The news of Jurgen Klopp stepping down at Liverpool FC, effective at the end of the season, sent shockwaves throughout the football world on Friday. Reactions came in all shapes and sizes, from all corners of the globe. There is one opinion on the matter that holds more weight than most, and it belongs to the club captain, Virgil van Dijk.
The Dutchman has opened up on this situation, candidly saying that Klopp’s leaving is a “hard one to take.”
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Klopp said, ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup 4th round clash vs Norwich City, that the decision he made is one that he will not be talked out of. He is as certain as could be that he will be stepping away, and Van Dijk respects that.
“The manager means so much for us, to me, to the club,” said VVD the club in-house media.
“But he made the decision for him and his family. It was always going to be a tough one and it was definitely the case.
“He told us in private of course and all of us were together. It’s a hard one to take but our mindset is to focus on business. We have a lot of targets still to achieve this year and why not finish the season on a high and together with celebrations for the boss as well?”
It really sounds like Van Dijk is speaking from the heart here, and what he’s had to say is definitely the correct approach to take. Much of the Liverpool community is still processing the shocking revelations made yesterday.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager 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’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now, while writing for the International Baseball Writers Association of America. You can follow the website on Twitter.