Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp to leave at the end of season

Jurgen Klopp has announced he will step down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season, saying he “has run out of energy”.

Klopp, 56, brought huge success to Liverpool when he arrived at Anfield in 2015, leading the club to the Premier League title in 2020 and the Champions League in 2019. But this will be his final campaign in charge, announcing on Friday his departure at the end of the season.

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Klopp will now take a break from management and has said he will not manage any club or country for at least a year. He also said he would never manage another club in England other than Liverpool.

I can understand that it's a shock to a lot of people right now, when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it, or at least try to explain it,” Klopp said in a video statement released by Liverpool.

“I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff. I love everything. But the fact that I take However, this decision shows you that I am convinced that it is the one that I must take.

“It's that I'm, how can I put it, out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I already knew it for longer than I should announce it at some point, but I'm going to done well now. I know I can't do this job over and over and over and over again.”

He added: “If you ask me now if I will ever succeed again? I would say no. But you obviously don't know because I have never had this situation. But I know for sure that I will never lead a any other club in England than Liverpool, it's impossible.

“I'll find something else to do. But I won't manage a club or country for at least a year.”

In an emotional statement, Klopp said he owed Liverpool fans an explanation as to why he was stepping down now. He said it was a difficult decision, but he also felt “relieved” when he made it, saying it was the right time for him to try a “normal life” and see if he lacked direction.

“It would be cool if you could accept my decision as a difficult one, but a fair one,” Klopp said. “I have to find a different purpose and seek it.”

“I already told the club in November,” he added. “I have to explain a little bit that maybe the work that I do, people see from the outside, I'm on the touchline and in training sessions and stuff like that, but the majority of it that's happening is happening around this stuff. That means a season starts and you're already pretty much planning for the next season.

“When we were sitting together talking about potential signings, the upcoming summer camp and the possibility of going anywhere, the thought came: 'I'm not sure I'll be here at this point anymore ' and I myself was surprised by this. I obviously start thinking about him.

“It hasn't started [then], but of course last season was a very difficult season and there were times where at other clubs the decision would probably have been: 'Come on, thank you very much for everything but we should probably part ways here, or in finish here.' 'That obviously didn't happen here.

“For me, it was super, super, super important to be able to help get this team back on track. That was all I was thinking about. When I realized pretty early on that this had happened, it was a really good team with huge potential and a great age group and great characters and all that, so I was able to start thinking about myself again and that was the result. That's not what I want [do]That’s exactly what I believe to be 100% true.”

Klopp joined Liverpool in October 2015 and took them back to the top of English and European football. Under Klopp, Liverpool won their first league title in 30 years in 2020, the Champions League title in 2019, the FA Cup in 2022 and the League Cup in 2022. He also led them to other Champions League finals in 2018 and 2022 as well as the Europa League final in 2016. They also won the UEFA Super Cup in 2019 and the FIFA Club World Cup title in 2019.

After a tricky 2022-23 campaign, Klopp has helped lead Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League this season, with a five-point lead over second-placed Manchester City after 21 games.

Liverpool are still in contention for four competitions this season – the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Europa League – and Klopp will aim for silverware in what will be his final campaign at Anfield.

Klopp signed a new deal with Liverpool in 2022 and his original contract expires in 2024. The new deal was supposed to take him until 2026, but Klopp decided to leave this summer.

“We will have a moment, maybe the last day here or somewhere else, I mean in other countries or in other competitions,” Klopp said. “We have enough time to do this kind of thing. Now, let's really do it. The outside world wants to use this decision, laugh at it, want to trouble us.

“We are Liverpool, we have been through tougher things together. And you have been through tougher things before me. Let's make that a strength. That would be really cool. Let's take everything from this season and have another reason to smile when we look back into the future.”

Liverpool owner Fenway Sports Group paid tribute to Klopp, saying it would continue “as usual” until the end of the season.

“First of all, on behalf of John Henry and Tom Werner, I would like to express our deep gratitude to Jürgen,” said Fenway Sports Group President Mike Gordon. “It goes without saying that we will be extremely saddened to lose not only a manager of such caliber, but also a person and a leader for whom we have enormous respect, gratitude and affection. At the same time, we respect fully his wishes and the reasons that motivated him. why he decided that the current season would be his last at Liverpool.

“In accordance with Jurgen's expressed wishes, we will save the full tributes for a more appropriate time, but we would nevertheless be remiss if we did not take this opportunity to reaffirm that his appointment remains one of the greatest blessings of our time as as owners.

“The incredible achievements of the past years speak for themselves, as does the joy that Jürgen and his team have brought to all of us supporters. His many achievements will never be taken for granted. To make a statement synonymous with Another great Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp “made people happy” and we are totally convinced that he will continue to do so until his eventual departure.

“It is testament to Jurgen's unwavering professionalism and continued commitment to the best interests of Liverpool FC that his decision has been made in a way that maintains the status quo for the remainder of his tenure while simultaneously creating an opportunity for us to prepare for the future.

“Our priority now is two-fold. Firstly, to ensure that the progress made on the pitch this season is maintained over the final months of the campaign. Secondly, to continue the behind-the-scenes due diligence that will enable our football operations department to s adapting to a future without Jurgen. As always, these ambitions will be pursued in the best interests of the club and its supporters and we will update fans as significant developments arise.

“Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to Jurgen for everything he has done and continues to do for Liverpool Football Club. Thank you, Jurgen. When the time comes, you will never walk alone.”

It will be a new Liverpool coaching team next season with assistant managers Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz also leaving the club at the end of the campaign. Lijnders wants to pursue his own career in management.