Jurgen Klopp refused to rule out the possibility of a return to Liverpool as the head coach.
The former Reds boss departed the iconic role in the summer of 2024, to be replaced by Feyenoord boss Arne Slot.
The German secured third place in the Premier League in his final campaign with the Merseyside giants.
Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool return is ‘possible’
It wasn’t exactly the most enthusiastic of statements – though Klopp could certainly be forgiven after what was an emotionally, mentally and physically draining eight and a half years at Anfield.
Nonetheless, the reopening of the 58-year-old’s Liverpool chapter was not totally ruled out.
“I said I would never coach another team in England, so that means if – then it’s Liverpool. So, yeah, theoretically, it’s possible,” the ex-Dortmund boss spoke on the Diary of a CEO podcast.
| Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool record | Arne Slot’s Liverpool record |
| 489 matches | 68 |
| 2.07 points per match | 2.12 points per match |
When will Klopp return to management?
The Red Bull chief went on to add, when pushed on what it would take for him to return to management: “I don’t even know exactly. I love what I do right now, I don’t miss coaching. I don’t miss standing in the rain for two, three hours, I don’t miss going to press conferences three times a week. Having 10-12 interviews a week? I don’t miss that.
“I don’t miss being in a dressing room; I coached 1,000-something games; so I was in a dressing room very often, and I don’t want to die in a dressing room just because it’s so nice – it smells!
“I’m 58, that’s from your perspective old, from others’ perspective it’s not that old, that means I could make the decision in a few years. I don’t know.
“Do I have to make the decision today? I will not coach again. But thank God I don’t have to do that, I can just see what the future brings.
“But now I’m involved in a project I really love and I love the people we’re working with.”
The timing couldn’t be worse for Arne Slot
The timing, it has to be said, isn’t ideal for Arne Slot following a demoralising 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester United on Sunday.
Obviously, it goes without saying that Jurgen Klopp couldn’t have possibly predicted that his former side would go on to lose a fourth game in a row, at Anfield, to their most bitter of Premier League rivals.
For Steven Bartlett, an admitted United fan, of course, the coincidence will no doubt be a welcome one.
“We had a lot of contact after that, he was a super good guy, and, ‘Oh my god, what a team, wow, thanks a lot’ all these things,” the German added.
“He got the best out of this team and they became champions in an incredible manner.
“It’s all about how you see it. You can see it as stepping into my footsteps, or you take over a fantastic football team.”
However, any suggestion that Jurgen is anything other than impressed with what he’s seen from the new man in the dugout should be firmly quashed.
Slot deserves respect for 2024/25 Premier League title success
Klopp went on to add about Slot’s title success in 2024/25: “It’s not about Arne wanting to show the world what he can do. It’s about how to get the best out of this team, and that’s exactly what he did.
“We were third the year before, so there’s not a lot you have to change, but a few decisive things you have to change, and all of a sudden you win the league by some distance.
“Not that he has to put his new stamp [on it]. This team was good in a lot of ways, but we didn’t win in the year before. So that’s what his job was and he did that in an incredible, impressive manner.”
It goes without saying that prior success doesn’t mean the Dutchman should be totally shielded from critique.
A run of four losses in a row should never be considered acceptable for a club of Liverpool’s size and ambitions.
And the simple fact of the matter is that Arne Slot’s decision-making can and should be called into question. To be clear: he’s still owed far more than a modicum of respect whilst he ponders over this challenge.
Some difficult decisions need to be made about personnel and structure – and quickly – if Liverpool are to get back on track with their title defence in 2025/26.
What’s going wrong for Arne Slot’s Liverpool?
We can discuss the usual mitigating factors: the integration of a swathe of new signings, top players being woefully out of form…
The simple fact of the matter is far too many things are going wrong for Liverpool at the moment.
On the plus side, this is a team that is still creating an insane number of chances – there were five big chances (Fotmob) to speak of against Ruben Amorim’s men on Sunday.
Yet, at almost every available opportunity, top-class forward talent in Mo Salah, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo fluffed their lines.
That’s a recipe for disaster when you’re also not quite tight enough at the back.
Watch Arne Slot’s full post-Manchester United press conference below, via Empire of the Kop’s YouTube channel:
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I think klopp will be back as head coach of a club, but it won’t be Liverpool. Not after the way FSG treated him. They forced him out, didn’t back him in the transfer market, it’s why we ended up in the Europa league, and then they got rid of all the recruitment team under him. Why are we struggling under slot. The only elplanation is slot has living off what klopp left him, there’s been a gradual decline with slots new training methods, it was there towards the end of last season and it’s got worse this season. How do you explain so many players who are out of sorts. The managers job is to get the best out of the players, and you can’t after spending 450 million then there’s only one outcome. Slot won’t be manager for long. Whoever Liverpool replace slot with we won’t get another of the calibre of klopp.
It’s the Despair Squid again everyone.
JK’s specifically said he would never manage any other EPL club, other than the Reds.
He has now taken another project with the Bundesliga on top of his RedBull position.
Would he drop that instantly if the LFC post was offered ?
As for FSG, you spin it sooo personal, Musty.
That’s so dangerously misleading and nasty.
FSG didn’t have the huge levels of finance necessary ready at the time, with the players that they wanted ready to move.
You show very little understanding of Richard Hughes’s job.
It’s that simple.
After all of Jürgen’s near misses, they wanted a new man in with a bit more cold steel, who perhaps was a little less “Pep friendly” is my guess.
They knew each other too well and that made it tougher to beat City tactically, on and off the pitch.
As for Arne “living off the players Klopp left him” as you so parasitically put it.
What was Arne supposed to do ?
Let them all go on a free and demand FSG buy a whole new squad ???
It doesn’t work like that.
There have been more than enough changes, too much at once maybe, but like any top manager, Slot was chosen BECAUSE he’s his own man and can only manage a team most effectively and successfully when they play to his strategy.
We have the Mo’, Robbo and Virgil situations to resolve in the near future.
That will cost more finance.
£450m does not guarantee anything in football. Not when the competition is so fierce at the top, it only puts LFC in the ballpark to compete.
Keep trying to keep it real.
Like no player is, no manager is bigger than the club.
FSG have their eyes on the biggest picture.
It’s still forming.
Maybe learn some empathy, read up and accurately recall the facts, kidder ?
Incoherent, ill-recalled, designed as a wind-up rather than to inform, I suspect JA.
Christmas will be great for him.
If new training methods (whatever that means) are to blame for the players lack of focus, why is this not accountable ?
The sports psychologists should have had this sussed instantly.
Surely with the know-how along with the money these people can command, they are the best in their trade.
The only other explanation is that there is some entity outside of the club affecting the lads’ performances for some reason ?
Does the helpful and enlightened RM21 have any idea what that could be ?