Jurgen Klopp has revealed why he chose to become Liverpool manager and also his reasoning for turning down the Manchester United job.
The German coach met with United CEO Ed Woodward after the departure of David Moyes, but he turned down the chance to take over the reigns at Old Trafford and instead decided to take a sabbatical from football.
He would then accept Liverpool’s offer to succeed Brendan Rodgers in October 2015. Speaking to the Mirror, Klopp seems to feel that the Anfield outfit are more focused on football than business – unlike their bitter rivals United.
“I love the history,” began the Liverpool boss. “I really am a football romantic. I knew I probably can help. They maybe really need me, in this time. I know what I’m good at.
“When they told me about the problems they had I thought ‘OK, yeah, I am probably the really right manager for that club’.
“A little thing. Liverpool is a world class brand, big, big, big, but in Melwood, you know it Robbie, it is still a family, nothing else, and you can go in and feel that.
“I have to develop and improve, sure, but I don’t want to go into the office in the morning to wear a tie. That is not me.
“So when you see the pictures – and I realise it as well, by the way – I look still like a player… that’s not cool, but that’s me. I go in with a baseball cap and they still respect me, I don’t have to act in a specific way.
“They took me like I am, they didn’t ask me to do anything else, so I could focus from the first day completely on football.
“It is a football club. A FOOTBALL club.”
It’s hard to deny that Klopp has been a success at Anfield, steering them to the Champions League final this weekend, and back to being regulars in the top four of the Premier League.
