberg insists the announcement did not derail the squad, even with a refreshed team rebuilding under a new cycle.
“We had a pretty good season because there were a lot of changes,” he said.
“We were fighting until the last month for trophies again.”
Liverpool went on to lift silverware during the transition and, as of February 2026, remain firmly in the title mix under the new regime — proof, Achterberg says, that the foundations Klopp built are still strong.
“Last year we won the league pretty early,” he added.
“The squad stayed together. There’s a lot of good play going on now.”
Shock at first.
But no collapse.
According to Achterberg, Klopp may have left Anfield — but the standards he set never did.