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Jurgen Klopp's training comments say a lot about what he expects from players

mirror.co.uk, 7 July 2022, 19:15
Jurgen Klopp's buzzing reaction to Joel Matip's sensational goal during pre-season training sums up his style of coaching, and offers a glimpse into what the Liverpool boss expects from his players

Jurgen Klopp 's players love to work for him and it's no secret why.

The Liverpool manager has led the Reds to six trophies in as many full seasons at the helm, and while his heavy metal football is what we get to enjoy, it's the feel-good factor behind the scenes that makes heading into training so fun, day in, day out.

Having recently signed a long-term contract extension, Klopp's charisma and passion infectious. We've all seen the extravagant celebrations in front of the Kop, but a peek into one of Liverpool's pre-season training sessions has pulled back the curtain on how he treats his Reds stars - and what he expects from them.

In a video posted on Liverpool's social media channels on Thursday, Klopp can be heard reacting to defender Joel Matip 's sensational goal, slaloming between teammates Roberto Firmino and Joe Gomez before slotting home. "You can see the joy in his face, eh?" the German gaffer told the group. "He's really happy. I can tell you."

While the old-school method of tough love still has it's merits, the positive atmosphere which Klopp employs is tried and tested to the ultimate level on Merseyside. A core tenet of the former Borussia Dortmund boss' likeable style of coaching, keeping spirits up has always been key for Klopp and is something that needs to be reciprocated by his players.

"We enjoy the work. I know what they want, they know what I want, so it is very good information," the 55-year-old explained back in 2017, as Liverpool's resurgence under his leadership began to become undeniable. "Nobody expects perfection. I don't expect it from them and they don't from me. It is pretty simple and being good together is not too difficult. It is all full of respect.

"As long as they work really hard I am a really nice person. Not always in training, but I always respect. I will then decide who will start. If they start not working - and that does not mean running, it means concentrating on what you need to play football, listening - then I am not a nice guy actually, but none of the players expect me to let them do what they want. They know someone has to make the rules and it is long ago I made them, and now we have to respect them."

Join the debate! Where does Klopp rank amongst Liverpool's best-ever managers? Have your say in the comments section.

Klopp's players can't speak highly enough of his methods either. Ex-Reds ace Georginio Wijnaldum cited the former Mainz manager's charming and caring personality as one of the reasons why he chose sign for Liverpool in 2016 over other interested clubs.

"In the meeting with Jurgen we had a laugh and did not speak only about football," the Dutch midfielder explained, having experienced Klopp's warmth and a positive vibes on Merseyside from the get-go. "He was interested in my personal life and that was good for me. He was not only interested in Wijnaldum the footballer but Wijnaldum the person."

While Klopp's career in football will forever be judged by his results, it'll be the man outside of the dugout who his players remember most fondly.

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