One former Liverpool prospect was sold by ex-Reds manager Jurgen Klopp after the German admitted it was "too embarrassing" to ask who he was when he first took over
Former Liverpool Manager and current Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull GmbH Juergen Klopp reacts as he speaks with guests in an executive box prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield on May 25, 2025
Jurgen Klopp was once too ashamed to ask one Liverpool player who he was(Image: Michael Regan, Getty Images/Getty Images For The Premier League)
Former Liverpool full-back Brad Smith harbours no resentment towards Jurgen Klopp despite being offloaded by the German. Klopp had only been at the Anfield helm for half a season when Smith's eight-year spell in Liverpool came to an end.
The defender, 31, saw limited action under Klopp's predecessor, Brendan Rodgers, after rising through the ranks of Liverpool's youth system. Even though Klopp was the one to give Smith his big break in the first team, their early interactions were not without some awkwardness.
The Reds squad Klopp inherited in late 2015 boasted talent but lacked the depth he desired as he aimed to end the club's trophy drought. And Smith, it seemed, was not immediately on his radar upon his arrival.
"We played in Sion on a frozen pitch [in December 2015]," Klopp told the Telegraph (via the Mirror) "I learned a day before that we had Brad Smith and he stood right next to me in training and it was too embarrassing to ask him who he was."
This revelation is perhaps unexpected given Smith had set up Divock Origi for a goal in a resounding League Cup quarter-final victory over Southampton just days prior. Moreover, Smith secured a new long-term deal shortly after Klopp took charge, having previously been registered but not contracted.
The Aussie became increasingly involved in Klopp's plans towards the latter part of the 2015/16 season. He ended up heading back to England from Liverpool's pre-season tour in the US to seal a move to Bournemouth, yet he's forever grateful to his former manager.
Brad Smith of Liverpool poses with the Academy players player of the season award with Jurgen Klopp and Raj Luthra at the Liverpool FC End of Season Awards at The Exhibition Centre on May 12, 2016
Brad Smith was named Liverpool Academy Players' Player of the Season before leaving for Bournemouth
"Every time I go back there with Bournemouth he'll give me a big Klopp hug and we'll have a little chat," he said in 2019. "He's a great manager and I owe a lot to him.
"A great man. He just said, 'I think it's your time to go out and spread your wings and do what you need to do.' I owe a lot to Klopp for kind of bringing me back in and giving me a chance. He kind of shot my career up."
Smith, who earned 23 caps for his country, endured more of the same struggles for prominence with Bournemouth. He made just 11 first-team appearances in two seasons with the Cherries, the same number he managed for the Reds.
After a loan stint with the Seattle Sounders in 2018, Smith eventually made his mark in Major League Soccer. Making a permanent switch to Seattle in 2020, he later went on to play for DC United and the Houston Dynamo.
FC Cincinnati defender Brad Smith running with the ball during the 2025 MLS game between Toronto FC and FC Cincinnati at BMO Field
Smith has found his way to Cincinnati
The full-back has been playing for FC Cincinnati since March, and his MLS experience has been extremely positive. It's thanks in part to Klopp's conviction in his potential that elevated Smith's standing enough for Bournemouth to snap him up.
And he wasn't the only departure in 2016 as fellow defenders Martin Skrtel, Kolo Toure and Jose Enrique also left Anfield. Those were the first real steps to Klopp began leaving a mark that would pave the way for future Premier League and Champions League glory.
On the first anniversary of Klopp's Liverpool farewell, Smith's story serves as a testament to the kind of relationships he fostered with his players, whether they were superstars or not. Even if he didn't recognise them at the time.