Jason McAteer feared the worst when he first heard that Jurgen Klopp would be leaving Liverpool this season.
The 52-year-old admitted his first thought was that the German could have been ill.
“I made a phone call to someone inside the ropes and I’ll be honest: my first thought was there was an illness. I thought Jurgen wasn’t well,” the former Red spoke on The Debrief Podcast.
Fortunately, the ex-midfielder was assured by a contact on the inside that the 56-year-old had merely ‘run out of steam’.
The German tactician is set to go on a sabbatical beyond the summer, though the DFB is understood to be targeting Klopp for the Germany role beyond the European Championship.
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Germany next for Klopp?
Steve Kay of Football Transfers reported that the DFB is more than willing to accommodate the former Mainz boss’ desire for a sabbatical.
One matter that could complicate things, of course, is Julian Nagelsmann’s current employment with the national team.
It remains to be seen whether the former Bayern boss will continue with Die Mannschaft beyond the Euros this summer.
Liverpool after Klopp…
The candidates for the soon-to-be-vacant head coach role at Liverpool are numerous.
Xabi Alonso, Franck Haise, Ruben Amorim, Nagelsmann, Roberto De Zerbi are among the coaches in the running.
The Bayer Leverkusen boss is currently understood to be our first choice to replace Klopp. However, navigating the complexity of competition with Bayern Munich and the 42-year-old’s potential desire to stay put will be challenging.
Who better to make headway here than Michael Edwards?