Jürgen Klopp on Ajax, CL qualification and 'important' backroom staff
Jürgen Klopp discussed a wide range of topics when he previewed Liverpool's Champions League affair with AFC Ajax.
The Reds welcome the Eredivisie outfit to Anfield on Tuesday evening and would secure passage to the knockout rounds of the competition if they avoid defeat.
The boss held a press conference on Monday afternoon via video link to look ahead to the Group D encounter with Erik ten Hag's team.
Read on for a summary of Klopp's pre-match media briefing...
On whether he expects another tough game with Ajax...
Yeah, why should I not expect a close game? Ajax Amsterdam is a really good side and since our game is flying pretty much through the league. Big results, clear top of the table, very talented, some players coming back – these kind of things. Yes, I expect a close game.
On how significant achieving qualification would be ahead of a busy December...
I actually don't see it in that perspective because that would mean I count somehow with the points already. We deal with the situation like how the situation is. Yes, three points would be great, absolutely great. But that is obviously on the table, so clear that it would help us massively. I didn't think I would have to mention it today. But yes, of course, important game against a really good team and that's the way we want to approach it.
On the importance of the backroom staff in ensuring the players are ready for games in quick succession...
They are always incredibly important in moments like this. It is an intense period, so of course sometimes the players spend more time in that department than with me on the pitch. For sure, because we don't train a lot, we can't. So, yes, very, very important and they know it. It's a busy time for all of us and for them, for sure, as well.
On whether he has to prioritise competitions this season...
I don't have enough players for doing that. It's not about the competition, it's about the game we play. So it means we play two days ago and the fittest players for that game were on the pitch and that will be the case again for this game because, how I said, there are not enough players to make these kind of decisions. I never made this kind of decision – Premier League and Champions League or whatever – because all competitions are for us very, very, very important.
On 2,000 supporters scheduled to be in attendance for Liverpool's game with Wolverhampton Wanderers on December 6...
As a player, I had never more than 2,000 supporters probably. But since I worked as a coach, there was more people in the stadium and I don't know exactly who will be in and who will be the 2,000. But, yes, I'm happy for the 2,000 lucky ones who get the chance to see live football again after all that time. But I have no experience with 2,000 people at Anfield, to be honest, so we will see. How we adapted to no supporters in the stadium, we will try to use 2,000 in the stadium and try not to suffer with 2,000 or 4,000 supporters in an away stadium. So that's how it is. But it's really not about us or the advantage we have with that or the disadvantage somewhere else, it's just a nice sign that these things are possible and I hope it’s just the first step. That is my biggest hope.
On how well Rhys Williams and Neco Williams have done coming into the team...
Look, if somebody is a Liverpool youth or Academy player in general, he has already, for sure, a lot of talent – otherwise you can't make the cut. When you then go through all these difficult moments in your youth academy career then you are already used to some difficult situations and some pressure. But when you come up and you make the final step and you have to play in a competitive game for the first team, that's a different animal. I think the boys adapted really well. They did a lot of really good stuff, helped us enormously, are very important – not only in the moment, but especially in the moment. The only problem they have from time to time is that people compare them with the guy who played the position before them. They are, in our case, all world-class players and that makes it maybe kind of difficult for people to see clear how talented these boys are. But from my point of view, they did really, really well.