On Wednesday, it was announced that former Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, had agreed to return to football in his new role at Red Bull as their new Head of Global Soccer.
The German starts his role in the business giant’s sport department in the New Year. The appointment comes after an almost eight month sabbatical from the game, but what is his new role and what has the reaction been from the man himself and the greater football community?
What is a ‘Head of Global Soccer’?
Liverpool fans can rest assured the German will be nowhere near the touchline in his new job after his honest admission of exhaustion at the helm at Anfield.
His new job as Head of Global Soccer is more focused around the education of the sporting directors and coaches across Red Bull’s multi club system. Red Bull’s group contains five clubs from across the globe including RB Leipzig and RB Salzburg.
Red Bull hope to use the former manager’s knowledge and experience to enhance the footballing philosophy of the company.
What does Klopp say about his new role?
It is no surprise that the famously cheerful German coach has reacted excitedly to his fresh role in an interview with Red Bull. “After almost 25 years on the side lines, I could not be more excited to get involved in a project like this,” he said. “The role may have changed but my passion for football and the people who make the game what it is has not.”
Klopp went on to describe Red Bull and their footballing sector as ‘unique, innovative and forward thinking’ in the interview used for the official announcement. He also took to social media to explain his decision:
@cbssportsgolazo “When you are in the job, and you’re playing every three days, you don’t have time [to learn].” ❤️ Jurgen Klopp is joining @Red Bull USA as their “Head of Global Soccer” in 2025 🐂 #jurgenklopp #klopp #soccer #football #redbull
What has been the reaction in Germany?
The significant uproar in German football is mainly fuelled by the feeling of betrayal in the fanbases of Jurgen Klopp’s former clubs, Dortmund and Mainz, that this is not in line with his “man of the people” tag.
Red Bull’s reputation stems from their acquisition of SSV Markranstädt in 2009. Red Bull by passed the infamous 50+1 rule, in which member of a club must hold 50 percent plus one more vote in the running of the club, to complete the purchase of SSV Markranstädt which is now know as RB Leipzig. The new club and Red Bull were criticised by many in the football community in Germany.
Klopp’s new role goes completely against the public’s perception of his morals around the issue and this is why it has caused significant fury in the Bundesliga. Bundesliga reporter Archie Rhind-Tutt took to X to shed a light on some of the reaction from German football fans to the news of Klopp’s new job at Red Bull, he posted:
If you want an idea of how this is going down in Dortmund… a flavour of the comments from BVB fans to me this morning:
Football is dead.
He’s absolutely dead to me.
That makes me sick. https://t.co/X9Ib0RPnVS— Archie Rhind-Tutt (@archiert1) October 9, 2024
The Germany job
Although the former Reds boss is avoiding the managers office in his latest role, it may be he has a touchline return planned in the near future.
According to reports from Sky Sports Germany, Klopp’s contract with Red Bull contains a release clause that if the German national team manager role becomes available then he can leave his post at Red Bull to take up the biggest job in the country.
Like a lot of the facts surrounding this news for Liverpool fans, the idea of Jurgen Klopp jumping swiftly into the Germany managers role is more confusing than offensive after his admission of exhaustion with the job at Liverpool. A lot about this potential new venture could leave fans of Klopp with questions over his sudden change of heart.
@skysportsnews Jurgen Klopp is set to become the new Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull 🚨 #klopp #footballtiktok #skysportsnews
