“We didn’t look for players we had already worked with”.
Advertisement
Going the other way, he’s brought in some experienced players and some cheap deals, but hasn’t been afraid to spend money, with £30million on Sadio Mane and £25million on Georginio Wijnaldum showing as such. “They can do what they want and spend as much as they want”, he said.
“I think it will be the things that happened last season – losing in finals and not finishing as high in the league – which will push us on”. I am pretty sure it will stop somewhere. That’s how it is in the football business. If everyone does their job we will be successful. “When we come to Liverpool again, then we’ll have a talk and we’ll see”.
“That’s how it is”, said Klopp.
“It’s odd really, being so far away and then your club rolls into town with so many familiar faces”, he said.
Klopp has concerns over another new signing, Marko Grujic, after the midfielder was taken to hospital with suspected concussion after a collision with Bertrand Traore towards the end of the first half.
Next up for Liverpool is AC Milan.
“But if we all get behind Henderson and he finds his top form he can be a very big asset for Klopp this year”.
“I’ve still got a lot of friends in the team and the squad”.
“I just believe it is important to let your feet do the talking and that is what I will be looking to do”. I always gave an identity to my teams.
Meanwhile, there was some good news for Klopp as he revealed that defender Joel Matip is set to make a return to action after missing Liverpool’s last two preseason games with an ankle problem.
“We’d like to challenge to win the league but we finished eighth previous year so you can’t say “unless we finish second or third it’s not success”.
The German tactician has certainly created a positive environment, as noted in his comments above, but that will matter little if he is unable to secure the results on the pitch where it all matters most.
Advertisement
“If I had to guess I would say rather no, but I don’t know actually because it’s a long time until the 31st of August and I have no idea”, Klopp said in an exclusive interview with ESPN FC.
