He had taken everyone by surprise. In a simple video, just one minute long, Jürgen Klopp announced his departure from Liverpool on January 26, 2024, after nine years on the bench. The German tactician, now Director of Football within the Red Bull group, still embodies the success of the Reds in the 21st century, notably returning to the title of champion of England after 30 years of drought.
In detail, the German won eight major trophies with the club from the North West of England. In addition to the championship, there is an English Cup, two League Cups, a Super Cup, a Club World Cup, or even the famous Champions League against Tottenham (0-2) in 2019.
However, all this could never have happened. Then coach of Borussia Dortmund, with whom he stood out in particular for his C1 final in 2013 (lost to Bayern Munich 1-2), or his double in the championship in 2011 and then in 2012, Klopp attracted the desire of many European leaders. Including a certain Manchester United, orphaned by the departure of Sir Alex Fergusson in 2013.
Klopp: 'It wasn't my plan'
“The year Sir Alex retired, they contacted me. Of course they were interested at one point. At the time I would have been interested, I was young, I had a sensational team at Dortmund. They probably wondered, “What is he doing there?” » »first explains Jürgen Klopp in the podcast Diary of a CEO by Steve Barlett. The Red Devils then approached the tactician. “United tried to contact me. It was bad timing. I had a contract at Dortmund and I wouldn't have wanted to leave for anyone. They wanted a new coach and I was one of the few possible options, I think. »
But looking back, the former Mainz player has no regrets. The fault lies with a project that was out of step with its expectations at the time.
“There were things in the conversations that I didn’t like. The idea was so ambitious. “We take all the players we want, we have them.” I told myself that this was not my project. It wasn't the right time, but above all it wasn't my plan. » An analysis which was verified in the following years, notably with transfers like Angel Di Maria, Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez and Paul Pogba. A project too focused on economics, in opposition to that of Liverpool, which weighed greatly in the balance.
