With Jurgen Klopp committing his future to Liverpool until at least 2026, you'd be hard-pressed to find a Reds fan unhappy with his spell in charge.
However, the club can count themselves fortunate it ended up like this. Klopp was by no means the only manager linked with a move to Anfield when Brendan Rodgers was dismissed in 2015, and their other potential picks have had very different fortunes in the years since.
“Like any healthy relationship, it always has to be a two-way street; you have to be right for each other," Klopp said after extending his stay on Merseyside. "The feeling we were absolutely right for each other is what brought me here in the first place and it’s why I’ve extended previously.
"This one is different because of the length of time we have been together. I had to ask myself the question: Is it right for Liverpool that I stay longer?"
The relationship between Klopp and Liverpool is clearly one that works, but would we be saying the same if they'd opted for one of the other contenders? Mirror Football has looked at five other contenders to see what they're up to now.
Ronald Koeman
Liverpool had already been stocking up on Southampton players in the previous transfer windows, with Nathaniel Clyne joining Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren at Anfield shortly before Rodgers was sacked. Why not also add the manager who got the best out of them on the south coast?
When Koeman did finally leave St Mary's, he would find himself up against Klopp as manager of Everton. However, after a solid enough first season, a nightmare 2017-18 saw him relieved of his duties.
The Dutchman then took charge of his national side, leading them to Euro 2020 qualification before taking his dream job at Barcelona, and is due to take charge of the Oranje for a second time after the World Cup following a difficult spell at Camp Nou.
Walter Mazzarri
Mazzarri had thrived at Napoli, leading the Serie A club to two Champions League qualifications in three seasons. However, a less impressive time with Inter Milan meant he was out of work in 2015 and ready for a new challenge.
The Italian's agent revealed he was taking English lessons, adding fuel to the Liverpool fire. Mazzarri would indeed end up moving to the Premier League, albeit with Watford rather than Liverpool, and lasted just one season at Vicarage Road after six defeats at the end of the 2016-17 season saw them slip to 17th.
The 60-year-old returned to Serie A after his short-lived spell in England, spending more than two years at Torino. He's now at Cagliari, having been hired in a fire-fighting mission in September, and his future in Sardinia may depend on an ability to keep his team afloat.
Frank de Boer
Another man with Inter on his CV, De Boer may feel very much like a bullet dodged for Liverpool. The Ajax manager had four Eredivisie titles to his name but would end up missing out by just two points in 2015-16 after being passed over for the Anfield job.
De Boer's stint at the San Siro lasted less than three months and would have been considered a disaster were it not for the even worse spell in England. All four of his league games ended in defeat, and he was swiftly sacked before resurfacing in MLS in 2018.
The former Barcelona player's most recent post saw him take charge of the Dutch national side when Koeman left for Camp Nou. However, that too ended in tears after a Euro 2020 elimination at the hands of the Czech Republic.
Carlo Ancelotti
Ancelotti had been taking a break in 2015 after leaving Real Madrid but was sounded out by Liverpool before they opted for Klopp. The Italian was a popular option with fans at the time but ended up prolonging his break as he recovered from a spinal operation.
The Champions League winner was back in the game at the start of the 2016-17 season, taking over from Pep Guardiola when the Catalan boss left Bayern Munich for Manchester City. He wasn't universally popular in Bavaria, but former Bayern captain Philipp Lahm has spoken fondly of him more recently.
After stints with Napoli and Everton, Ancelotti got his chance to vie for Champions League glory again by returning to Real Madrid last summer. He could end up denying Liverpool a European title if the two teams meet in this season's final, but there still aren't too many fans who would turn back time and choose him over Klopp.
