Jurgen Klopp is a warm, funny and intelligent guy, but he also means business – and isn’t shy about saying what’s on his mind.
Some English journalists will be able to testify to that based on some interviews earlier this season!
The boss reacts to situations and can be hard and serious or jovial depending.
His former fitness coach Andreas Beck has explained an incident at Borussia Dortmund which shows just that.
He told Goal and SPOX: “The player felt something muscular at the end of the training session. Kloppo made a connection with my individual warm-up session and he was asking ‘why was the player doing this exercise?’
“He was just letting off steam at that moment. I felt his anger was very unjustified because he only had very general information.
“To put it simply, I did some work with his upper body before the session and he got an injury in his lower body, but I didn’t have a chance to explain it to Kloppo properly. But that might have been unwise anyway!
“He doesn’t pretend and he is what he is. Just as he can be warm and very funny, he can also be quick-tempered.
“He has a very strong opinion and it depends a little on the situation whether and when you discuss with him – that’s probably no different as a journalist.
“In a calm setting, however, there was never a problem to address matters worth discussing. Our arguments were heard and accepted.
“On the training ground in Brackel he definitely put me in my place once or twice. In the course of a productive collaboration, there is always friction.”
This story makes us wonder if Liverpool’s own fitness team felt Klopp’s wrath this season, given our ludicrous spate of muscle problems that have essentially defined the campaign!
Right now, barring the central defensive season-long absentees, the squad is relatively healthy.
The boss has Roberto Firmino back for the Arsenal game, although we still think Diogo Jota will keep his place – and a midfield trio of Fabinho, Thiago and Gini Wijnaldum likely to start.
Trent Alexander-Arnold got a rest after not being called up to England, as did Alisson, who didn’t travel to Brazil because of quarantine rules.