Connect with us

Published

on

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is back in football, but not in a coaching role.

The German has been named as the global head of Red Bull’s football operations, overseeing the company’s network of clubs from 1 January.

Klopp, 57, has been on a break since leaving Anfield in the summer after almost a decade in charge.

File photo dated 22-07-2020 of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp walks out on stage past the Premier League trophy during the Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. Issue date: Friday January 26, 2024.
Image:
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp with the Premier League trophy. File pic: PA

He guided the Reds to the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Club World Cup, Super Cup and two League Cups.

The 2020 Premier League triumph was the club’s first title win in 30 years.

After leaving, he said he did not want to take a coaching role for the foreseeable future, though he was thought to be one of the FA’s frontrunners for the vacant England manager’s position.

He is also seen as a potential Germany boss and is understood to have an exit clause in his Red Bull deal if that national team role becomes available.

The current manager, Julian Nagelsmann’s contract ends after the 2026 World Cup

Red Bull said in a statement that Klopp will “focus on supporting the sports directors in advancing the Red Bull philosophy”, rather than being involved in the clubs’ day-to-day operations.

Liverpool's English midfielder Jordan Henderson and Liverpool's Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum hold the European Champion Clubs' Cup trophy, with teammates Liverpool's English midfielder James Milner, Liverpool's English midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Liverpool's Belgian striker Divock Origi, Liverpool's English striker Daniel Sturridge Liverpool's English defender Joe Gomez and Liverpool's English defender Trent Alexander-Arnold during an open-top bus parade around Liverpool, north-west England on June 2, 2019, after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match between Liverpool and Tottenham. - Liverpool's celebrations stretched long into the night after they became six-time European champions with goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi to beat Tottenham -- and the party was set to move to England on Sunday where tens of thousands of fans awaited the team's return. The 2-0 win in the sweltering Metropolitano Stadium delivered a first trophy in seven years for Liverpool, and -- finally -- a first win in seven finals for coach Jurgen Klopp. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)        (Photo credit should read OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images)
Image:
Liverpool’s squad celebrates winning the Champions League in 2019. File pic: PA

“He will also leverage his extensive network to aid in scouting top talent and contribute to the training and development of coaches,” the company said.

Klopp said he sees his new role primarily as a mentor for the coaches and management of the Red Bull clubs, allowing him to “develop, improve and support the incredible football talent that we have at our disposal”.

He said the opportunity “could not excite me more.”

Read more:
Flights cancelled and evacuations under way in Florida
Former Man Utd star nearly loses thumb while washing dishes
Presley’s dead son ‘kept on ice for two months’

Red Bull owns German side RB Leipzig, Austrian outfit Red Bull Salzburg, MLS side New York Red Bulls and Brazilian clubs Red Bull Bragantino and Red Bull Brasil.

It is also the shirt sponsor of Leeds after buying a minority stake in the Sky Bet Championship club earlier this year.

Continue Reading

World

Ukraine war: Russia launches drone strike on Kyiv – as commander ‘sacked for lying about war progress’

Published

on

By

Ukraine war: Russia launches drone strike on Kyiv - as commander 'sacked for lying about war progress'

Russia launched a large drone attack on Kyiv overnight, with Volodymyr Zelenskyy warning the attack shows his capital needs better air defences.

Ukraine’s air defence units shot down 50 of 73 Russian drones launched, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries as a result of the attacks.

Russia has used more than 800 guided aerial bombs and around 460 attack drones in the past week.

Warning that Ukraine needs to improve its air defences, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “An air alert has been sounded almost daily across Ukraine this week”.

“Ukraine is not a testing ground for weapons. Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state.

“But Russia still continues its efforts to kill our people, spread fear and panic, and weaken us.”

Russia did not comment on the attack.

More on Russia

It comes as Russian media reported that Colonel General Gennady Anashkin, the commander of the country’s southern military district, had been removed from his role over allegedly providing misleading reports about his troops’ progress.

While Russian forces have advanced at the fastest rate in Ukraine since the start of the invasion, forces have been much slower around Siversk and the eastern region of Donetsk.

Read more:
Russia ‘ready to hit UK with cyber attacks’
Lack of defensive shield must ring alarm bells
Putin threatens West with ‘unstoppable’ missile

Russian war bloggers have long complained that units there are poorly supported and thrown into deadly battles for little tactical gain.

Russia’s ministry of defence has not commented on the reports.

Continue Reading

World

Russian forces capture ‘former British soldier’ fighting for Ukraine – reports

Published

on

By

Russian forces capture 'former British soldier' fighting for Ukraine - reports

Russian forces have reportedly captured a British man while he was fighting for Ukraine.

In a widely circulated video posted on Sunday, the man says his name is James Scott Rhys Anderson, aged 22.

He says he is a former British Army soldier who signed up to fight for Ukraine’s International Legion after his job.

He is dressed in army fatigues and speaks with an English accent as he says to camera: “I was in the British Army before, from 2019 to 2023, 22 Signal Regiment.”

He tells the camera he was “just a private”, “a signalman” in “One Signal Brigade, 22 Signal Regiment, 252 Squadron”.

“When I left… got fired from my job, I applied on the International Legion webpage. I had just lost everything. I just lost my job,” he said.

“My dad was away in prison, I see it on the TV,” he added, shaking his head. “It was a stupid idea.”

In a second video, he is shown with his hands tied and at one point, with tape over his eyes.

Read more:
Russia ‘ready to hit UK with cyber attacks’
Lack of defensive shield must ring alarm bells
Putin threatens West with ‘unstoppable’ missile

He describes how he had travelled to Ukraine from Britain, saying: “I flew to Krakow, Poland, from London Luton. Bus from there to Medyka in Poland, on the Ukraine border.”

Russian state news agency Tass reported that a military source said a “UK mercenary” had been “taken prisoner in the Kursk area” of Russia.

The UK Foreign Office said it was “supporting the family of a British man following reports of his detention”.

The Ministry of Defence has declined to comment at this stage.

Continue Reading

World

Body of missing rabbi Zvi Kogan found in UAE – as Israeli PM says he was murdered in ‘antisemitic terror incident’

Published

on

By

Body of missing rabbi Zvi Kogan found in UAE - as Israeli PM says he was murdered in 'antisemitic terror incident'

The body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been found, Israel has said.

Zvi Kogan, the Chabad representative in the UAE, went missing on Thursday.

A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office on Sunday said the 28-year-old rabbi was murdered, calling it a “heinous antisemitic terror incident”.

“The state of Israel will act with all means to seek justice with the criminals responsible for his death,” it said.

On Saturday, Israeli intelligence agency Mossad said it was investigating the disappearance as suspicions arose that he had been kidnapped.

The Emirati government gave no immediate acknowledgment that Mr Kogan had been found dead. Its interior ministry has described the rabbi as being “missing and out of contact”.

“Specialised authorities immediately began search and investigation operations upon receiving the report,” the interior ministry said.

Mr Kogan lived in the UAE with his wife Rivky, who is a US citizen. He ran a Kosher grocery store in Dubai, which has been the target of online protests by pro-Palestinian supporters.

The Chabad Lubavitch movement, a prominent and highly observant branch of Orthodox Judaism, said Mr Kogan was last seen in Dubai.

Read more:
Hamas claims Israeli hostage killed in IDF attack on Gaza
No 10 indicates Netanyahu would be arrested

Israeli authorities reissued their recommendation against all non-essential travel to the UAE and said visitors currently there should minimise movement and remain in secure areas.

The rabbi’s disappearance comes as Iran has threatened to retaliate against Israel after the two countries traded fire in October.

While the Israeli statement on Mr Kogan did not mention Iran, Iranian intelligence services have previously carried out kidnappings in the UAE.

The UAE diplomatically recognised Israel in 2020. Since then, synagogues and businesses catering to kosher diners have been set up for the burgeoning Jewish community but the unrest in the Middle East has sparked deep anger in the country.

Continue Reading

Trending