BORUSSIA DORTMUND COACH Jurgen Klopp was forced to deny claims he was set to leave the Bundesliga club.
After a 2-2 draw at home to Wolfsburg on Wednesday, Klopp was quoted as saying he would miss the Dortmund fans when he leaves – leading to strong murmurs he was set to end his stint at Signal-Iduna-Park, which began in 2008.
Klopp clarified his comments, ahead of their trip to bottom-placed Werder Bremen – who could dump Dortmund into the automatic relegation spots with a victory on Saturday.
“I thought I’ve made it quite clear. I’ve said ‘anytime’. And I probably said it a few times already. But nothing is the same in a situation like this,” said Klopp, on the timing of his departure.
“I don’t know if I startled so many people with this sentence. No it’s nothing to do with implying or preparing to retire. I just wanted to say what I said.
“That there will be a time where I definitely will not be coach of Dortmund anymore and hopefully, at that time, I’ll be in good health.
“Then I’ll have that chance to miss things because I remember what was nice and cool in the past. And then I’ll miss this stadium, absolutely.
“But I’m not sick. Not yet.”
Klopp also revealed he has began to mould Ciro Immobile to become a number nine for Dortmund, and avoid being drawn up the field.
“A few weeks ago we started to change Ciro’s style of play that he knew from his old club Torino,” Klopp said.
“The Italian football has huge quality but is completely different from the football played in the Bundesliga.
“Many teams retreat very fast and when [a] striker falls back into the midfield he often has a lot of room. This means you can get confidence there.
“If you fall back into the midfield in the Bundesliga and you start to dribble there you probably get pressed from the opponent.
“But Immobile got so used to these paths [from Italy] we had to work on that because we don’t need them [midfielders], we got enough players in this part of the pitch.
“We need the player in the centre, someone to whom you can pass the ball to, we need someone to make the paths behind the last line, also on the wings.”
Klopp said Immobile’s performance against Wolfsburg in mid-week vindicated his work with the 24-year-old Italy international.
“Yesterday [Wednesday] it was beautiful to see how strong Ciro can be, not just because of his paths,” the coach said.
“We benefited from that, he benefited from that and therefore it’s a really positive story.”
It really is people from outside the club who are concerned about his dry spell. 17 goals 7 assists & well in the hunt for the golden boot again
@samstheman: his finishing and awareness of players around him recently has been shocking, pressure?
Even when Salah hits a dry patch the opposition are fixated on him!
Liverpool are Top of the Premiership, and in the quarter finals of the Champion’s League!
Slow news day?
@Battaz: tbf its not news but for salah to come out of his dry spell( if ya can call it that) would be a massive boost for lfc. While their in a great posistion city still there and augero scoring. Messi/ronaldo scoring for europes big teams.
Salah is selfish. Always angry and moody when he doesn’t score yet the team are winning.
@Fred McHugh: all top strikers/goal scorers have that trait. Its a positive in a goal scorer. Top top player
@Fred McHugh: talking ouv your hoop
@Fred McHugh: thats what top strikers are …. Not ever happy with what they have . MON DA POOL
@Fred McHugh: can only agree with you Frederick. That accidental assist for Mane with the outside of his right foot v Munich was absolute and utter greed. Sell him to West Ham and be off with him
@Conor Pocock: left foot…. doh :)