Liverpool have adjusted well to life under new manager Arne Slot following the departure of Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp will be returning to the world of football at the start of 2025 as he prepares to take on the role of Red Bull’s global head of soccer.
The German shocked many by accepting this position, particularly after declaring his desire to take a break from the sport only in January of this year and due to his former club’s (Borussia Dortmund) conflicting beliefs with one of Red Bull’s clubs: RB Leipzig.
Klopp will be supporting the work of his old Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders, who is currently the coach of RB Salzburg after leaving Anfield at the same time as the 57-year-old at the end of last season.
Is this the right move for the legendary Liverpool manager or will it be viewed as a mistake? Our weekly ECHO columnists have shared their thoughts below.
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Rhys Buchanan (Aigburth, @Rhys_Buchanan) – Dortmund frustration clear
The irony certainly wasn’t lost on Liverpool fans that Jurgen Klopp is soon to become the key figure behind Red Bull’s football franchise after famously claiming he was ‘running out of energy’ during his retirement announcement last season.
The jokes were all in good humour, though, and it feels like this role is a suitable transition for our old boss. After all, he was never going to be lying by the beach forever. I think it’s an exciting next chapter for Klopp as he takes on a more senior position away from the week-to-week managerial and media pressures. While there will be obvious financial motivations, we know our old manager well enough to know he loves a challenge and would have to be excited by the project ahead as well.
While it’s priceless PR for Red Bull and their football empire, given the thoughts and feelings of his German fans this week following the news, you have to wonder whether Jurgen may not have fully foreseen the full implications on his reputation in his homeland, with the RB structure going against the core fundamental values of German football. From our point of view, I think most Reds will be happy as long as Klopp is happy. Who knows, we might even see him enjoying a few steins out in Leipzig later this month!
Andrew Cullen (Widnes, @brothersred5) – Huge win for Red Bull
I was expecting an uneventful international break, but it will not have escaped the attention of Liverpool fans around the world that Jurgen Klopp has been appointed Red Bull’s Global Head of Soccer.
It is unsurprising that our former boss is ‘getting back into football’ after several months of downtime, largely populated by improving his padel game.
His new job description is wonderfully nebulous and nondescript: it smacks of a highly-paid consultancy role outside the day-to-day running of a football club. In fairness to Red Bull, the brand power alone of Klopp will be well worth the investment. After nine years of blood, sweat and tears carrying the expectations of our fanbase, can anyone begrudge him a well-remunerated, low-stress role chatting to the Red Bull workplace about his specialist subject? Only time will tell whether he can resist the allure of management.
The surprising news about Klopp’s return to football coincided with the unsurprising news that Alisson Becker will face a period on the sidelines. Liverpool now face a cluster of tricky fixtures on the domestic and European stage, in quick order, without the indomitable presence of Alisson. Our early success this season has, in part at least, been due to a firmer defensive unit, so it is hoped that Caoimhin Kelleher’s return to the side does not weaken those strengthened foundations.
James Noble (Worcestershire, @james_noble98) – Klopp move not a surprise
Immediately, at least, it felt surprising to see Jürgen Klopp announced as Red Bull’s Head of Global Soccer on Wednesday. Then again, it simultaneously makes plenty of sense – and brings with it certain cultural conversations.
Klopp’s next role – however it arrived, if it arrived – was always going to take some processing. Calling him the ‘former Liverpool manager’ has required a fair amount.
Given the range of offers he is likely to have received, and that infectious passion of his, it’s unsurprising that he’ll be back in work within a year of his Anfield farewell. The role, in itself, also sounds one that will strike a healthy balance. His influence appears set to be more overarching – offering advice and enhancing philosophy – than day-to-day.
It scratches the football itch, at a lower intensity, while the contract also reportedly includes a get-out clause if the chance to lead the Germany men’s national team materialises. On a practical level, it feels ideal.
But questions, particularly in Germany, have also been understandable. There is an apparent alignment of tactical outlooks, but seemingly less so in football culture terms. Klopp’s actions and impact in the role, on and off the pitch, are likely to speak loudest.