Klopp accused of being ‘tone deaf’ after Liverpool boss issues calls to ‘calm down’ over Super League furor

Gary Lineker has blasted a 'tone deaf' Jurgen Klopp, after the Liverpool manager went on a Saturday-afternoon rant related to criticism of the European Super League.

The German was giving a post-match interview to broadcasters BT Sport in the UK.

Perhaps already irate, as his side conceded a 95th-minute equalizer to draw at home to Newcastle, Klopp was asked about saying it felt Anfield had been "trashed" by the decision to join the breakaway competition.

Taking a second to collect his thoughts, he then began by saying: "The thing was, yes, our owners made a mistake. We said it often enough, they know it."

"You all have to calm down. It's winding people up."

"Nobody wanted it. Definitely. But now let's deal with it."

A passionate Jurgen Klopp on dealing with, and moving forward from the European Super League fallout.

???? @TheDesKelly pic.twitter.com/2xMFzfIPUt

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 24, 2021

"What I didn't like in that moment...the Leeds supporters are a good example. They are not better than others or worse than others, but they went on us," Klopp said, in reference to protests outside Elland Road as Liverpool could again only muster a 1-1 draw on Monday night. 

"We are just the face of the club. We didn't even know about it. It's important we don't forget that." 

"It was not Liverpool Football Club; it was representatives of Liverpool Football Club. We have to make the difference, that's really very important," Klopp insisted. 

"I've seen the pictures over the last few days, last night Arsenal and Chelsea as well. I really think you all have to calm down. 

"There are three journalists all the time, talking all day about it. It's winding up people. We are still in a pandemic," Klopp complained. 

A handful of owners try to tear our game apart and may well try to do so again, and we’re just told to ‘calm down and move on’. Huge admirer of Klopp but he’s spectacularly tone deaf here. Without the fans of our beautiful game it would be much uglier today. https://t.co/rRH40Kal0p

— Gary Lineker ???? (@GaryLineker) April 24, 2021

"People are out there without face masks shouting their opinions. Pundits have to calm down. 

"Yes, we didn't want it, but let's deal with it. The people, they learned their lessons, 100 per cent.

"So just relax a little bit, we have to carry on. That's always what we have to do," Klopp signed off.

But ex-England legend and pundit Lineker took offence to the comments and immediately headed to Twitter to address them.

Come off the high horse Gary. BT and Sky are robbing people for years and you getting well paid. Super league is wrong but this idea that Sky and BT care about the beautiful game is hilarious

— ????????RedG???????????? Ⓥ (@REDG_78) April 24, 2021

"A handful of owners try to tear our game apart and may well try to do so again, and we’re just told to ‘calm down and move on’," he wrote. 

"Huge admirer of Klopp but he’s spectacularly tone deaf here. Without the fans of our beautiful game it would be much uglier today," Lineker said.

An early critic of the ESL project, whose remarks following Sunday evening's bombshell announcement helped fuel widespread backlash that eventually saw it derailed, Klopp's latest outburst is certainly a startling shift in direction.

But Lineker was likewise pulled up by fans who accused him of hypocrisy. 

Come off the high horse Gary. BT and Sky are robbing people for years and you getting well paid. Super league is wrong but this idea that Sky and BT care about the beautiful game is hilarious

— ????????RedG???????????? Ⓥ (@REDG_78) April 24, 2021

"Come off the high horse, Gary," one punter advised him.

"BT and Sky [have been] robbing people for years and you getting well paid. [The] Super league is wrong but this idea that Sky and BT care about the beautiful game is hilarious," he said.

"Don't you work for the channel that took CL away from free to view tv and charges huge amounts to watch games like today's?" Lineker was asked.

He’s looking out for his club Gary. He knows the issue is much bigger than just his employers. Karen Brady calling for points deduction when she was lobbying for null and void to avoid relegation? Football full of self interest. That’s today’s game.

— Si Steers (@sisteers) April 24, 2021

One Liverpool FC blogger defended Klopp by saying: "He’s looking out for his club Gary. He knows the issue is much bigger than just his employers."

"[West Ham chief] Karen Brady is calling for points deduction when she was lobbying for null and void to avoid relegation? Football is full of self interest. That’s today’s game," it was written.

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At times appearing to be at his wit's end with the Liverpool job, Klopp was linked to a switch to Bayern Munich in his homeland this week, as the furor from the Super League saw him tipped to resign.