Jürgen Klopp: There's no time for reflection, so I don't want a cake!
Jürgen Klopp is interested only in looking forward as he approaches his first anniversary as Liverpool manager.
This Saturday marks a full year since Klopp took charge at Anfield, with the 12 months since October 8 2015 having been an eventful mix of highs and lows.
Brilliant, exhilarating performances against the likes of both Manchester clubs, Southampton and Borussia Dortmund were among the highlights of last season, which also included the disappointment of losing in two cup finals.
Klopp’s first full season on Merseyside has started promisingly, with superb victories at Arsenal and Chelsea, along with Anfield demolitions of Leicester City and Hull City, helping the Reds to sit two points off the top of the Premier League as the second international break of the campaign begins.
However, the boss has no appetite to consider what has happened over the last year, and is instead fully focused on the future.
“I have no time, and I am not in the mood for reflection, to be honest,” Klopp said after Saturday's 2-1 win at Swansea City.
“It’s a year, I’m a year older and all this, but everything else is good. Not perfect, but in a good way. That’s what we hoped, that’s what we said.
“After one year standing here, we can talk like this. There was doubt, there was a lot of rumour around me. People said ‘obviously he was a good coach at Dortmund but a German managing here doesn’t work’ things like this. That’s better now.
“The thing is, I’m not here for a year, I’m here hopefully for the long term, and it means that we have to use all the information we have until now and learn from it.
“That’s how life works, collecting experience, learning from it and being ready for the next challenge.
“My year is what, October 8, yes? We will not celebrate, I can tell you that! Hopefully nobody brings me a cake!”
Klopp, who signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool in July, continued: “We have to create hope, dreams, whatever. The only problem is that we cannot hope and we cannot dream!
“Everyone else is allowed [to dream]. So far this season it’s a very positive thing to talk about but we have to go out and do it.
“I liked the club before I was here, but when you are in it, it is so different.
“This club has a lot of work to do, it’s not about enjoying the history, it’s about being part of it. And being a part of it is nice.”