Jurgen Klopp has admitted that Claudio Ranieri’s sacking has him wondering about his own long-term future, conceding that his own job will surely come under threat if Liverpool “cannot win anything or even come close to the big things” over the next few campaigns.
Premier League managers were left reeling by the news that Leicester had dispensed with the services of Ranieri just nine months after winning them the title.
Leicester will now host Liverpool on Monday night with Craig Shakespeare in temporary charge and Klopp admitted that all Premier League managers are aware that their positions are utterly dependent on short-term success.
“Nobody needs to remind any of the managers in world football about the business. And if we cannot win anything or even come close to big things over the next few years then it will be difficult to go for it,” Klopp said.
“Until now I didn't understand it as I've always been on a long contract, as long as I wanted, and I have no idea why exactly it happened to me. Liverpool as a club wants to have a strong relationship with its manager but as always it depends on success.”
Like Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, Klopp had managed only two clubs prior to arriving in the Premier League with a reputation as one of the finest coaches in the sport. But Klopp stressed that neither him nor Guardiola could take their new positions for granted.
“Pep has not been sacked until this point and I have not been sacked until this point, but that is only a few times. But it has been a business of managers getting sacked for a pretty long time already.
“If you want a similar situation you only have to look at Chelsea the year before – champions and then the manager gets sacked. It is part of our job and we had to accept it long ago. We have to work in the hope it will never happen.”
Klopp added that he did not pity Ranieri after being sacked late on Thursday night – “I am sure he doesn’t need it,” he said – and he backed the Italian to learn from his experiences in the Premier League and emerge successful with another club.
“I am sure he will be somewhere else in not too much time and someone else will benefit from his experience,” Klopp said.
“When you play against him he always accepts the rules, does whatever he can to win the game in the 90 minutes and after the game you can be best friends again if you are best friends. And his is one of the nicest stories in world football, of all-time.”
Liverpool endured something of a mid-season slump in January, during which they failed to win a single Premier League match are were knocked out of the EFL and FA Cups. But a fine 2-0 victory at home to Tottenham Hotspur means the club now sit just three-points off second, a result that has buoyed confidence at Anfield.
Liverpool have since enjoyed a 16-day break and Klopp took his players to La Manga for some warm weather training, to refresh his players and prepare them for the business end of the season.
“At this moment everyone is convinced about going with this manager, this team and these coaches,” Klopp added.
“We can reach the highest and that is what we are all working for. We have to fill this period between now and then with as many wonderful performances as possible. That will make it easier.”
No comments:
Post a Comment