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Jurgen Klopp has opened up on the backlash he has received from supporters after taking up his role at Red Bull - although he insists Liverpool fans are happy with his move away from management.
The 58-year-old left his role at Anfield last year, having been in charge of the Reds for almost nine years, during which time he won the Premier League and Champions League among other trophies.
Having handed over the reins to Arne Slot, Klopp would go without a job until January, when he was unveiled as Red Bull’s global head of soccer - a move that has drawn criticism from fans of some of his former clubs.
Red Bull’s ventures into soccer have not been welcomed by supporters in Germany, with RB Leipzig seen by many to be artificially defying the Bundesliga’s 50+1 rule, which is meant to guarantee fan ownership of clubs.
Klopp’s decision to join the energy drink manufacturer has seen him receive backlash from supporters across Germany, including his former clubs Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, despite having built a positive reputation during his time with both sides.
Asked about the backlash during an interview with The Athletic, Klopp said: “I knew it (would come).
“I’m German. I know what people in Germany think about the involvement of Red Bull in football. They love Red Bull. In all departments. But in football? No. So whatever, they want to do it that way.
“Funnily enough, it was only in Germany where the reaction was like that. But that’s fine — no problem. Everybody can think what they want. You just have to accept that I do what I want as long as I don’t hurt anybody.
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“By the way, I don’t expect people to remember what I did for a specific club. The people in Mainz in the stadium now… they were little kids when I was there (1990-2001 as a player, then seven years as a coach), so their parents had to tell them who I was. So that’s how it is, it is absolutely fine.”
Klopp though has seemingly avoided much backlash from Liverpool fans. Upon his departure from Anfield, he vowed never to manage another team in England out of respect to the Reds, and has since indicated he has no plans to return to management in any capacity.
“I don’t expect everybody to like what I do. I have to do it for the right reasons — for my right reasons,” Klopp added.
“By the way, in Liverpool, people are overly happy that I do what I do because I am not coaching another team.”
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