Jurgen Klopp has challenged Liverpool’s critics to turn their focus on him as he defended the backroom staff who have helped build the club’s success.
Liverpool head into a crucial Merseyside derby tonight without a Premier League win in 2023 but Klopp took the opportunity to reiterate that he is at Anfield for the long haul.
This has been a chastening season and Klopp’s assistant Pep Lijnders has been targeted for writing a detailed book about last season, while the intense methods of head of fitness Andreas Kornmayer have also been highlighted.
‘They are here because they are best in class in what they do. That’s all. If you praise them in the good times, then criticise them in the bad times. If you don’t praise them in the good times, don’t do it in the less good times. Have the balls and go for me.
‘I get an awful lot of money to face these situations. They will all have a career after (here) and if I would listen to people who give me the wrong advice, again that is my fault. Not their fault, just to make clear. I will not change in that department, so a little warning.’
One theory circulating is that Klopp, at the end of his seventh season, will leave as he did to follow a pattern from Mainz and Borussia Dortmund — whom he both managed for seven years.
He smiled wryly when it was suggested this was not the first time he has experienced turmoil.
‘At Mainz we had difficult times during the whole time and Dortmund was probably at the beginning and the end,’ said Klopp. ‘So I understand that people would think that way, but I will not go and I cannot go. I have too much responsibility and I want to sort it again.
‘It is a difficult time. I don’t enjoy it but if we could show in this difficult time that this club is so special because we believe in everything — if people believe in me — then we have to go through this together because then when we come out we will have great times again.’
Klopp, who cleared his mind following the 3-0 defeat at Wolves last week by going for a long walk on the beach, added: ‘Maybe the difficult times are a bit too long. I knew it would be a difficult season.
‘We will do absolutely everything to get through this and prepare the very positive future again.’
