Jürgen Klopp lays down the law
Jürgen Klopp said his ambition for Liverpool was not to conquer the world but “conquer the ball each time” as he warned players his way was the only way to succeed at Anfield.
The 48-year-old was unveiled at a packed Anfield press conference on Friday where he described himself as the Normal One, vowed to bring “emotional football” to Liverpool and embraced the club’s often criticised transfer committee system.
He also targeted a trophy within four years or his next job, he suggested, would be in Switzerland. Later, away from the television cameras, he signalled an immediate departure from the Brendan Rodgers era by declaring it was premature to discuss football philosophies or possession tactics. Rodgers did precisely that at his unveiling as Liverpool manager. Klopp claimed Liverpool’s intense approach to football, as a city and a club, had persuaded him to abandon a sabbatical after four months and sign a three-year contract with “the cool guys” of Fenway Sports Group.
Seemingly surprised at his status as one of the biggest draws in the Premier League, he also appealed for privacy having been photographed at his hotel window in the city on Thursday. “I am not the guy who is going to go out and shout: ‘We are going to conquer the world!’ or something like this. But we will conquer the ball. We will chase the ball. We will run more, fight more,” said the former Borussia Dortmund coach, who will earn up to £7m a year at Anfield.
He added: “The only thing I need is players that want to help the team. They have to listen to what I say.
“That is very important because I believe it is better to have 11 players do the same thing wrong than everybody doing what they want. We have to do it one way and that is my way. Now we cannot talk about football philosophy and ball possession, playing like Barcelona, playing like whoever. No, this team needs to create their own style.
“If you have the ball you have to be creative but you have to be prepared that if you lose the ball the counter-pressing is very important.
“It is very important in football. It is not a proposal, it is law.
“You have to do it and you will. That is what we all have to learn, maybe. I’m only interested in 100% of each player. Now we have to work on that.”
Klopp revealed he spent his four months out of the game with family, playing tennis and watching football around the world. But, having joined Liverpool despite being linked with title-challenging teams guaranteeing Champions League football, such as Bayern Munich, he denied relishing an underdog status.
“I enjoy being an underdog? No,” he said, laughing. “For managers it is very important that you can influence the things on the pitch, that you can change the things in a better direction, of course. I’ve never seen or been talking to these other clubs. I don’t think about things like this. I’ve never had a plan for my career. I react on what happens and I hear what I feel inside. For me, it fits perfect.”
The Stuttgart-born coach made frequent references to the Premier League’s obsession with money and, in another departure from several previous Liverpool managers, insisted it would not define his ability to construct a successful team.
Asked whether Liverpool could attract a player of the calibre of Marco Reus without Champions League football, having failed to entice several targets during Rodgers’ reign, Klopp replied: “I absolutely don’t care about this.
“If we cannot sign a player like him then we are not interested in him. We will have to take other players. The whole world plays football, there are players everywhere.
“It is only here that money is such a big thing. It is money, money, money. OK, there is much money. You don’t have to spend all the money. You can hold it and make something else. Of course, not having Champions League football is a problem, it is a negative. Of course, it should be a target for all ambitious teams to play in the Champions League, for sure. But only four go in. You have to fight for it, not just talk about it. You don’t have to speak always.
“You have to look at which players are reachable and not dream of this player or that player and then say: ‘But they don’t want to come to Liverpool.’ If a player doesn’t want to come to Liverpool then stay away. Really. If you think about the weather, stay away. If you think about other things, stay away. If you want to come here, you are welcome. That is the first and most important issue.”
Klopp admitted he had watched Liverpool’s last three games before his appointment – Everton, FC Sion in the Europa League and the 3-2 win over Aston Villa eight days before Rodgers’ departure. “Three until now and ask me on Sunday and I will have seen 20,” he said.
Source: The Guardian
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