Jurgen Klopp‘s decision to take his new job as head of global football at Red Bull has not gone down well in Germany, with fans of former club Mainz protesting.
Klopp will formally begin his role at Red Bull on January 1, half a year after departing Liverpool for a sabbatical that was expected to be considerably longer.
The 57-year-old will no longer be involved in day-to-day matters in managing a football team, and will instead be responsible for overseeing the development of Red Bull’s multi-club model.
Red Bull’s stable of clubs includes RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg and the New York Red Bulls, with their influence on Leipzig a controversial one in Germany.
Mainz’s fan and ultra groups hold banners criticizing former coach Jürgen Klopp for joining Red Bull:
“Did you forget everything we made you become?”
Old quote of his: “I like people until the point they disappoint me.”
“Are you crazy?” (German: BeKLOPPt)Via @meenzer_on_tour pic.twitter.com/CHCNCbSKzI
— Felix Tamsut (@ftamsut) October 19, 2024
That has made Klopp’s decision to effectively partner with a club seen as against the morals of the sport in his native country an unpopular one – particularly among the fans of his former sides Mainz and Dortmund.
During their Bundesliga clash with Leipzig on Saturday, Mainz supporters unveiled a number of banners criticising their legendary coach.
“Have you forgotten everything we gave you?” read one, while another asked: “Are you crazy?”
Perhaps the most biting was one which referenced a well-known quote from Klopp himself, reading: “I like people until they disappoint me.”
Klopp spent 11 years at Mainz as a player before stepping into the role as manager, leading the club from the second tier to the Bundesliga during seven years in charge.
He is considered one of the most legendary figures in the club’s history, which is also the case at Dortmund – who he joined in 2008 and won two Bundesliga titles with.
The 57-year-old has also faced major criticism over his new job from those connected with Dortmund, including one of his former players, Kevin Grosskreutz.
Speaking on his Viertelstunde Fußball podcast, Grosskreutz said: “I don’t think anyone was expecting it. It’s very, very strange and I can’t really comprehend it yet. It’s like shock!
“Nevertheless, he’s a friend of mine and I owe him a lot. And I will always be grateful to him.
“As a football fan, I think it sucks, to put it bluntly! But as a friend, you have to accept decisions being made.
“When we meet, I’ll still tell him personally that I think it’s shit that he does something like that!”
Klopp is yet to respond to the criticism, but in explaining his decision to take the job, he said: “A few months ago, I said I don’t see myself on the sideline anymore, and that’s still the case.
“But I still love football and I still love working.
“Red Bull gives me the perfect platform for that. I want to share my experience which I collected over the years.”
