ADAM LALLANA BELIEVES the reaction to new Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been “a bit over the top” following his appointment as successor to Brendan Rodgers.
The former Borussia Dortmund head coach signed a three-year deal at Anfield earlier this month and his arrival was greeted with much fanfare from the Liverpool faithful and the British media.
Klopp’s opening two matches in charge have been underwhelming affairs, however, with a 0-0 Premier League draw with Tottenham followed by a disappointing 1-1 stalemate with 10-man Rubin Kazan in the Europa League on Thursday.
Lallana has warned that Klopp will not transform the team overnight and has asked for patience from the supporters.
“It was never going to just change overnight,” he told the Liverpool Echo.
“Maybe the reaction to him coming in was a bit over the top but he’s a great manager who has had great success.
“He’s asking people to do different things to what they were used to so it will take a bit of time. I think in his first two games you have seen glimpses and moments of the style he wants to play.
“Jurgen has made it clear that he demands 100 per cent. He wants us to win the ball back as soon as it’s given away.
“It’s not going to happen overnight, but I’m very confident we’re going to succeed under him.
“The fans here demand success here and we want to give them that.”
Lallana was disappointed with Liverpool’s third draw in as many games in the Europa League group stage but he was thrilled with the return to the squad of Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke, with the latter hitting the post after coming on as a substitute.
“We’re disappointed we didn’t take the three points,” he said. “We started well, but conceded a sloppy goal and we all need to switch on a bit more.
“It was great to have Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino back fit and hopefully Daniel Sturridge won’t be too far away.
“Looking at the squad, there are definitely goals there.”
Liverpool’s next game is against Lallana’s old club Southampton on Sunday.
Now maybe the rest of sports clubs can follow suit for a few weeks. Show a bit of solidarity.
@Splat: the GAA ate only doing it because their supporters can’t behave themselves. Rugby and football (not Gaelic) supporters would have more respect for everyone
@Mattress Dick: *are
@Mattress Dck: I refuse to call football ‘soccer’ btw. Feel dirty just typing it
@Mattress Dick: agree. Football is football. GAA is Gaelic Football or GAA
@Mattress Dick: Soccer Hooligans might flow off the tongue better.
@Mattress Dick: it’s football in England. It’s soccer in Ireland. We have our own football
@John kane: not really, maybe outside of our biggest city. In Dublin football means the one where only one player can use their hands and the rest have to use their feet.
The other one is footrug!
@Mattress Dick: it is called both football and soccer in Ireland and elsewhere.
If someone told me they play football I’d have to clarify which one they meant.
@Mattress Dick: The proper name for the game is Association Football. From the word association came the name soccer. In the 60s and 70s it was called soccer widely including in England. There was a magazine/annual called Soccer. The new fangled infatuation with the term football being the only proper term is just that, an infatuation! Many clubs had the abbreviation AFC after their names to show the were Association Football Clubs! Rugby is properly called Rugby Football and few enough players kick the ball. American football often refer to their players as footballers and only two players, the kicker and punter kick the ball! For many people, soccer is just a term to differentiate which form of football is being played!