Despite struggling through a down season and the mass manager sackings taking place in the Premier League this season, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says there is “no need for being afraid.”
Yesterday saw Brendan Rodgers (the very man Klopp replaced at Liverpool) sacked in the morning by Leicester City and Graham Potter (the opposing manager that he was set to face tomorrow) sacked in the evening by Chelsea.
Only 8 Premier League clubs still have the manager they started the season with…
The most managerial changes in a Premier League season EVER ? pic.twitter.com/PemymRfJvw
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 2, 2023
Liverpool vs Chelsea FYIs
Kick off: 8pm GMT, Tuesday April 4, Stamford Bridge, London, UK
Team News: Chelsea Liverpool FC
Starting XI Predictions: Chelsea Liverpool FC
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Google Result Probability: Chelsea 35% Draw 28% Liverpool 37%
Graham potter: “you’re letting me go?!?”
Chelsea: “Graham, some fans love losing games, we don’t know, we don’t wanna know. Frankly it’s a fanbase we could do without”
“So that’s it, after 6 months, so long and good luck?”
“I don’t recall saying good luck” pic.twitter.com/ac9rJmgYA2
— SimpsonsEFL (@EflSimpsons) April 2, 2023
This duo, along with Tottenham terminating Antonio Conte earlier in the week means that now a record 12 managers have been sacked in the England top-flight this term.
With Liverpool sitting eighth in the table, and long out of contention for any trophies, Klopp admits that this has been a rough season for his team, but he doesn’t fear for his job.
“I’m aware of the fact that I am sitting here because of the past, not because of what we did this season,” he said to a press conference today.
“We have smart owners — they know about the situation. If this was my first season, it would be slightly different.
“I’m not afraid [of the sack], no. There’s no need for being afraid, I need to deliver. I am not here as a mural on house walls, I am here to deliver.
“I am fully in — but we have to sort this. We cannot just continue playing how we do from time to time. I am really disappointed about us that we do this but it happens. We have to find a way out.”
Klopp admits that it’s a crazy business, and its been a wild week. He even described himself as a “last man standing” when asked to elaborate his opinion on what happened with Conte and Rodgers.
“What can I say about that [the sackings]? The elephant in the room is probably why am I still sitting here in this crazy world? Last man standing,” the German added.
“I think both clubs are not in the spots where they expect to be,” he said. “I can not really say a lot more about it. Let’s say I know them well, I respect them a lot. I like both.
“When I met them they were really really good people and fantastic managers both of them. But still things can go the wrong way and then decision-makers at the club think they have to change and they change.
“We all accept that part of the business and that’s it pretty much. But that’s it, its a strange week I would say.”
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. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.