Jurgen Klopp believes that Andriy Voronin had masses of potential and could have been a great player.
The German managed the former Liverpool forward during his time at Mainz, four years before Rafa Benitez signed him on a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen.
Vorinin, now 42, failed to live up to his reputation, scoring only 5 goals in his 27 appearances over three years for the Reds and was shipped off to Dynamo Moscow in 2010, where he is now assistant manager.
“If Andriy had known just one day in his life how good he could have been, it would have been absolutely amazing,” said Klopp. “Andriy was an incredible player, an incredible talent.
“Actually, I was a little unfair. In my first year as coach, I think my first full season as coach especially, I would always only sub him on. And then Andriy came to my room during the training camp and asked, ‘Kloppo, why do I never start?’
“I said, ‘Do you want the honest answer?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ So I said, ‘Because you don’t complain when you don’t start!’
“He replied, ‘Fair enough!’ And he carried on not starting.”
