Liverpool’s out-going manager Jurgen Klopp has keenly insisted he is content with his decision to leave Liverpool at the end of the season.
The former Borussia Dortmund boss says he will miss no doubt some aspects of life as Liverpool manager but is insistent he is content with his decision to depart Anfield at the end of the season.
The 56-year-old Liverpool doyen will be seeing the curtains come down on his illustrious and much-acclaimed reign as Reds boss later this month, nearly nine years after having replaced Brendan Rodgers in October 2015.
Klopp announced his shocking decision to step down nearly four months ago, after having successfully guided Liverpool to their first Premier League trophy honors after a 30-year drought, besides other major trophy accomplishments and making Liverpool a major force to be reckoned with in the League, eclipsed only by none other than their indomitable rivals, Manchester City.
As far as the most recent accomplishments go, a thrilling Carabao Cup success over Chelsea and Sunday’s 4-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield ensured that the Reds will finish this season in the Premier League’s top three.
A man of firm convictions and principle, the Liverpool boss – who is set to be replaced by Feyenoord’s Arne Slot – affirmatively reiterated that he is satisfied and at peace with his decision to walk away from Anfield in less than two weeks’ time and justified his decision to leave by revealing various facets of life in the dugout that have taken their toll on him in a glittering career the Bundesliga and the Premier League.
“Since it’s clear that I will finish and with other clubs looking for managers and you hear what a manager needs to do and needs to have, I always ask myself ‘Did I have all that when I arrived here?’ It has to fit and I think we were all lucky,” said Klopp after Sunday’s win at Anfield.
“It was a win-win situation from the first day. I enjoyed each second of it, it’s absolutely great. All the responsibility and love that grew over the years is a big part of the decision I made, so I’m absolutely fine and at peace with the decision.
“I didn’t think it was too difficult, to be honest. This [media] is very difficult most of the time. It is very draining when you always have to talk and explain things and most of it you can’t explain.
“When you’re winning it’s fine because then you can speak about individuals, fantastic performance and stuff like this but we cannot do the same when we are losing. You can’t single out a player and say he was particularly bad so let’s talk about that for the next 10 minutes, so that cuts off 50, 60, 70 per cent of the things you can say – but and you’re still asking! That part is a lot.
“Actually being the manager of Liverpool; the pure football side, coaching the team, doing the stuff we do, growing together as a unit, I love that part. I’m not the right man to do that anymore. But what is really hard is you, the outside world.
“I’m not an outside person. Until today, I don’t understand why people wanted an autograph from me but it happens quite frequently. That’s all things I need to stop at one point. Just going home and sitting down for a moment and seeing how that feels. People ask me ‘Will I miss it?’ Probably, but I don’t know. I never had it. So that’s all fine.”
Asked what his successor will need for a successful Anfield career, Klopp replied: “I think understand a little bit of football, that’s my skill. I love people, especially football players. So from that point of view, it wasn’t difficult. I enjoyed it a lot.”