2 weeks ago
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A UEFA official has launched an extraordinary assault on Jurgen Klopp, targeting his appearance, his departure from Liverpool, and his appointment with Red Bull - alleging he is simply there "just to collect money."
Florin Prunea, a former Romanian international who now serves as a UEFA delegate, has criticized numerous decisions made by the German in recent years. Klopp is considered among the finest managers of his generation and currently holds a directorial position with Red Bull Soccer.
Given Prunea's current UEFA responsibilities - ensuring matches proceed without incident by supervising all elements of fixtures and serving as a liaison to UEFA headquarters - his remarks about Klopp are particularly startling.
Speaking in his native Romanian, he employed a term that essentially branded the former Liverpool manager a "clown."
Prunea then challenged his motivations for departing Liverpool, despite the podcast presenter mentioning exhaustion following more than eight years at the helm.
Prunea targeted his subsequent appointment and declared on the IamSport Podcast that Klopp: "Went to Red Bull. He went to Red Bull Salzburg just to hang around and get some money for nothing."
Klopp, having guided Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund to championship glory, has insisted he has no desire to return to a coaching role.
He is now operating within a multi-club structure with his responsibilities encompassing a supervisory position across several teams, including RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, and New York Red Bulls.
Prunea didn't mince his words about the German, mocking his personal appearance as he stated: "I never liked him. All that circus... You'd say he was chewing bricks with his teeth."
Klopp has always been forthright in expressing his views, particularly to broadcasters when discussing player welfare and fixture schedules.
Despite this, he is widely admired and respected in the soccer world, making Prunea's criticism all the more unexpected.
Previously, Klopp had spoken about his new project with Red Bull, saying: "A few months after that, the opportunity came up.
"I don't want to be a passenger or a prominent person in the room. I really want to put some value on it. I did not want to do that [be a manager] anymore. I wanted to get a new start, and this is an opportunity. To add value. How it will look, we will see.
"There is not one plan that works for all teams. We want to be the best we can be. In each department, in each club."
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