Borussia Dortmund followers have reacted with anger and frustration after former coach Jurgen Klopp’s announcement he’ll take over as head of soccer operations at Red Bull. The vitality drink firm, which owns Dortmund’s Bundesliga rival RB Leipzig together with groups in Salzburg and New York, made the shock announcement on Wednesday, with the previous Liverpool coach beginning his function in January. Klopp grew to become an area hero in Dortmund, delivering two Bundesliga titles and a German Cup throughout his seven years on the membership whereas additionally taking them to the 2013 Champions League last.
The Dortmund fanzine Schwatzgelb, nevertheless, stated that Klopp had destroyed his popularity and “torn it down with a bang”.
It additionally took problem with Klopp’s self-label of ‘the traditional one’, a tongue-in-cheek reference to Jose Mourinho’s declaration he was ‘a particular one’ on arriving at Chelsea.
“The regular one, sadly (is) regular on all ranges. Normal like everybody else on this soiled enterprise,” the journal wrote.
“Jurgen Klopp’s resolution to assist Red Bull has ruined his life’s work, at the least for a big proportion of followers in Dortmund and in Germany,” it stated whereas including he had given a “well-mannered center finger” to Dortmund followers.
The 57-year-old had retained his popularity in Dortmund regardless of leaving for Liverpool in 2015 the place he went on to win a number of titles, together with the Champions League and Premier League, earlier than stepping down in the summertime, citing an absence of vitality.
He was given a rousing reception at a testimonial match in September in entrance of 81,365 followers at Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion.
His willingness to talk out on social points — together with commercialism in soccer — has additionally fashioned a part of his legacy, as has his ‘everyman’ attraction.
In England, he spoke out towards match time slots being decided by TV networks in addition to the broader problems with populism and Brexit.
He was overtly important of the European Super League in 2021, regardless of assist from Liverpool’s possession for the breakaway competitors.
His resolution to take up the job at Red Bull has irritated Dortmund supporters who, like many followers in Germany, have a long-standing dislike of RB Leipzig.
Some followers imagine Leipzig, based in 2009, are usually not per Germany’s 50+1 rule, which requires member management of golf equipment, whereas others have hit out on the multi-club possession mannequin utilized by Red Bull.
‘No shock’
Surprise at Klopp’s resolution was not uniform nevertheless, even at Dortmund the place managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke wished him “good luck in his new job”.
“It was no shock to me as a result of we talked about it personally,” he instructed AFP’s German sports activities subsidiary SID on Wednesday.
Klopp had beforehand defended the Red Bull mannequin whereas calling himself a soccer “traditionalist”.
In an interview with the DFL, who organise the Bundesliga, Klopp stated he “understood how RB Leipzig was criticised by soccer traditionalists — of which I’m one.
“But I discover that Leipzig hasn’t taken something away from conventional golf equipment, they’ve simply gone their very own manner.
“They do not earn more cash than Dortmund, or Bayern. They develop younger gamers — the entire thought is a soccer thought and never a cash thought.”
Former Manchester United coach Ralf Rangnick, who held the identical place Klopp will take over in January, stated: “It will definitely be thrilling to see what Jurgen can contribute.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
