Former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has announced plans to retire to a private life after leaving the Premier League club, with no immediate plans to return to management. Klopp bid farewell to the fans at Anfield with a lengthy speech following Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Wolves on Sunday, leading the crowd in a song for the new manager, Arne Slot, who has a significant job ahead of him.
The German coach, who introduced himself as “the normal one” at his first press conference at Liverpool, expressed satisfaction in leaving the club in a good position after a trophy-laden career.
“But look, it’s not burning behind me, and that gives me a good feeling,” Klopp told journalists on Sunday in his final post-match press conference, adding that he will return to Anfield one day as a spectator.
The 56-year-old German is set to pack his bags after some emotional weeks in the city. In January, he announced his departure at the end of the season, after nine years at the helm of the club, due to depleted energy levels.
“A private life should be planned, and I haven’t planned anything because I was here,” Klopp said. “Ulla (Sandrock, his wife) will probably update me on where we’re going, but I’m still happy.”
“I don’t exactly know why no one believes that I probably won’t return to coaching, but I understand because it obviously seems like a drug; everyone comes back, and everyone works until their 70s. Other people can do it differently. I have to be everything—I have to be the spark, I have to be the energy, I have to be all these kinds of things, and I’m empty. Just look outside at the clubs that are obviously available. There will be opportunities, but I’m not sitting here thinking, ‘Maybe in a year I’ll take that up,'” he concluded.