Jurgen Klopp has opened up about a surprising encounter with former Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson, offering a candid look into his life after stepping away from the Anfield spotlight.
The ex-Reds boss, who brought Liverpool their first Premier League title and a Champions League crown, is now adjusting to a slower-paced but still purposeful lifestyle as the Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull.
The recent meeting with Hodgson reminded Klopp just how differently each manager. view retirement from the game. Hodgson retired from football last year following a health scare, yet the former England manager, who had a brief and difficult spell in charge at Liverpool from 2010 to 2011, remains passionate about coaching even at 77.
Recalling the encounter in an interview with Welt, the 58-year-old said: "I recently met Roy Hodgson, he came up to me and asked how I was doing. At the same time, he said, 'I miss it.' And I was like, 'What?” Roy is 77 years old—and he wants to coach again. Incredible!"
Klopp, known for his high-energy approach and deep emotional investment in the clubs he managed, spoke candidly about the toll the job had taken over two decades in the dugout. "I have a job now that fulfills me and is also intense. I don’t sleep longer in the mornings, nor do I go to bed later at night, but I can organize my work much better" added the German.
"For example, my wife is totally happy about it because we can plan things much better that we couldn’t before. It was never about doing nothing, but about doing something different.”
Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp was surprised that Roy Hodgson would consider coaching again (Image: PA Wire)
Having coached well over 1,000 matches, including his time at Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, Klopp admitted that the grind of management often left little space for anything else.
“I have coached 1,081 games—not including friendly matches. If we count those from 23 years, maybe it’s around 1,200. "Then there were the press conferences and media appointments. I was always just reacting. And in Liverpool, the tasks as a manager were added on top. That was a lot, really a lot.”
But despite the pressure, Klopp remains grateful for what he achieved. His spell at Liverpool brought unprecedented success, including a long-awaited league title and Champions League glory.
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“But I also enjoyed it, of course. Some days I could hardly believe my luck. Just look where I came from—and then I made it to FC Liverpool, and it worked out pretty well there too.”
However while other have hinted of managerial comebacks, Klopp insists his own coaching chapter is closed.
“There are coaches who always want to keep doing it. I loved being a coach, but I was never addicted. If people someday don’t even know I was once the coach at FC Liverpool, that’s fine. No problem.
"For me, it’s about the people around me—they matter to me—and it’s about having a meaningful purpose. People have started saying to me: You’ll be back on the bench soon. But my feeling says: No. I loved my job – but I don’t miss it.”