[Video] Jurgen Klopp On Transfers, Anfield, The Fans, Hitting Managers & More

Jurgen Klopp has been speaking for the first time since being appointed as Liverpool manager and as expected it was a very entertaining interview.

The lovable German was named as Brendan Rodgers’ successor late on Thursday night after signing a three-year contract worth an initial £5m-per-season, which could rise to £7m depending on whether he meets certain targets [via BBC].

Ahead of his first press conference, which takes place at 10am this morning, Klopp has been speaking to LFC TV for the first time and he’s covered a wide range of topics.

The 46-year-old has been on sabbatical since leaving Borussia Dortmund in May following a seven year stint at the club but Klopp said four months rest was enough and he jumped at the chance to return to football once Liverpool came calling.

He told LFC TV:

It was not the most difficult decision. I ended my contract with Dortmund four months ago and I thought about what I would do in the future – I had to develop myself, think about all the things that had happened in the last 15 years but then I had a holiday for four months and it was enough. It was great, but it was enough. The owners have a dream and I have a dream, and so there was not too much they had to say so I could be here.

I always thought about working in England because of the kind of football and the intensity of the football, and Liverpool was first choice. Now I have got the opportunity to work here, it’s the best thing I can imagine.

Klopp was also quizzed about Anfield and he says it’s the most special stadium he’s ever been to. He continued:

It’s a great place – I’ve been to some places in the world with football, but this was the most special place I’d been. Borussia Dortmund’s stadium – Signal Iduna Park – is a great stadium and I had another perfect little, little stadium with Mainz 05, but this [Anfield] is the most historic place.

Klopp went on to say that he can’t wait to take a proper tour of the stadium and learn it’s history, although he was concerned about the two benches being so close together as it could lead to him accidentally hitting another manager!

That will be the most difficult thing for me, the two benches being so close. It’s so different to Germany – you could accidently hit the other coach or manager. I get a little bit emotional during a game!

The former Dortmund coach also says he want’s to entertain the Liverpool supporters on the pitch and make them ‘forget their problems for 90 minutes’.

We have to entertain them – we have to make their lives better. That’s what we have to do because football is not so important – we don’t save lives or things like that, we are not doctors. It’s our job to let them forget their problems for 90 minutes and then they can talk for three days about the last game and talk for two days about the next game.

There was a lot of talk over the past week about whether Klopp would be willing to work with Liverpool’s transfer committee but the new boss insists it was never an issue during negotiations and he’s happy to work under this style, as long as he has the first and last word.

It’s a really funny thing. It was absolutely no problem between FSG and myself, we talked about this. It’s nothing. If two smart, intelligent, clever guys sit together on a table and you both want the same, where can be the problem? We all want to be successful. The only thing for me is to have the first and last word. I don’t want to spend money the club doesn’t have, I don’t want to hold a player that doesn’t want to stay. I have to work all day with these guys. Nobody will sell a player I want to work with, even if it’s a good deal. Nobody wants to transfer a player without my ‘yes’. So everything is OK, I don’t need more.

There’s no denying Klopp is going to be an excellent addition to the Premier League and he’s already admitting that he let’s his emotions get the better of him. I think we’re going to be in for some entertaining times at Anfield, that’s for sure.

You can check out a full transcript of his interview on LFC TV or you can watch the video below: