Jurgen Klopp says he’s ‘not a clown’ after Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Manchester City.
The line came after a cameraman tried to persuade Klopp to do his signature ‘fist-pump’. The Liverpool boss has a tradition of fist-pumping to the Kop after wins and the cameraman clearly wanted it for his shot.
But Klopp said no – ‘not while you’re here’. Footage from the crowd caught the incident, with Klopp refusing any direction.
It’s great to see, honestly. Eyes on constantly on Klopp and when you see how passionate it is, you can easily wonder if it’s for show.
The emotion could easily be part of the Jurgen Klopp ‘character’, the one on TV that draws attention. But it’s little moments like this that prove how genuine he is.
This is a moment between him and the fans – not something done for TV. And especially not at the behest of a cameraman.
And so you can never doubt Klopp’s passion or his connection with the club’s core supporters. That’s such a key facet of his teams – the desire, the fight, the belief. There’s no better example of it than the win over City.
But it all comes from the club being one. You can’t fake it or it doesn’t work but Klopp’s belief spreads to everyone else.
Things were a little different under Brendan Rodgers, for instance. He tried to cultivate a similar feeling but it always felt a little forced. It always felt like it really was just a face.
But Klopp is for real. The Liverpool boss has given the club the passion it needed.
Klopp certainly isn’t a clown – he’s one of the best managers we’ve ever had.
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