Jurgen Klopp press conference LIVE: Liverpool manager addresses shock departure

Is there a chance Klopp could change his mind?

“My mind is always clear because of the good relationship at the club.” he said, “I have to make a decision at one point because no one else would.

“I always knew I would take that decision because I don’t just want to be hanging around. I have thought it through properly.

“I want to win everything this season and if we don’t win anything it won’t change my mind. It’s independent of results. The big one is the development of the team.

“We have a good basis to work with and that’s really important, that’s why it’s a good moment to give it to someone else.”

Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan on the decision-making process for Klopp’s successor: “I think from our perspective, I don’t want to set an expectation because it’s a process we will go through.

“The way we operate as a football club is to look at all the information, the data and with due diligence and then make our decision. I can’t put a time on it. It will happen behind the scenes. It’s not to be a distraction, it’s about the campaign continuing and the team continuing to perform.

“When we have something to say, we will have something to say at that point.”

Klopp on his message to fans: “I really hope you can accept my decision and beside that I am not in the mood to say thank you. These things will happen but now it’s time to continue with the season.

“There’s no misunderstanding on my feelings towards the fans or them towards me, these games should not be made about me. We need all the support for all these games, we need that. We want that.

“Let’s squeeze everything out of the season, that’s the message.”

“In this moment I love each minute. It’s just the stuff you have to do next to it which is really a lot. Like planning, the transfer windows, pre-seasons all these types of things.

“I’ve done six press conferences a week for nine years pretty much and I can’t wait for the moment I don’t have to do that anymore. You have to be pushing yourself, especially for a club like Liverpool because it’s so important for so many people, I can’t do it on three wheels, it’s not allowed and I never wanted to be a passenger in all of that.

“My managerial skills, there are so many better managers out there, but mine are based on energy on relationships and that takes all of you.

“I’m where I am because of who I am. If I can’t be that anymore it’s time to tell the people. I cannot be that anymore. I didn’t say it after one two three year four five, I didn’t say it.

“I was 100% convinced at that moment we will go to 2026. My energy level was endless but now it’s not. Now we have to change.”

“The summer was a difficult summer. It was not that we had a lot of time. We worked really hard to bring in the right players when it happened that was the moment when it was ‘Okay, let’s go for it’.

“The training and preparation we had was really good in seeing how good this team can be. That gave me a lot of joy especially.”

Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan addressed the media about Klopp’s departure saying: “It’s hard to put into words how significant it is. When Jurgen joined in 2015 he spoke about leaving the club in a better place to how he found it

“If you look at where we are today there is no doubt he’s done that.

“The news is sad and I’m sure supporters share that emotion. We’ve had talks over the last few months and the first time we spoke a out it from professional and personal stand point, I can see from my perspective that it’s a decision he’s comfortable with. When you friend and colleague comes to a decision like that you respect it.

“I’m surprised in a sense but I understand it. It’s a sad day but a credit to Jurgen he’s come to a decision that allows the club to go through an orderly process. That’s not easy to do if this news isn’t public.

“We’ll go through the same process that brought us Jurgen almost nine years ago.

“We will do the process in private with, as Jurgen said, the ownership and when we have further news we can discuss it but it won’t be a running commentary. At this club we prefer to operate on speaking about things when we will. We won’t get into the name game.

“This is an announcement we and Jurgen are making and we’re focusing on the campaign and competing on four fronts to make the 2023/24 campaign one supporters can look back on with enjoyment.”

Klopp was asked whether he will have a choice in his successor and replied: “No why should i?

“In this world we have a few faces, managers of the club and others you don’t see often. It looks like I do all the work, I don’t, I can’t. That means what we built over the last eight and a half years is a strong structure behind the scenes, everything goes in the same direction. It’s one of the reasons I can leave.

“My responsibility was so big, I wanted to put things in place to make this club get stronger and stronger. We did that to perfection No, but as good as we could.

“The last thing they need is advice from the old man on his way out. For the future I wish them the best. For now I’m still here and can help them achieve the best things possible.”

“The players didn’t have a lot of questions. I spoke to the players all together then I spoke to a few after that. We have a really strong bond, a really strong bond so they didn’t ask questions.

“The agreement you have with the team on both sides is we agree for a year, after that anything can happen with a manager. We are completely in that year and the boys are. They see it like that too.

“We are professionals, the boys are in a really good mood. It was just an announcement, it’s different to other situations usually a manager saying that in a dressing is because he got sacked.

“Beacuse of all the things we achieved with each other I’m always having to review is it still right? Many managers would have got the sack last season but there was never any intention to do that.

“I knew I would have to say when it’s not right any more.

“People from the outside who are not with us might be happy. The distractions come from the outside. We will not let distractions happen. If we want we can grow even more together to squeeze everything out of the season.

“There are no guarantees that we will win anything but the fact I said I won’t be manager next season doesn’t mean we will fight less.

“We will be completely in it and fight. I will be here 100%. I just know I can’t do the job in the future but I will do it very well right now.”

What were your emotions in coming to the decision?

Klopp replied:

“The relief was there when I made the decision for myself. That was another thing I realised, I didn’t know that would be the case. Today it is mixed but I’m not as emotional as I will be when it comes to an end point.

“The two most important things I had to do, after telling the owenrs of course, was to tell our supporters and our players. I don’t know 100% the reaction of the supporters but the reaction of the players was top. It was really good, we’ve known each other so long they know I don’t say things like that and walk away.

“I am here and I am fully here. Until the end of the season, we have so much to do, I am fully in that. It’s just the right thing to do and I’m convinced in the right moment because the club needs time to sort the future while we are sorting the present.”

More from Klopp: “We’re not young rabbits any more and we don’t jump as high as we did. I didn’t purposefully start thinking about it [leaving Liverpool], it just happened and when I though more about it I just knew.

“This team we have with all the super things we have in this club, they need a manager at the top of his game and top level. I can’t be there any more. The alternative is I go into next season and I have to try and get through it, that’s not how it should be.

“First I told the club about my decision and then I told the coaches my decision and staff and since today everyone knows it.

“That I love everything so much and everyone believes that to be the case. I still think it’s the right thing to do. I don’t take these things lightly. I’m convinced it’s right.”