The former Liverpool manager will become the new global soccer head for the Austria-based company. He will not have any say in the running of Red Bull’s Formula 1 efforts, but star driver Verstappen was still asked what he thinks about the affable German’s arrival.
He said: “I knew already for quite a long time that they were talking and it was close to being signed. I think it is great. Red Bull is investing a lot also in football with the teams they have and there is a lot of talent that has come through already.
“With someone like Jurgen in charge from the top, he has a lot of experience, and he has managed a lot of great clubs. It is great for the whole organization.”
Klopp, expressing his sentiments on Instagram, explained his decision despite previous stances: “A few months ago, I said I don’t see myself on the sidelines anymore, and that is still the case, but I still love football, I still love working, and Red Bull gives me the perfect platform for that.”
However, not everyone has greeted Klopp’s unexpected career change with applause, reports the Liverpool Echo. Critics point out the irony given his past remarks slamming the multi-club ownership model, particularly with regard to Borussia Dortmund’s policy and RB Leipzig’s controversial tactics.
Seb Stafford-Bloor, a German football expert, spoke to the BBC about the shockwaves sent through the football world when Klopp’s move was announced: “People have talked about him ruining his legacy,” he said.
He also noted that Klopp has changed how he is perceived in relation to the club and its fans, adding: “As some people have said, he sort of reframed who he is in relation to the club in terms of what he means to people.” Stafford-Bloor went on to describe Klopp’s initial alignment with fan sentiments at Dortmund, highlighting his efforts to engage with supporters directly.
He said: “Klopp, who for so long was a symbol of [football authenticity], he had kind of an unvarnished appeal. He was very much in step with fan sentiments when he first moved to Dortmund. For instance, he was proactive in meeting with supporters and talking to them about what was important for their club.
“So, for him to cross that divide and move to the other side of the table, so to speak, is very jarring. Klopp is this transcendent personality who everybody has a little bit of grasp on, who everybody feels is sort of the acceptable face of football, whereas Leipzig are very much the dark heart and that goes to the Red Bull network as a whole.”
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