May 19, 2024 will forever be remembered as an emotional day for Liverpool fans.
Jurgen Klopp, the Reds’ most successful manager in the Premier League era, took charge of their final game against Wolves at Anfield, winning 2-0. While their title hopes were now over, the final day of the 2023/24 Premier League season was a special one for supporters on Merseyside and around the world as they saluted the man who ended their 30-year wait to become league champions and delivered them their sixth UEFA Champions League title.
Klopp has spoken at length about the need to rest and recharge after a highly-intensive spell in England since replacing Brendan Rodgers in October 2015, but his successes at Liverpool (not to mention Borussia Dortmund above) will make him a highly sought-after manager when he turns his attention to a new adventure.
Of course, that’s assuming he still wants to stay in charge. In July 2024, Klopp suggested he had made the decision to retire, having “coached the best clubs in the world” during his illustrious career.
So is that really all? Jugo Mobile looks at the latest developments regarding Klopp’s plans following his Liverpool exit.
Where is Jürgen Klopp going after Liverpool?
Klopp has always insisted he planned to take a sabbatical after leaving Liverpool. He is not expected to return to coaching until at least 2025.
Klopp himself said it when he announced his departure from Liverpool: “I know myself, I can’t just sit back.” [after leaving]”Maybe I’ll find something else to do, but I’m not going to manage a club or a national team for at least a year. That’s not possible. I can’t do it and I don’t want to do it. That’s all.”
His immediate goal was to attend the UEFA Champions League final, after which he attended some Euro 2024 matches in Germany. “We have tickets for some Euro matches, but apart from that we are not planning anything,” he said. The Guardian“I was in Germany for a long time, I met friends, nothing spectacular. Just calm, without planning a pre-season or being involved in transfer negotiations.”
Naturally, there has been plenty of speculation about Klopp’s potential next job despite his insistence that he wanted a break. Bayern Munich’s chaotic search for a manager for 2024/25 linked them with the former Borussia Dortmund boss, but there is little concrete evidence that they have had candid talks about the role. There has also been talk of a possible move into international management with the United States or England, but either option seems fanciful at the moment.
The only thing Klopp has made clear is that he will not accept another job as a manager in the Premier League. “I will never, ever manage a club in England that is not Liverpool, 100 per cent,” he said. “That is not possible. My love for this club, my respect for the people is too great.”
Is Jurgen Klopp retiring?
Klopp will be 57 in June 2024 and has been a manager since 2001, when he ended his long career as a player at Mainz. Based on comments he made at the end of July, it seems that he has decided to call time on his days in charge.
Asked to clarify a suggestion he might retire after leaving Liverpool, he said: “So I think a few other people used that word.” [retirement] “When I made the announcement, I thought, ‘That’s the right way to say it.’ I’m stepping aside, that’s the idea. I don’t know what’s going to happen next.”
However, at the International Coaches Congress, Klopp said: “From today, that’s it for me as a coach. I didn’t resign on a whim, but it was a general decision. I have also coached the best clubs in the world.”
Time will tell if he really meant those words.
What was the reason why Jürgen Klopp left Liverpool?
Klopp is unlikely to accept a new job in the near future for the same reason he decided to leave Liverpool: he is simply exhausted, lacking energy from a demanding job year after year.
When he announced earlier this year that he would be stepping down after eight-and-a-half years at Anfield, the German told fans: “The fact that I’m still taking this decision probably shows that I’m convinced that it’s the right one to take. I’m just… how can I say it… running out of energy.”
“I don’t have any problems now. I think I’ve known for a while that I’ll have to announce it at some point. I’m perfectly fine now, but I also know that I can’t do the job over and over and over again.
“After all the years we’ve spent together, all the time we’ve spent together, all the things we’ve been through together, my respect for you has grown and my love for you has grown. The least I owe you is the truth. And that’s the truth.”
Klopp’s explanation prompted comparisons with that of Pep Guardiola when the Catalan manager left Barcelona in 2012. After four years in charge at Camp Nou, which included a gruelling battle for La Liga supremacy with Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid, Guardiola admitted he had nothing more to give.
“The reason is simple: four years is enough,” he replied when asked why he would not renew his contract.
“I’m exhausted and I need to recover. The demands have been very high and a coach must be strong.”
