Jurgen Klopp has always been one to speak his mind. Liverpool's greatest manager of the Premier League era never backed down from an opinion or belief he held while at the Anfield helm.
Whether it was questioning the decision-makers, publicly defending his own players or sticking up for underfire managers, Klopp would always give his honest thoughts. The Reds went from mid-table obscurity to a dominant force, both domestically and in continental competition, under the German's guidance.
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As a result, Klopp gained the respect of both his peers within the sport and the wider football audience. Seen as one of the greatest bosses in Premier League history, the ex-Borussia Dortmund leader's words carry extra weight, in the way Sir Alex Ferguson's would.
Jurgen Klopp Defended Under-Fire David Moyes in 2023
'I don't know why...'
Klopp's Liverpool defeated a David Moyes-managed West Ham United 5-1 in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in December 2023. At the time, the Scottish manager was receiving heavy criticism from sections of both the Hammers' fan base and the English media.
Before the game even kicked off, Klopp made a point of defending the man he would stand opposite in the Anfield dugout. In his programme notes ahead of the cup clash, the now 58-year-old stated (per BBC Sport):
"I don't know why but it sometimes feels that David's work is not always appreciated as much as it should be - but this is certainly not the case for me.
"He is a manager who has great experience, knowledge and ability."
Moyes - who had lifted the UEFA Europa Conference League earlier that year - was also in the middle of a contract stand-off with the hierarchy of the east London club. It would turn out that he was halfway through his final season at the London Stadium, as the Scot would depart at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
His replacement, Julen Lopetegui, lasted less than eight months before being sacked. The Spanish coach had the Irons languishing towards the bottom of the table, with Moyes' previous good work being highlighted further - to Klopp's point.
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Things could've turned out very differently if Klopp had walked through the door of Liverpool's greatest-ever rivals before the Merseysiders had the chance to snap up the German tactician. That was a concrete possibility in 2014, when Manchester United were searching for top-class managers who could potentially replace Moyes.
The Scottish boss struggled to continue the excellent work of Sir Alex Ferguson after taking the reigns following the iconic manager's retirement in 2013. He didn't even last the full season at Old Trafford before being shown the door.
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Klopp has spoken publicly about the interest from the Manchester-based club. He explained how things didn't feel 'right' at the time of United's approach, stating:
"Manchester United, yes they were interested a year or a year-and-a-half before, but it didn't feel right. I couldn't say Man United is not my club, but it didn't feel right."