Klopp ‘dream’ revealed amid ‘honour’ of managing Germany and ‘unrealistic’ Liverpool offer
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is reportedly Germany’s “most popular choice” to replace Hansi Flick after the ex-Bayern Munich boss was sacked on Sunday.
Germany have been in woeful form since the World Cup and Saturday’s 4-1 home defeat to Japan was the final straw for the German Football Federation (DFB), who announced on Sunday that Flick has been relieved of his duties.
His exit comes less than 12 months before Germany host Euro 2024 and remarkably he has become the first person to be sacked as the national team’s manager.
Flick – who won the Champions League with Bayern – succeeded World Cup-winning manager Joachim Low after Euro 2020 and could not guide the Germans out of a difficult group in last year’s World Cup.
DFB president Bernd Neuendorf is now searching for a new manager and reportedly wants to appoint Liverpool boss Klopp.
This is according to Norweigan journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft, who says Neuendorf is happy for the 56-year-old to remain in charge of the Premier League club.
Klopp is apparently the German’s “dream” appointment and is their “most popular choice” but it is “not realistic”.
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This is because it would be too difficult for the former Borussia Dortmund manager to carry the workload of both jobs.
Should Klopp turn down the opportunity, the DFB is expected to go after Julian Nagelsmann, who is still being paid by Bayern despite losing his job at the Allianz Arena back in March.
Nagelsmann has been linked with Chelsea and Tottenham since being sacked but decided not to make the move to London.
In 2021, Klopp admitted he is open to managing his country one day.
“The important thing is, I didn’t say that I didn’t want to become a national coach, but that I cannot,” he told Sport Bild. “That’s a huge difference.
“There is a very clear commitment. I have an important role here at Liverpool.
“This is my sixth year at Liverpool, and I’ve built an incredible relationship here with people I work with on a daily basis. We rely on each other.
“Right now, in such a difficult phase, to say from my side: ‘I’ll be gone then?’ That will not do.”
Klopp added: “There is no way to say, ‘Oh, national coach, that would be an interesting job’. That would be a great honour without question, but the timing is not right.
“I can’t. I am very sorry if I’ve let people down with it, but I can’t just step out of my responsibilities.”
Liverpool are in great form under Klopp, whose Anfield contract does not expire until the summer of 2026.
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