Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp holds press conferences before and after every match, but has now explained why he is not a big fan of those media duties.
In the past, Klopp has made clear that he pays little attention to the outside world and external opinions on his team.
During his tenure at Anfield, his laid-back approach to press conferences has led to many a memorable quote, as well as the occasional disagreement with journalists.
It is the job of press officer Tony Barrett to pre-warn Klopp of any contentious topics he will be quizzed on by reporters.
Sir Alex Ferguson used to say he was “speaking to his players and no one else” during his press conferences, but when Klopp was asked if he adopted the same approach in an interview for Mike Calvin’s Football People podcast, he said:
“No, because I’m not sure my players watch it. I don’t have a real message.
“After this interview we have a press conference. Tony tries to prepare me for it, give me hints here and there about what could come, but I don’t think about it for a second before.
“I don’t believe in press conferences, let me say it like this.
“You cannot win a game there. It might be possible to lose it, if you say the completely wrong things, that might be possible!
“But I don’t think they’re massively important, to be honest, and I don’t have time to think about what I could say before, or what I said after, and worry about it.
“I have no time for that.
“Other people will tell me ‘oh, that was too much, that will create headlines’.
“I know in the moment I say something ‘that will be the headline tomorrow’, and I don’t want to do that, but it happens anyway.
“So no, I don’t speak to my players in press conferences. I have other areas where I can speak to my players directly.”
Despite his claim that he does not direct his comments in press conferences towards his players, Klopp did admit that he sometimes aims messages at supporters.
The boss has often spoken of how important the Anfield atmosphere can be for his team, and how detrimental it can be to the opposition.
“There might be moments where you unconsciously give a message and it’s for everybody: journalists, supporters and players as well,” he continued.
“And to supporters, yes, from time to time, of course – when I ask for an outstanding atmosphere in difficult times, for example. I try to give a message.
“But most of the time I don’t really think about press conferences until a second before I enter the room.”
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