Manchester City’s Nedum Onuoha reacts to news of Jurgen Klopp’s exit

City skipper Nedum Onuoha discussed Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp’s imminent exit. The player expressed his view of the situation and suggested how to replace the German.

Klopp who stayed at the club for 8 years and did several exploits suddenly announced he was leaving Ansfield at the end of the season, even though his contract does not end till 2026.

Onuoha was speaking in the presence of Cesc Fabregas to Sports Mole when he said the following:

‘The rumours were that he would take the Germany national team job, but then Klopp said that he is going to take a break, and to be honest, I believe him. I think when he says stuff like that, I think he sticks by it.

’[Klopp] could just say I want to leave at the end of the season and go and take the Germany job for example, but he didn’t say that, he’s just said he’s leaving Liverpool and that he wants to take a break, and I don’t think there is any reason for him to lie.

‘He’s going to be judged a million different ways, but still he doesn’t care because this is his moment, this is his decision, and he has spoken with the club obviously, and that is what he has decided is best.

‘I think he will take some time off and I don’t blame him, especially given how much football has been played over the last three, four years or however long it was going through the pandemic, seeing the changes that have happened in his team.

‘Still after every game he’s got to be interviewed by 10 different people saying the same thing 10 times over, and being interviewed the next morning saying the same things, and he’s a manager of one of the biggest clubs in world football – I think a break would be nice.’

Some assumed that Peo Lijnders, one of Klopp’s staff members, would get the job. The following was said by Onuoha concerning that.

‘I reckon, by all accounts, Lijnders has been desperate to get a managerial job like that, and as far as wanting to change things whilst also keeping things the same, I think hiring someone internally could be the answer.

‘Klopp has the personality and all that stuff, but he’s not been by himself in terms of going through those moments and if he has the respect of the team, understands the football club, then you can very much see Liverpool continuing in the same vein that they are in at this moment in time.’

Contrary to most, Onuoha claimed he was not astonished at news of the coach’s exit.

‘I’m not surprised (by Klopp’s announcement), and fair play to him to be honest.

‘I think himself and [Pep] Guardiola, they’ve been at the top of English football for a lot of years now and there is a lot that gets asked of them, a lot that is required of them whether its managing their players, managing their staff, managing the media, managing the fanbases, and it’s a lot.

‘They’ve done so well that in my mind, they have elevated themselves to a point where they are not a normal employee, in the same way that we think that a manager might get sacked, keep their job so on and so forth.

‘I think those two are in a position whereby if they chose to leave, people would be sad but they’ve earned the right to be able to, because that’s how significant they have been to their club.’

It is possible that some disagree with some things Onuoha went on to say, but many will agree.

‘For Klopp, he has put Liverpool in a spot which all of a sudden feels normal for them to be challenging for everything, up near the top of the league, and historically, as mad as it may sound, that hasn’t always been the case.

‘Before he came they had not won a Premier League title, they obviously came close under [Brendan] Rodgers, but there weren’t tonnes of years like that historically. There were times when we’ve seen them playing in the Europa League/UEFA Cup.

‘I think [Klopp] has been one of the most consequential managers in Liverpool’s history, one of the most consequential managers in Premier League history and I’m sure the fans will be sad that he’s leaving because he’s brought so many good memories.

‘But, if there was to be somebody that you’d want to help in a transition to get the team from what it was to what it’s going to be, I think he’s the guy, and this is why all the talk of ‘Liverpool 2.0’ makes more sense, because he is creating something for the next person to be able to enjoy.

‘As you look around their team, there are probably two or three players who are a bit older, but there is a lot of youth coming through, and they look like they could be there for another five, six, seven years as well.’

It might be that Klopp wants to spend his remaining time enjoying his money and relaxing. He has had a memorable career, after all.

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