Jurgen Klopp to step down as Liverpool manager at end of season; explains reason behind decision (WATCH)
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Jan 26, 2024, 4:28 PM ISTJurgen Klopp on Friday announced his decision to step down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season, having informed the club’s ownership of his wish to leave his position in the summer.
Jurgen Klopp, the esteemed manager of Liverpool Football Club, on Friday made a significant announcement, revealing his intention to step down from his role at the end of the season. Klopp communicated his desire to depart from the club to its ownership, indicating that he will vacate his position in the summer. This decision marks the conclusion of Klopp's impactful tenure at Liverpool, during which he has steered the team to numerous triumphs and accolades.
Klopp took over as Reds boss in October 2015 and his contract was due to run until 2026. He led Liverpool to their first league title in 30 years in 2019-20, having won the Champions League the previous season.
Jürgen Klopp has announced his decision to step down as manager at the end of the season, having informed the club’s ownership of his wish to leave his position in the summer.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)“I can understand that it’s a shock for a lot of people in this moment, when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it – or at least try to explain it,” said Klopp.
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“I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff. I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take," the German added.
“It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again," Klopp further stated.
“After the years we had together and after all the time we spent together and after all the things we went through together, the respect grew for you, the love grew for you and the least I owe you is the truth – and that is the truth," he said.
Watch or read our emotional interview with Jürgen Klopp in full as he discusses today’s news in detail and explains the reasons for his decision.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)Liverpool Football Club has also confirmed that assistant managers Pepijn Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, along with elite development coach Vitor Matos, will be departing from their positions at the end of the season. Lijnders, in particular, expressed his desire to explore opportunities in management, marking the end of an era for the coaching staff alongside Klopp's departure.
A message to Liverpool supporters from Jürgen Klopp. pic.twitter.com/l7rtmxgOzt
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)Klopp added, “I told the club already in November. I have to explain a little bit that maybe the job I do people see from the outside, I’m on the touchline and in training sessions and stuff like this, but the majority of all the things happen around these kind of things. That means a season starts and you plan pretty much the next season already."
“When we sat there together talking about potential signings, the next summer camp and can we go wherever, the thought came up, ‘I am not sure I am here then anymore’ and I was surprised myself by that. I obviously start thinking about it. It didn’t start [then], but of course last season was kind of a super-difficult season and there were moments when at other clubs probably the decision would have been, ‘Come on, thank you very much for everything but probably we should split here, or end it here.’ That didn’t happen here, obviously," he further said.
“For me it was super, super, super-important that I can help to bring this team back onto the rails. It was all I was thinking about. When I realised pretty early that happened, it’s a really good team with massive potential and a super age group, super characters and all that, then I could start thinking about myself again and that was the outcome. It is not what I want to [do], it is just what I think is 100 per cent right," Klopp said.
Since Klopp assumed charge of Liverpool, the club has secured every major honor. Klopp led Liverpool to their sixth European Cup victory in 2019, triumphing over Tottenham in the Champions League final held in Madrid. Subsequently, they clinched the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, followed by the coveted Premier League title in the subsequent season.
In the 2021-22 season, Liverpool achieved a domestic cup double and narrowly missed out on a quadruple. Despite being edged by Manchester City on the final day of the Premier League season and losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid in Paris, they secured significant victories.
Although the Reds failed to secure major silverware last season, Klopp's tenure will conclude at the end of the current season, offering the possibility of adding further accolades to his already illustrious trophy cabinet, including another Premier League title, EFL Cup, FA Cup, and Europa League.
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