Jürgen Klopp, the charismatic former manager of Liverpool, didn't hold back during his "Danke, Jürgen" farewell event on Tuesday, targeting several rival clubs while reflecting on his illustrious tenure at Liverpool. Held at the M&S Bank Arena, the event saw Klopp engaging with fans and addressing some contentious issues in the football world.
During his nine years at Liverpool, Klopp led the team to seven major trophies, including the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020. However, his remarks at the farewell event were as notable as his achievements, with pointed digs at Manchester City, Chelsea, and Manchester United.
Criticisms of Manchester City
Klopp took a swipe at Manchester City, which has been charged with 115 breaches of the Premier League's financial rules. The Premier League's CEO, Richard Masters, announced in April that a hearing regarding these breaches would take place soon. Reflecting on Liverpool's near misses in the league, where they were narrowly beaten by City on two occasions, Klopp's frustration was palpable.
"If you organize a bus parade, I'm in!" Klopp quipped when comedian John Bishop suggested that Liverpool might retroactively win more Premier League titles if City is found guilty of the charges. "How long it takes I don't care."
The "Liverpool Way"
Klopp expressed no regrets over Liverpool's refusal to engage in exorbitant spending sprees like some of their rivals. "Can you imagine LFC as the club with unlimited money?" he asked. "Imagine Kylian Mbappé came here. Imagine Bellingham came here, Haaland. It is not us, it just does not fit. We won what we won and we did it the Liverpool way."
He emphasized the importance of integrity and support from the club's owners, contrasting Liverpool's approach with that of clubs with more transactional relationships with their managers. "We should be really happy that we have these owners and not guys who bought London clubs and other stuff," Klopp said. "I wouldn't have survived a year at Liverpool [with them in charge]."
Critique of Manchester United's Handling of Jadon Sancho
Klopp also touched on Manchester United's treatment of Jadon Sancho, who rejoined Borussia Dortmund on loan after falling out with United's coach, Erik ten Hag. "If the whole world loses trust and faith in the player, the manager has to be the one behind the player," Klopp stated. "I cannot just buy into that, 'he's useless,' like other clubs did by the way, buying a player for £80 million ($102m) and then sending him out on loan."
During the farewell event, Klopp humorously mentioned he was cautioned against discussing certain topics. "I got a list. Nobody told me what we are talking about, but I got told what we are not talking about," he said, listing topics like "TNT, No 12.30pm discussion, we don't talk about referees, Man City, financial things, VAR."
John Bishop, the host, interjected humorously, "Hang on, can I just tell you? No one showed us the list."
Legacy and Reflections
Despite the pointed critiques, Klopp made it clear he is content with his time at Liverpool. "I'm still a happy man," he said. "I come here tonight and say goodbye, would you be in a different mood if we had won the league three times instead of one time?"
Klopp's farewell was a mix of reflection, humor, and pointed critiques, embodying the passionate and straightforward style that endeared him to Liverpool fans. As he moves on from his role, his legacy at Liverpool remains defined by not only the trophies won but also the manner in which he carried himself and led the team.
