Jurgen Klopp called 'very strange' by former Premier League referee

2 weeks ago 52

Mark Clattenburg has branded former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp "very strange" following encounters during his own officiating career.

The 50-year-old took charge of 297 Premier League fixtures before hanging up his whistle in 2017. Clattenburg reached the pinnacle of his profession, overseeing the 2016 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

He controversially took up a position as Nottingham Forest's referee analyst in early 2024 before departing the role three months later. Speaking on the Undr the Cosh podcast, Clattenburg has weighed in on former Premier League official David Coote being dismissed after footage emerged of him allegedly calling ex-Liverpool manager Klopp a "German c---."

Clattenburg has offered his assessment of the circumstances involving Coote and Klopp, declaring: "It's absolute rubbish. If a referee has an opinion, are we saying English referees are corrupt by thinking he's got a problem with Liverpool? No, it's just his honest opinion that he didn't like Jurgen Klopp.

"I didn't like Jurgen Klopp, I thought he was strange. Doesn't mean he was a bad manager. He was an incredibly good manager. I found him very strange."

Reflecting on a peculiar incident prior to a Liverpool-Chelsea match, Clattenburg recounted an intense pre-match meeting sparked by Klopp's unusual decision to personally submit the Reds' teamsheet.

Mark Clattenburg and Jurgen Klopp

Mark Clattenburg recalled his experiences with Jurgen Klopp

"Jurgen Klopp came in and I thought, 'This is bizarre, this,'" Clattenburg shared. "And he just stared at us for like 30 seconds. Never said a word. I never said a word. After 30 seconds, I just said to John Terry and Jordan Henderson, 'I'll see you out there.' And he just stared at us. I was like, 'What a strange bloke.'"

Clattenburg further discussed the challenges Coote must be facing regarding his career prospects after being dismissed by PGMOL and suspended by UEFA until 2026. Drawing parallels with his own experience of needing to retrain if he wished to return to his previous career as an electrician, Clattenburg expressed empathy for Coote, who has been seen in his new role as a delivery driver.

"If you lose your job, for example Dave Coote, it's a huge moment of his life," Clattenburg admitted. "He's give up his career to be a referee and now he's lost his career, what does he do now?

"I know he's delivering boxes, but it's tough for him because everyone thinks referees are a protected species and they've got massive houses, massive cars. They're just working-class people, but they haven't got a career afterwards. Everybody sees you as the referee. Everybody sees you as the person that spoils everybody's fun."

Clattenburg also touched upon the challenges of maintaining friendships whilst working as a referee and suggested that a stronger inner circle could have saved Coote from losing his position. "For example, Dave Coote, what he's gone through and somebody in his friendship group has decided to leak that video," Clattenburg said.

"They're not friends. But if he had really good friends, that video still wouldn't be out now. Unfortunately, the way things are, it's so difficult."

Furthermore, Clattenburg's memory of Klopp's conduct at a pre-match briefing wasn't the sole uncomfortable encounter between the duo. Clattenburg had taken charge of a Champions League quarterfinal clash during Klopp's tenure at Borussia Dortmund, which ended in a 3-0 victory for Real Madrid in 2014. Yet Klopp happened to pass by the referee's changing room at a rather unfortunate moment following the final whistle.

"I had a run-in with him when he was at Dortmund and people criticize, but what can I say in this situation?" Clattenburg said. "It was Marcelo, he was playing for Real Madrid. I came outside my dressing room, and he said, 'Can I have a picture?' I've had players asking for my shirt.

"As the photo was getting done, unfortunately, Jurgen Klopp, who was the Dortmund manager, was walking past. He turned around and said, 'That's why we got beat.' Me being me, I turned around and said, 'Aye, that's why you got beat three f------ nil, so f--- off.'"

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