Jurgen Klopp’s decision to quit Liverpool was such a closely guarded secret that even club staff were caught out by the news on Friday, i understands.
Klopp told Liverpool’s hierarchy of his intention to leave in November but the news remained a closely guarded secret until Friday morning – when he opted to go public to enable the club to begin succession planning.
No successor has been picked and i understands the club intend to run what has been described as a “thorough and meticulous” recruitment process both for Klopp’s replacement and a new director of football to replace short-term summer appointment Jorg Schmadtke.
But on reflection there were signs the day the club dreaded was coming.
The summer director of football call
It will not get the headlines but the simultaneous announcement that Schmadtke will leave his role speaks volumes. That Liverpool picked him even when he was in semi-retirement perhaps hinted at some summer concerns about Klopp from the club’s hierarchy.
Schmadtke’s appointment raised eyebrows in the world of elite football given his background and CV. It was not an appointment for the long-term, rather one that shored up Klopp’s position and linked him up with someone he had always wanted to work with. Appointing an ally was a clear vote of confidence in Klopp.
Indeed i is aware of one candidate for the role who was in advanced discussions with the ownership group that touched on Klopp’s future and succession planning. On Friday they were on manoeuvres again, hoping Friday’s seismic news at Anfield might offer a new opportunity.
Financial muscle concerns
Klopp has been outspoken about the uneven financial playing field in the Premier League.
In October 2022 he admitted it would be impossible for Liverpool to compete with the financial might of Manchester City before aiming some not-so-subtle digs in the direction of Saudi Arabia-controlled Newcastle United.
The Magpies’ director of football Dan Ashworth had said the club’s ambition had “no ceiling” but Klopp’s interpretation of that was that Newcastle’s spending power was unassailable. “Congratulations,” he said. “Some clubs have ceilings.”
It is to Klopp’s credit that he has found a way to trade blows with City despite their spending power (financial muscle that comes with the caveat of the 115 financial charges the Premier League laid at their door last season).
Below par results last season
Klopp admitted in April he felt like the “last man standing” after the sackings of Brendan Rodgers and Graham Potter, who paid the price for poor results at Leicester and Chelsea last season.
He was man enough to admit that had it been his first season in charge he would have been under pressure for Liverpool’s under-par performances. Despite drifting out of top four contention and an early Champions League knockout he was never seriously under pressure, but the thought had clearly crossed his mind.
Instead Klopp has gone out on his own terms, his status as a bona fide club legend assured.
Snarling Amazon interview before Christmas
We now know that Klopp had decided to leave before his testy exchange with Amazon presenter Marcus Buckland, who made the mistake of joking about early kick-offs in a post-match interview, something that the Liverpool boss had been scathing about in previous press conferences.
“That’s really brave to make a joke about that,” Klopp said when Buckland said it was his “favourite kick-off time”.
Now we know he is leaving, his extended monologue about the relentless festive fixture schedule speaks volumes.
“It is constant. We go home, I don’t know exactly what time we will get home, we will arrive, maybe 1am-2am tonight and then we play again. We have two [training] sessions,” he said.
“It is fine to recover and then we go again. I realise you don’t understand it as well even when you work in football, so why should I try to explain again.
“If you make a joke out of that you are completely ignorant. But it’s good, football is entertainment and I understand. It’s all good.”
The call of international management
One source who speaks regularly to a Klopp ally claims the Liverpool boss has always been intrigued by the challenges of international management. There have reportedly been informal approaches from the German FA before and while Klopp has never been tempted, that could now change.
“He sees it is a totally different job to club management,” the source claimed.
Given his admission that the demands of the Liverpool job have drained his energy it would be a natural next step for Klopp: allowing him a high-profile role working with world class players but without the day-to-day demands which have edged him out of the Anfield exit. Both the Germany and England jobs are likely to be available at the end of Euro 2024.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/C4zn0VL
Post a Comment