Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp on cooking, life after Anfield and how he would like to be remembered
Interviewing Jurgen Klopp the morning after Liverpool’s rare and humbling defeat to Atalanta in the Europa League at Anfield isn’t ideal timing.
After a sleepless night of analysing what did and didn’t happen, Klopp has already moved on to Sunday’s match against Crystal Palace: “This game was a low point from a performance point of view definitely,” he says.
“The good thing about a low point is it’s easy to improve, so you only have to make the next step and we have to show this immediately against Palace. In life and sports you can have setbacks, it’s all about the reaction.”
But it’s back-to-back disappointments for Liverpool after the draw with Manchester United last Sunday, and with no space for a wobble in this three-way title race he admits the Palace game has become massive.
“It would have been massive anyway but now with that one in mind [the loss to Atalanta] for the outside world it’s even more massive,” he says.
Liverpool’s 3-0 loss to Atalanta. Pic: Reuters
“What is better to wake you up than a loud alarm clock and obviously last night I can still hear the bells so that means we should be awake for that one.”
With just seven Premier League matches to go of his tenure, the pressure on the players is intense – no one wants to make the mistake that could take Liverpool out of the title race.
There are obviously nerves but Klopp says talking is key: “We talk and remind the boys of the things we are really good at because we are really good.
Klopp says he has never considered himself a great manager. Pic: Reuters
“That’s the reason we are where we are, we just have to show that every day and that’s now the situation. That’s not new, for some the situation might be a bit new but that’s when the more experienced players have to step in and lead the pack on the pitch.”
When he led Liverpool to the Premier League title in 2020, COVID meant the treasured trophy lift was to an empty stadium, but Klopp doesn’t view it as a missing moment from his life.
He says: “For me I’ve had enough parades and parties, it was never about that and it will never be (about that) but I would love to give the people the opportunity to celebrate something special and I think it would be right as well.
Liverpool’s Premier League win in 2020. Pic: Reuters
“I’m still happy we are still in that fight. I want to make sure we really go for it. Sometimes life and football are the same you need a proper smash to realise why you do what you do and we got that smash and we will use it.”
Having to juggle the squad this season, bringing in young players to seamlessly plug gaps has had its challenges, but Klopp laughs at the idea that it would be one of his greatest managerial achievements if they could win the league title.
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“I don’t care if that’s what that would mean – would that make me a great manager? I never considered myself a great manager. Never, ever in my life,” the football manager says.
“I am surprised until this day that people see me that way, that’s 100% true but I accept it that people see me like that.
Liverpool’s match against United ended 2-2. Pic: Reuters
“What’s important is that the Liverpool people are happy with what we did that’s the only important thing. I don’t need the comparison with Arsene Wenger or whatever. It doesn’t mean anything to me.
“On my gravestone, I don’t want ‘here is one of the most successful managers on the planet’ you are still lying three feet under. No not for me. I want to be remembered as somebody who helped people through life.”
Life after Anfield
Every match takes the 56-year-old German closer to the end of his story at Liverpool.
Pic: Reuters
Having shocked the footballing world by announcing in January that he would be quitting at the end of this season, he has no doubts whatsoever about his decision, saying it is “100%” right.
So what is his plan? Holidays? Gardening?
“There’s a few things Ulla [Klopp’s wife] told me – I have to learn cooking and a dance class,” he says.
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“I said you don’t want me to have a break because if I do that I will start working after four weeks again! I should learn cooking probably so I can at least make some breakfast or whatever.”
He continues to say: “This will be the first time in my life where I don’t have a real idea of what I will do and that’s exactly what I want.”
Pic: Reuters
When I ask if he can cook anything at all he replies: “No. Hot water, tea does that count?
“During COVID I did scrambled eggs but after that I forgot it again. I was raised in the Black Forest with two sisters, the only reason I knew where the kitchen was was because the smell came from there! I’m pretty useless in private life.”
I finish the interview with a hypothetical question about his send-off at Liverpool.
If he could pick one artist or band (alive or dead) to play at it who would it be and what would they sing?
Klopp in March. Pic: Reuters
“It’s Liverpool so it would be the Beatles 100%, they could easily choose the song because I love them all,” he says.
“Actually, the band that is alive is Die Toten Hosen, the translation is The Dead Pants. It’s a punk rock band and the lead singer Campino is a good friend of mine and the biggest LFC supporter on the planet – that would be the biggest day of his life.
“They sing in German so no one would understand but that’s fine,” Klopp adds, laughing at the idea of it.
Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.
The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.
A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.
The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.
Pic: LNP
They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.
A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.
Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.
There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.
More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.
Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.
Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.
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Pic: LNP
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.
“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”
The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.
The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.
Counter-terrorism police are investigating after an incident involving a crossbow and a firearm left two women injured in Leeds.
Police were called to Otley Road at 2.47pm on Saturday to reports of a “serious incident involving a man seen with weapons”, West Yorkshire Police said.
Officers arrived at the scene to find two women injured – and a 38-year-old man with a self-inflicted injury. All three were taken to hospital, with the man held under arrest, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
“Two weapons have been recovered from the scene, which were a crossbow and a firearm,” Counter Terrorism Policing North East said in a statement.
The incident happened on the ‘Otley Run’ pub crawl, with one venue saying it was closed for the evening due to “unforeseen circumstances”.
Officers guard one of the crime scenes
Officers inside the cordon in Leeds
Counter Terrorism Policing’s statement added: “Due to the circumstances surrounding the incident, Counter Terrorism Policing North East have taken responsibility for leading the investigation with the support of West Yorkshire Police.
“Extensive enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances and explore any potential motivation.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described it as a “serious violent incident” and said she was being kept updated by police.
“Thank you to the police and emergency services for their swift response,” she said. “My thoughts are with the victims and all those affected by this attack.”
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