Jurgen Klopp has admitted he offered the same explanation to his wife Ulla as he did to the club over his decision to leave Liverpool.
Klopp announced he would be standing down as Liverpool manager at the end of the 2023/24 season on Friday morning, bringing the football world to a standstill.
The German explained that his key reason behind leaving is tiredness and fatigue, though he also felt a duty to reestablish Liverpool as title contenders before calling time on his spell at Anfield.
As part of extensive interview with club channels, Klopp was asked about his wife’s reaction to this decision seeing as she played a key role in him signing a new contract back in 2022.
“I had to explain it [to Ulla], of course I had to. It was not like, ‘Oh, thank God.’ You must not misunderstand. Not at all. She asked me why and I explained it like I explain it now to you, with a few more maybe private details, but besides that it was pretty similar,” Klopp said.
“And obviously Ulla wants me to do well and be fine, and when she realised that I’m really clear about that – and she knows I don’t take these kind of things lightly – she is happy for me, that I’m happy with the decision. Because that’s the truth.
“When people tell me now all the different things we do in the moment and what’s going well with the team and stuff like this, I enjoy it like crazy. But I enjoy it as well because I know I will not have to do it forever.”
WILL THE JANUARY TRANSFER WINDOW DELIVER?
When quizzed about the reaction from the club’s owners, Klopp replied: “They didn’t smash a party! We developed a really good relationship over the years, but I explained it and they know me now for so long that they know I don’t say these kind of things and leave a little bit of the door open, ‘Come on, try to convince me’ and these kind of things.
“As I said, we’ve known each for so long and that good. That was clear and they accepted, they just accepted it. Nobody was really happy. The few people I have told so far, who I told so far, were not really happy. I am not happy with it, I just know it’s right. What are the alternative scenarios? What are they? Usually as a manager you get the sack. You have a bad spell before – five, six, seven weeks – and everybody is relieved when you part ways. I’m not sure what’s the other one…you get ill and you have to stop. And unfortunately, or fortunately, I have to do it like that.
“I don’t like that we have to make that fuss of myself, I don’t consider myself as that important but I know that the outside world sees that slightly different. That’s why we do that. Doing a press conference, doing an official announcement is a rare thing to do in that situation; we just want to make sure that everybody who is with us gets informed in the best possible way. But after this I’m completely in the Norwich game [on Sunday], I’m completely in the Chelsea game, in the Arsenal game, whatever game is coming up. I’m completely in that.
“There is no need for any farewell parties now, there is a long season to go. I want to be 100% in it, and I am. I am. Nobody has to worry about my mindset. It would be really cool if you just could accept my decision as a difficult one but the right one. That’s it. Because as much as I love everything, I still think it’s the right one – that could show you it is probably the right one.”
READ MORE ON JURGEN KLOPP’S SHOCK LIVERPOOL DEPARTURE
Read More: World News | Entertainment News | Celeb News
90Mins
