Tom Goodenough Tom Goodenough

Is Jürgen Klopp really football’s Mr Nice Guy?

His treatment of journalists leaves a lot to be desired

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp (Credit: Getty images)

Jürgen Klopp is football’s Mr Nice Guy. Despite his Liverpool side missing out on winning the Premier League, Klopp was this week named as the League Managers’ Association manager of the year. The German also won the Premier League manager of the year. It’s not the first time Klopp has won both awards in the same season, which are voted on by his fellow managers. It seems everyone agrees: Klopp is a brilliant coach and a gentleman. Is there anyone who doesn’t like him?

Perhaps we should ask those journalists whom Klopp has belittled at press conferences down the years. Testy post-match interviews are, after all, something of a speciality for the Liverpool manager.

Take the moment earlier this season when Klopp clashed with a reporter after his team was defeated 3-2 by West Ham. The journalist asked Klopp about the standard of referring: ‘My God. I’m not your puppy. Hopefully, you have an opinion yourself,’ he replied.

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