Jurgen Klopp has praised the Borussia Dortmund supporters following Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Wolfsburg and said he will miss them when he is no longer in charge of the club.
Dortmund had to settle for a point at the Westfalenstadion, despite taking the lead twice and having had a number of chances to seal their third consecutive home win in the Bundesliga.
An 85th-minute header from unmarked centre-back Naldo secured a draw for Wolfsburg and left BVB in 16th -- the relegation playoff place -- with only one game left before the winter break.
But despite Dortmund's troubles, the sold-out Westfalenstadion not only roared on their players during the match but also applauded the squad after the final whistle -- something many of the fans have done throughout the first half of the season.
On his way back to the dressing room after taking in chants of his name from the stands, the Dortmund boss turned around and bowed to the fans.
Was wir noch sagen wollten: // One more thing: #bvbwob pic.twitter.com/RNOujHlCI2
- Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) December 17, 2014
"This was the last home game [before the winter break]," Klopp told a news conference. "And there might come a time in my life when I am no longer the coach of this team. But what I know already is that I will miss them.
"It's just extraordinary what the fans do here. That's just fantastic. There are several stadiums with a great atmosphere in the world, but only a few who go wild like that when you are 16th."
Over the last few weeks, Klopp has dropped hints that his time at the Westfalenstadion may soon come to an end. In October 2013, the Dortmund boss signed a new contract which runs until 2018.
Klopp has been backed by the board despite the club's struggles on the pitch, but in November he hinted he would be open to managing in the Premier League, and called England "the only country" he could see himself coaching in after Germany.
"So we will see. If somebody will call me, then we will talk about it," he told BT Sport.
However, Klopp later insisted that the interview created the false impression that he is already contemplating life after Dortmund, while he was merely referring to some time ahead in the future.
Meanwhile, Klaus Toppmoller, who took Bayer Leverkusen to the Champions League final in 2002 before being sacked the following February amid a relegation battle, had some words of advice for Klopp.
"My advice to Jurgen Klopp: Don't give up," read the headline of Toppmoller's column in kicker.
"I just hope that Klopp does not commit the mistake and gives up. I can only say: Don't do it! There will be better times," he wrote.
Toppmoller added that the Dortmund boss has done unbelievable things at the club and "is and will continue to be a great coach."