Abu Dhabi: Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler firmly believes the ‘Reds have a real chance of finishing in the top four’ in the English Premier League this season.
The former striker is pretty impressed the way Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side have gone about their business so far in the league with an impressive win against Arsenal, Chelsea and last season’s Champions Leicester City.
“Where Liverpool would finish is a million dollar question. Liverpool’s ambition is to rise as high on the table as they possibly can and in the top four; I think it is a real achievable possibility,” said Fowler, who was here in the capital for the opening for the club’s first merchandise shop.
“The club has started really well and if they keep this up, then we can finish there. The signs are really good at the minute. The simple answer is to finish as high as possible,” added Fowler, who during his time with the red brigade played along side Ian Rush, Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard and won six major honours with the club.
Liverpool, along with some impressive performances against top clubs, has also hit low by losing to teams like Burnley. However, Fowler feels with one slip-up one cannot rate the team to be inconsistent.
“I think we lost one game but we had a great start. We beat Arsenal, got three points moved to Chelsea and got three points you beat the champions (Leicester) and you draw with Tottenham. For me, that is not inconsistency, obviously you lose sometimes. The signs are really good. We are playing good football, scoring goals. We have a fantastic manager who is bringing out the very best in the players,” said Fowler, who left Liverpool in late 2001 to join then rival Premier League side Leeds United after a split with manager Gerard Houllier before making a stunning return to the club in 2006 under Spanish manager Rafa Benitez.
Fowlers feels Klopp did really well during the transfer and is reaping the rewards of the right signing he made.
“Of course, Klopp did well in the transfer window. One of the outstanding players is Mane (Sadio) we brought him in very early into the team and he has intensified the players around him like Philippe Coutinh and Adam Lallana. We are a better team than last year, the stats say that,” said Fowler, who scored 120 goals for the Anfield Club between 1993 to 2001 and another eight goals when he returned again in 2006.
Fowler now has set sights on taking up a role of a manager and is currently trying to get his Pro license.
“My ambitions and aspiration is that I want to be a manager, I’m doing my Pro licence. I would love to coach if given the opportunity. If I was asked to, I would surely love to be here with some club,” said Fowler, who also felt that the UAE football is on the resurgence.
“I have lived over here and have been coming here a few times. I have seen a few games and I think the football over here is getting bigger and better with some good players. You look at so many UAE clubs in the Asian Champions League, they are playing very well and they have very strong teams, very well organised. They have some very good players and will not surprise me in the future to see a UAE player playing in the Premier league,” said Fowler, who figured in 266 games for Liverpool.
