Jurgen Klopp has defended his decision to become head of global soccer at Red Bull and explained it was difficult to take a job where “everyone is happy”.
The German, who left Liverpool at the end of last season, has received a lot of criticism for joining Red Bull – especially among fans of his former club Borussia Dortmund.
In 2009, Red Bull caused controversy in German football when it took over fifth-division SSV Markranstadt and turned the club into RB Leipzig.
The Austrian company owns Red Bull Salzburg, New York Red Bulls, Brazilian club Red Bull Bragantino and recently acquired a stake in Leeds United.
While not technically owning RB Leipzig, it is also financing the Bundesliga team, who have been branded the “most hated club in Germany” and faced regular protests by opposition fans – ranging from boycotting games to the arrest of 28 Dortmund fans for throwing cans and stones at rival supporters in 2017.
Speaking on the podcast of former Germany, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos, Klopp said: “You cannot make your decision depending on what reactions there will be.
“I did not want to step on anyone’s toes. I love all my former clubs, but I don’t know what I could have done so that everyone is happy.
“I am 57 and can still work a few more years, but I did not see myself on the sidelines for now. It was clear for me that I would do something – so then Red Bull came.”
Klopp added he had never viewed Red Bull’s involvement in football “so critically” and called his new role, which he will begin in January, a “fantastic” opportunity and criticism from German football fans was “not hugely relevant to me”.
“I can’t poll the fans and ask them, ‘what should I do?’. If I had gone to Bayern [Munich], there would have been a huge outcry in Dortmund,” he added.
“What should I do? I want to keep working. If you organise your life around trying to please everyone, you’ll find you fail every day.”
Klopp also reiterated he did not see himself making a return to management, even at international level with Germany.
“My only real option would have been to become a coach of a national side, but I don’t want to be a coach anymore,” he said.
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