Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool job is the biggest challenge in football
New Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has described the Anfield job as "the biggest challenge" in world football.
The 48-year-old German was appointed as Brendan Rodgers' successor on Thursday, signing a three-year deal worth £15m.
He takes over a side who are 10th in the Premier League with 12 points from eight games.
"I was never a guy for an easy way," Klopp told LFCTV. "This is the biggest challenge in football. It is the most interesting job in world football."
More on Klopp from the BBC | |
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The former Borussia Dortmund boss continued: "I read in the papers it is a disaster, but we are only six points to the top position in the table.
"It is interesting that nobody is satisfied or patient. We have to think about what to change. That is my job.
"I know what I want. First I need to talk to the players to find a common way. We will find that and who wants to do what I propose.
"Whoever wants to do what I want can be a good friend of mine. And it is not so bad a thing to be a friend of mine."
'Problems to solve'
Rodgers led Liverpool, who won the most recent of their 18 league titles in 1990, to a second-place finish in 2014, but they managed only sixth last season.
Klopp, who won the Bundesliga twice and reached the 2013 Champions League final during his seven years at Dortmund, said: "I am here because I believe in the potential of the team.
"In this moment we are not the best team in the world, but who cares? We want to be the best team in the world in the future.
"There are problems, you need to solve them. We have good defenders, strikers and midfielders. The first game is at Tottenham [in the Premier League on 17 October]. We need to make a team for this game."
Klopp facts |
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Born: 16 June 1967, Stuttgart
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Playing career: Mainz (1989-2001)
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Managerial career: Mainz (2001-08), Borussia Dortmund (2008-15), Liverpool (2015- )
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Honours: (all with Dortmund) Bundesliga 2010-11, 2011-12, German Cup 2011-12, German Supercup 2008, 2013, 2014
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Individual honours: German manager of the year 2011, 2012
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'Full throttle' football
Klopp introduced a style of powerful, high-speed football during his time at Dortmund - a style he says he will continue at Anfield.
"Winning is important, but so is how you win and how you play the game," he said. "I believe in a playing philosophy that is very emotional, very fast and very strong.
"My teams must play at full throttle and take it to the limit every single game.
"It is important to have a playing philosophy that reflects your own mentality, reflects the club and gives you a clear direction to follow. Tactical of course, but tactical with a big heart."
Klopp added that joining Liverpool as manager is "one of the best moments of my life" and said he was excited to experience matchdays at Anfield, a ground he visited with Dortmund for a pre-season friendly in 2014.
"I am pretty excited," he said. "I want to see it, feel it, smell it. When I came here with Dortmund a year ago I was excited because of the history. This is the most special place. The most historical place.
"I love football and the intensity of football in Liverpool is very, very good for me. I always thought about England and working here because of the style of football and Liverpool was first choice.
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