Outgoing Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp has admitted that he is unsure whether he will take on another job in management after leaving the Reds, but he has vowed to never take charge of another English team.
On Friday morning, the former Borussia Dortmund boss issued a bolt from the blue to aghast Liverpool fans, announcing that he would be leaving his post at the end of the season alongside assistants Pep Lijnders, Peter Krawietz and Vitor Matos.
Klopp - who extended his Anfield contract until 2026 a couple of years ago - told the Reds website that his energy levels were running too low for him to continue on Merseyside, where he has been at the helm for nearly nine years after replacing Brendan Rodgers in 2015.
During the latter stages of his Liverpool career, Klopp has remained loyal to the Premier League leaders despite the best efforts of the German Football Association to persuade him to manage his national team.
Klopp's imminent exit from Liverpool will naturally reignite speculation surrounding a stint in charge of Germany, whose current head coach Julian Nagelsmann is only under contract until the end of Euro 2024.
© Reuters
However, during his tell-all interview with liverpoolfc.com, Klopp said that he cannot envisage himself taking on another job at this moment in time, but if he does, he has sworn off managing another Premier League side.
"If you ask me, 'Will you ever work as a manager again?' I would say now no. But I don't know obviously how that will feel because I never had the situation," the 56-year-old said.
"What I know definitely – I will never, ever manage a different club in England than Liverpool, 100 per cent. That's not possible. My love for this club, my respect for the people is too big. I couldn't. I couldn't for a second think about it. There's no chance.
"This is part of my life, we are part of the family, we feel home here. There's no chance to do that. But all the rest, will I ever work again? Of course, I know myself, I cannot just sit around. I will find something else maybe to do.
"But I will not manage a club or a country at least for a year, that's not possible, I cannot do that and I don't want to. That's all. It's such a strange situation because I have to explain that I don't have energy anymore, but now I'm sitting here and I have energy and I'm buzzing for everything that's happening here. But because of the relationship we have, I have to think about this."
© Reuters
Prior to Klopp's emotional farewell from Anfield, the German will endeavour to lead Liverpool to a historic quadruple between now and the end of the season, as the Reds chase success in the Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup and EFL Cup.
Liverpool have already advanced to the final of the latter competition, where they will meet Chelsea next month, and they sit five points clear of Manchester City, Arsenal and Aston Villa at the summit of the top-flight table.
Klopp's side are also waiting to learn their Europa League last-16 opponents after winning Group E, while their FA Cup campaign continues on Sunday, as Norwich City head to Anfield for their fourth-round tie.
From 466 games in charge of Liverpool, Klopp has masterminded 283 victories for an overall win rate of 60.7%, the best for any manager to have taken charge of at least 50 games for the Reds.
The German has won the Premier League, Champions League, Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, EFL Cup, FA Cup and Community Shield since arriving in England, and he was named the World's Best Club Coach in both 2019 and 2020.
Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group reacted to Klopp's decision to step down with 'huge sadness', but the company expressed their "profound admiration" for the man who led the Reds to their first-ever Premier League title and sixth top-level European crown.
Ben Knapton
