Jurgen Klopp made sure to tie up all the loose ends before his departure from Liverpool last summer, including a surprisingly heartfelt farewell to journalists.
It is over a year since Klopp announced his decision to leave Liverpool and things have changed considerably since, with a new successful era beginning under Arne Slot.
The release of the new documentary ‘Doubters to Believers Liverpool FC: Klopp’s Era’ on Amazon Prime Video has provided a welcome look back at the German’s final days at the club as he prepared to say goodbye.
That included a final pre-match press conference in front of journalists at the AXA Training Centre, joined by many of those reporters he entertained and clashed with in equal measure over the years.
Klopp’s personality made him both a firm favourite and, at times, a prickly adversary for the media – but his parting speech showed his appreciation.
“I want to say thank you,” he told those assembled at the AXA ahead of his final game in charge against Wolves, after instructing the usual press conference videographers to turn off their cameras.
“In a completely crazy world, which I will never fully understand, we are brought together in really strange circumstances.
“You want to know exactly what I don’t want to tell you, or can’t.
“But the good thing about that, if you look back, is I can’t even remember the problems we might have had. I don’t remember it.”
“So I’m at peace with you!” joked Klopp, adding: “If this was the ref meeting I couldn’t say the same! They didn’t ask me for a meeting, by the way.
“I put my feet in the sand now and watch from afar. Thank you very much, my pleasure.”
Klopp also gifted the journalists in attendance with bottles of champagne while, in return, he was presented with a specially commissioned canvas to mark his time with the club.
The speech showed Klopp’s ability to put aside the normal conventions of modern football and view those he works with and often up against as human beings.
During ‘Doubters to Believers’ he could be seen delivering personalised ‘Normal 1’ Liverpool shirts to every employee around the AXA, with no stone left unturned as he made sure to show his gratitude.
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