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Jürgen Klopp adopted a no-nonsense approach at Liverpool – something Mamadou Sakho experienced directly after being exiled from the squad. The French defender arrived at the Premier League club in 2013 following an move from Paris Saint-Germain and came close to securing the league championship under Brendan Rodgers during his first campaign.
Two-and-a-half years on, the Northern Irishman was dismissed with Klopp appointed as his successor. Sakho had put pen to paper on a fresh long-term contract at Liverpool just a month prior to the German's appointment and appeared destined to feature prominently in Klopp's rebuilding project, or so it seemed.
The following summer during Klopp's inaugural pre-season with Liverpool marked the start of Sakho's downfall after he was dismissed from a pre-season tour in the United States. The centre-back was charged with arriving late for a flight, a team dinner and a treatment appointment.
Justifying his choice to send him back to Merseyside, Klopp said at the time: "I thought maybe it made sense for him to fly home to Liverpool and after eight or 10 days, when we come back, we can talk about it. It's not that serious.
"He nearly missed the departure of the plane, he missed a session and was late for a meal. We have some rules and we have to respect them. If somebody doesn't respect it or somebody gives me the feeling he is not respecting it, then I have to react, that's all.", reports the Mirror.
"It is private how he reacted. But we had no argument. You cannot argue when only one person is speaking. That's all. I think missed a session is missed a session. Even injured players have sessions."
At the start of the 2016/17 campaign, Sakho found himself exiled from the first-team squad and relegated to training with the under-23s. Frustrated by his situation, he publicly vented his frustrations via Snapchat in the early hours one morning.
He wrote: "Now it's three weeks I am fit to play games. They don't want me to play with segonde (segondo, U23s) team lol. Still working hard like Scouse Soldier! Still not talking cos I want to speak on the pitch....I will speak soon for the people who support me and don't understand the situation (emoji).
"Still happy to live in my Liverpool Country (emoji) with my family, hope to have chance to play soon to give my best like I try to always do! I accept my situation but I can't accept the lie....the fans deserve to know the true! Thanks for your support (emoji) 6 six months stay quiet. Have good night everybody! You'll never walk alone! (emoji)."
Sakho's Liverpool career was effectively over. He joined Crystal Palace on loan in January 2017 before making the switch permanent that summer.
Reflecting on the incident with Canal Football Club, he acknowledged his error: "It is true that I turned up late. There was a rule that I should have observed. I do not at all see myself as above the rules, I respect everyone.
"I paid my fine, I was sanctioned, I apologised to my team-mates and my manager. Aside from that... I do not want to go into the controversies."
Earlier this year, Sakho spoke candidly about the respect he continues to have for Klopp, whilst acknowledging there remain undisclosed details about his departure from Anfield.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, he said: "Good relationship because I'm not a negative man. I always respect. I like his type of football."
Addressing accusations regarding his timekeeping and social media activity, Sakho questioned: "Seriously, because a player is late to eat, the time's 7.15 and he comes at 7.18, now he leaves the club? Come on.
"What I wrote (on Snapchat) was the truth. But the truth always takes the stairs and the lie takes the elevator. You have football that people see, and you have few things inside but they cannot talk about it. So I always keep it for me as a man and that's it.
"I never talk and I would not speak for the moment because it's not important. I really enjoy my time in Liverpool. I will speak about it one day, of course. Of course one day I will speak. But not now, it is not the right moment."
Sakho may well be keeping a close eye on tonight's EFL Cup encounter between Liverpool and Crystal Palace. The Eagles have already defeated Arne Slot's men twice this campaign and will undoubtedly back themselves against a struggling Reds outfit.
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