Liverpool FC gave Jurgen Klopp a proper, official send-off last night, and the German used the event as a chance to sound off. Klopp went totally no holds barred, saying a lot of things that he obviously wasn’t able to previously. He took aim at Manchester United and manager Erik ten Hag, over the way they handled/are handling the Jadon Sancho situation.
He also made a joke about Manchester City, their spending and the 115 financial charges they currently face.
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Klopp wasn’t done slamming Liverpool’s rivals though, as he also hit out at Chelsea’s ownership for sacking Mauricio Pochettino.
For this post, however, we’ll just focus on Sancho, who joined United from Borussia Dortmund in 2021, before falling out with Ten Hag in the fall.
Sancho rejoined Dortmund on loan this past January, and we’ll see what happens to him after this weekend, when he plays his final game of the season, in the UEFA Champions League Final.
He won’t be going back to United, we know that. And as we can see from An Evening with Jurgen Klopp, the outgoing Liverpool boss won’t be coming back to the Premier League.
“If the whole world loses trust and faith in the player, the manager has to be the one behind the player,” Klopp said, without specifically naming Sancho or United.
“I cannot just buy into that, ‘he’s useless,’ like other clubs did by the way, buying a player for £80 million ($102m) and then sending him out on loan.”
Just in case you didn’t know who he talking about, at first, mentioning THAT specific transfer fee amount made it clear.
Sancho and United broke apart when Ten Hag didn’t select him for a matchday squad, and when the Dutchman was asked why in a press conference, he said that the English international didn’t show enough in training to deserve it. Sancho then ripped Ten Hag on Twitter, and called him a liar.
The winger/attacking midfielder refused to apologize, and here we are. While Jurgen Klopp obviously enjoyed a successful spell at BVB, his time there did not overlap at all with Sancho.
As for that dig at City, Comedian John Bishop, compere for the evening, brought up the idea of Liverpool being awarded two more Premier League titles should Pep Guardiola and company be stripped of silverware.
It is a distinct possibility, if any of the 115 charges against MCFC for financial irregularities are proven.
Klopp responded: “If you organize a bus parade I’m in. How long it takes, I don’t care how long.”
LOL! Funny stuff.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.