Jurgen Klopp has said English football is killing its own chances of progressing far in European competition by playing too many fixtures – and the German has asked TNT Sports to take him off their subscriber list!
The Liverpool boss joked the congested football calendar is a crime worthy of an intervention from Amnesty International and took a swipe at the broadcaster for often putting his team in the Saturday lunchtime slot straight after a European game.
Klopp was in good form at his usual Friday press conference and in a relaxed mood with just three games to go before he calls time on his glorious nine years at Anfield. But that did not stop him launching a tongue-in-cheek rant about fixture pile-ups.
‘The boys had a few days off this week which was super important and we could have proper training sessions again, which we are not used to,’ said Klopp. ‘We stumble from one -1 (the day before a match) into the next. I said it from the first day, training helps
‘In general it’s a really interesting subject, seeing that Aston Villa lost 4-2 last night. If they go out it would mean no English team is in a European final. You will all stay here, you will all talk about it. If you don’t decrease the intensity for the players…
Jurgen Klopp took aim at TNT Sports over the ‘crime’ of Liverpool’s ‘insane’ fixture schedule
The Reds have been struggling through a tough period that has seen them play eight times across 23 days
‘If you think that all English teams underperformed, there were definitely moments – us against Atalanta and things like this.
‘But the Premier League is the best league in the world. It is not overrated, the players are overworked. Somebody needs to help the people.
‘You cut off one game (FA Cup replays), you give the top teams three more Champions League games. Everyone has a reason to say, “You cannot cut off these games, they are important!” But you cannot sort it all the time.
‘I had a discussion the other day with colleagues from my favourite TV channel which I will definitely never watch again, TNT. And people always say, “They pay you! They give money for football”. It’s not that, it’s the other way around, football pays them.
Klopp said he expected human rights charity Amnesty International to get involved over Liverpool’s testing fixture pile-up
The German joked TNT could ‘take me off their list of subscribers’ after savaging them
‘They broadcast and deliver it but it’s not like TNT or Sky is doing really well and can pay all of you. You have to become a partner of football again and not just the squeezer. That’s just a little advice from an old man on the way out.
‘I will watch a lot of football but not all – people can survive without matches from time to time. Manchester City and Arsenal are out in the quarter-finals, it’s just not a reflection of quality. We are out in the quarter-finals. Yes other countries have good teams, it’s not about that – it’s a sign.
‘We have to change our approach. That’s how it is. When I speak about it they think it’s because of our situation, if we lost the last game. But it’s a general problem.
‘Nothing to do with our schedule now. They dare to give Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday 12.30 – it’s a crime!
‘I was waiting for Amnesty International to go to them. I would like to be part of that meeting when someone says, “Liverpool 12.30” and the whole room bursts into [laughter]. I would like to be there. The quickest turnaround in the whole world… Liverpool!
‘They say you have to fight more and go for it. It’s absolutely insane. But they are still happy. They like subscribers, you can take me off that list. If you are ever looking for a pundit, I speak English and could do it, but… what was the question by the way?’
Klopp has famously scrutinised broadcasters over congested fixture scheduling in the past and was known for raging at TNT – then called BT Sport – in 2020, blaming them for an injury suffered to James Milner.
When questioned by prsenter Des Kelly over the severity of the latest setback, Klopp sarcastically said ‘congratulations’ before engaging in an eye-opening verbal joust with the TV host.
Klopp infamously went to war with TNT Sports – then BT Sport – in 2020 and blamed them for causing an injury to James Milner
Klopp insisted there was ‘no problem’ between himself and Mo Salah despite a row between the pair during their 2-2 draw at West Ham
Klopp told him: ‘Well you work for them. I don’t know how often I have to say it, but you pick the 12:30 kick offs.
‘Between now and December there is one more Wednesday, Saturday. These are difficult times. I am just saying it how it is. Wednesday to Saturday 12:30 is really dangerous.’
Meanwhile, Klopp rubbished talk of a spat with Mohamed Salah and said any disagreement with the Egyptian forward has been swiftly resolved. ‘Completely resolved,’ added the manager, who had a heated exchange with Salah at West Ham last Saturday.
‘It’s not a problem. We have known each other for (a long time) and respect each other. We have a right to deal with these things completely independently. It’s a non-story.’ Salah is in line to return to action this weekend, but Virgil van Dijk is a doubt with a minor injury.
