Liverpool fans were waiting with baited breath today for Jurgen Klopp’s first pre-match press conference, following the wonderful soundbites that emerged after his unveiling.
He was far more subdued this time out though, and repeatedly questioned why the media felt the need to hound him around the city when he’s trying to organise his personal affairs.
The German was also uninterested when asked about a Doppelgänger, and laughed when a Norwegian journalist
The Reds take on Tottenham at lunchtime Saturday, and the German will be desperate to get off to a positive start. The side is only six points off top
Here are the most interesting quotes, courtesy of BBC Sport.
Klopp on his first few days: “We had three very good training [sessions] – the boys are really willing to listen and understand what we want. Everything would be better if we worked together for six weeks but it’s not a perfect world. It’s no problem. It’s not important how many faults you make in a game, it’s important that nobody remembers after.”
Klopp on his look-a-like, who has been spotted in Liverpool. “No I haven’t seen him. A lot of people look like me. Not best shaver in the world. Funny glasses.
“With all these pictures on Twitter, it always looks like I am in restaurants and bars. I am not that type of guy.”
Klopp on making an immediate impact: “Some things you can change like this [snaps his fingers]. But to get tuned as a team? That takes time. I want the players to trust themselves. I have told the players I am here because of them.”
Klopp on defender Joe Gomez, who has suffered a serious knee problem playing for England’s under-21 side: “You are always nervous waiting for the players after the game. We did not have perfect information for Joe Gomez. What a wonderful young boy, muscles in all the right places. But he has an ACL injury.”
Klopp on Tottenham: “We play against a very good Premier League team in Spurs. They are fine tuned. We know how they want to play. I know how I want to play.
“At the end it is only football. Now we have to open our chests, run and fight and shoot. We have to play like our best dream.”
Klopp on being centre of attention: “I don’t like being photographed all the time. Who does? Everybody tells me this will cool down in the next few weeks. I hope it isn’t because of the results. My pressure comes from myself. I am not interested in expectations from the outside.”
Jurgen Klopp on making changes: “This is not the time to change so much, just to turn the screws a little bit in the right ways. It is not so interesting what happened a week ago or two weeks, only what the players can do now.”
A journalist from Norway held up this shirt as he asked Jurgen Klopp a question today pic.twitter.com/2lmCJ08eON
— Ben Smith (@BenSmithBBC) October 15, 2015
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