Jurgen Klopp will avoid “the biggest loss of face in the history of football” as the Liverpool legend breaks his silence on taking the England job.
Klopp left Liverpool in May having made the bombshell announcement earlier in the season that he was stepping away from the club.
The German won everything at Anfield but admitted he was running out of energy after 23 years in continued employment as a manager and would take time out of the game, and may not ever return to coaching.
Despite that unequivocal announcement, Gareth Southgate stepping down as England boss saw Klopp’s name bandied about, more in hope than expectation, that he may take on the Three Lions job after Euro 2024.
But Klopp is sticking to his guns and, speaking for the first time since the links with England, insisted he still has no plans to return to management.
“At the moment, there is nothing at all in terms of jobs. No club, no country,” said Klopp at the International Coaches’ Congress in Wurzburg, Germany.
“A few people must not have heard this part. And it would be the biggest loss of face in the history of football if you said, ‘I’ll make an exception for you now’.
“I’m going to do some work. I’m too young to only do padel tennis and grandchildren. Will that be coaching again? I would actually rule that out at the moment. Let’s see what it will look like in a few months. Nothing is coming through at the moment.”
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Graham Potter, Eddie Howe, Lee Carsley and Mauricio Pochettino are now the four favourites for the England job, and Klopp says that he can’t see himself returning to the dugout at all as it stands.
“As of today, that’s it for me as a coach. I didn’t quit on a whim, but it was a general decision. I’ve also coached the best clubs in the world,” he continued.
“Maybe we can talk about it again in a few months. I still want to work in football and help people with my experience and contacts. Let’s see what else there is for me.”
Pep Guardiola has also been linked with the vacant England job but insisted he’s “really happy” at City and looks forward to the new season having “charged his battery” over the break.
“I’m really excited for this season that’s coming. I’m really happy here,” Guardiola said.
“Like every season I need the break, I need it definitely, but after that I charge my batteries and I have the same energy like usual and I know the competition is coming, I will be who we are, who I am. I’m completely focussed on that.”