Liverpool announced on Friday that Jurgen Klopp will step down as manager when the 2023/24 season ends. The German coach was appointed by the Reds in 2015.
German coach Jurgen Klopp guided the Reds to another final at Wembley after a 1-1 draw against Fulham in the Carabao Cup semi-finals on Wednesday. Liverpool are competing in four fronts this season – Europa League, FA Cup, EFL Cup and Premier League.
This campaign could be a glorious one for them but sad and shocking news came for Liverpool fans on Friday. Klopp has decided to leave the English club at the end of the season after nine seasons in charge.
Both the German and his assistants Pepijn Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, among other members of his staff, will also leave Anfield as soon as the 2023/24 season is over to seek a new challenge in their careers.
“I can understand that it’s a shock for a lot of people in this moment, when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it,” Klopp began.
“I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff. I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take,” he told ‘Liverpoolfc.com’.
The German led Liverpool to their first league title for 30 years in 2020 and to Champions League glory in 2019.
Jurgen Klopp was appointed as Liverpool coach in October 2015 and will leave with seven trophies – the UEFA Champions League, Premier League, FIFA Club World Cup, FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup and the FA Community Shield, if he does not win one more this term.
His contract was due to expire in 2026 as he renewed it in 2022 but he and his staff have decided to walk away from the Liverpool project in the summer.
“It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again;” he continued.
“After the years we had together and after all the time we spent together and after all the things we went through together, the respect grew for you, the love grew for you and the least I owe you is the truth – and that is the truth.”
Liverpool are five points clear at the top of the Premier League and the 56-year-old will be hoping to go out on a high by winning the title again.
“I told the club already in November. When we sat there together talking about potential signings, the next summer camp and can we go wherever, the thought came up, ‘I am not sure I am here then anymore’ and I was surprised myself by that. I obviously start thinking about it,” he claimed.
Klopp will play his last game as Liverpool manager at the end of May, meaning he still has five months left in charge of the Reds. He went on to add: “We are Liverpool, we went through harder things together,”
“And you went through harder things before me. Let’s make a strength of it. That would be really cool. Let’s squeeze everything out of this season and have another thing to smile about when we look back in the future,” he concluded.
The US-based Fenway Sports Group (FSG), who own Liverpool, paid tribute to Klopp and said work will begin immediately on looking for his successor.
“I would like to state our profound appreciation for Jurgen,” said FSG president Mike Gordon. “It goes without saying that we will be hugely saddened to lose not just a manager of such calibre, but a person and leader for whom we have enormous respect, gratitude and affection.
“At the same time, we fully respect his wishes and the reasons why he has decided the current season will be his last at Liverpool.”