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Klopp avoids the BVB stadium: why he escapes criticism!
Jürgen Klopp, former Borussia Dortmund coach, avoids stadium visits and comments on his move to Red Bull.
Klopp avoids the BVB stadium: why he escapes criticism!
Jürgen Klopp continues to cause excitement in football. The former Borussia Dortmund and Mainz 05 coach has been working as Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull since January. His move to the Austrian company has shown many traditionalists in football the red card, as they see this decision as a betrayal of the sport's roots. In an interview, Klopp explained that he refrains from visiting stadiums at his former clubs in order to avoid unpleasant encounters with fans. “I don’t want the fans to be in a situation where they can criticize me,” said the 58-year-old. NWZonline reports on his lack of understanding.
Before moving to Red Bull, Klopp enjoyed great success at Liverpool FC, where he won both the Champions League and the Premier League. He also celebrated the championship and the DFB Cup twice with Borussia Dortmund. In Mainz 05 he made a name for himself as a promotion coach and led the club to the European Cup. Despite these successes, he emphasizes that he does not take the fans' criticism personally and found the decision to move to Red Bull too exciting to refuse. With his new job, he is now also responsible for the Red Bull clubs in Leipzig, Salzburg, New York and Brazil. AP News provides further background on this.
Trouble with the fans
The fans of his former clubs are anything but happy with Klopp's decision. There were protests in Mainz, where a banner referred to his emotional farewell speech in 2008. Borussia Dortmund's managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke also had a hard time with Red Bull's marketing strategy and said Klopp could have gotten almost any job there. “This is a marketing campaign, football is only played there to sell a drink,” he criticized. Sky Sport complements this perspective.
Klopp's involvement at Red Bull includes more than just regular coaching work. He sees himself in the role of actively shaping the development of football and wants to pass on his experiences. Within the organization, he is aware that society is characterized by sponsors who do not invest out of altruism, but rather hope for economic benefits. Despite all the criticism, Klopp remains calm: “Criticism can only be understood by those who want it.” With this attitude he seems to have focused on his new challenges at Red Bull.