Gary Lineker says ‘I’ve heard a little rumour’ about Jurgen Klopp’s next job despite ex-Liverpool boss’ retirement hint
GARY LINEKER “heard a little rumour” that Jurgen Klopp could become president of Borussia Dortmund after leaving Liverpool.
Klopp, 56, rolled credits on a glittering nine-year stint with the Reds that saw him winning all major honours, including a first league title in 30 years.
The German tactician led the Merseysiders to a 2-0 victory over Wolves during his last ever match in charge of the Premier League giants at Anfield on Sunday.
The Liverpool legend announced his departure in January as he revealed he is running out of energy and cannot continue in the job year after year.
Lineker expects Klopp to take some time off but is confident “there will be a battle” between the world’s biggest clubs to sign him in “a year or so’s time”.
But the Match of the Day host also revealed there’s been speculation about him returning to Dortmund in a different capacity that would see him taking charge of the entire club.
Klopp burst on the scene in 2008 when he was appointed to the Bundesliga giants’ dugout and led them to two consecutive league titles as well as the 2013 Champions League final.
Lineker told the Rest is Football podcast: “I will be interested to see what Jurgen Klopp does next.
“I think he will definitely take some time out because I think he’s genuine when he says he has run out of energy.
“You can see why that job is so demanding. There will be a battle for him in a year’s time. Or they’ll be lining up for a year or so’s time.
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“I heard a little rumour that he might end up being president of Borussia Dortmund, which would be amazing.”
Klopp appeared to have hinted towards managerial retirement after leaving Liverpool.
However, the ex-Dortmund boss set the record straight after the victory over Wolves and insisted he is not done just yet.
Klopp said: “I will work. I have just finished this job. I don’t know exactly why nobody believes I will probably not be a manager again, but I understand because obviously it seems to be a drug.
“It looks like that as everybody comes back and everybody works until they are 70-something. I have always had the idea I won’t do that.
“Other people are smarter and do it in different ways, but I have to be all-in. I have to be the spark, I have to be the energiser, I have to be all these kind of things. And I am empty. That’s it.
“My biggest worry today was that [goalkeeping coach] John Achterberg was coughing all the time next to me, and I thought I’d wake up tomorrow and I’ll be ill because he’s coughing in my direction! I have to start with the rest now and then we will see.
“It’s not that I’m looking outside for the next opportunity and which clubs are available and stuff like this. There will be opportunities but I’m not thinking, ‘Maybe in a year’s time I’ll take that’. In this moment, see you later.
“I have no clue [what I will do tomorrow]. Packing probably. I have enough things to do, private life must be planned as well but I’ve been here doing things and probably Ulla [Klopp’s wife] will update me where we go. I have no clue what’s coming up. We have a party tonight.”
Klopp has botched his Liverpool exit… and it’s cost him his legacy, says Dave Kidd
By Dave Kidd
NOW we know Jurgen Klopp’s final major trophy haul at Liverpool — one Champions League, one Premier League, one FA Cup, two League Cups and (if you must) a World Club Cup.
But where does his reign stand among the greatest of the Premier League era?
In black-and-white terms, Klopp is way behind Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola, the only two men to have won multiple Premier Leagues and a Champions League at the same club.
Those two sit alongside Brian Clough, Bob Paisley and Sir Matt Busby as the undoubted all-time managerial greats of the English game.
But Klopp ranks in the next tier down — with Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho (the Chelsea version), Bill Shankly and Don Revie.
These were all men with the strength of character to transform their clubs in their own image and enjoy success but who did not win as much as they might have done.
Had Klopp managed to keep his intentions under wraps and ended up with another title, perhaps even a treble or quadruple, he’d have edged himself up into that highest echelon with Ferguson, Guardiola, Clough, Paisley and Busby.
But deciding the timing and the manner of your exit is one of the toughest calls for any manager or sportsman.
Klopp got it wrong.
Read Dave Kidd’s take on Klopp’s demise in full here.
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