Klopp makes Liverpool pledge as he defends lack of trophies

Matt Stead

Jurgen Klopp has defended his lack of trophies at Liverpool, and promised to deliver silverware before he leaves.

Klopp has failed to end a trophy drought that now extends to six years for Liverpool, despite reaching three finals in as many years.

The German stated in his first press conference that his aim was to win something within four years, but he knows that time is running out.

He believes that when Liverpool do finally win another trinket, “this city will explode”.

“If somebody wants to judge me because of the last three years then I know what people are saying, and it’s the truth,” Klopp told JOE.

“I lost the last six finals, it’s not something that’s really enjoyable, but you can see it from two points.

“Yes we lost, but at the same time we reached them, that’s not cool but in most sports second place is OK.

“If you go to the Olympic games and you come home with a silver medal, it’s still something but in football it’s nothing. It’s nothing for me as well, so I don’t get up in the morning and say ‘I’ll reach another final’ or whatever.

“It’s not like this, I want to win and I know that’s the responsibility.”

Asked whether he could view his tenure positively despite a lack of trophies, he replied: “Not yet, I don’t want to do that, because why should I judge my time here before it’s over?

“Nobody wants to look back in 10 or 20 years and say ‘so the best time we had without winning anything was when Klopp was here. It was so funny and all that stuff’.

“That’s not really something you want to achieve, we still have time to do something special and we know that to underline the development and progress, we have to do it.

“Times change, and to be honest, it is much more difficult than it was in the past. If you think about it, we are maybe in the best moment for ages, but a few other clubs are the same and they made the same steps so that makes it really hard.

“It looks like we are really on a good way and the only thing I can guarantee is that we constantly develop. Our little problem is many other clubs develop as well so it’s never that you improve 20% and the others get 20% weaker. They try to do the same, to reach the next level, and that’s the challenge we all face. It is interesting, but tough as well.

“As I said in my first press conference here, if anybody thinks that I can perform wonders, then it could become really difficult in the future, because I can’t.

“I’m a pretty hard-working person, I’m pretty well paid, so I should work hard actually. That’s what I do, I try to find solutions for different problems or situations and that’s how I understand the job.

“The only thing I can do is to put all I have – my knowledge, passion, heart, experience, everything – I throw it into this club, 100 per cent.

“I don’t keep anything back and it should work actually at one point.

“You have to bring yourself in the best situation that you are able to and use it – that’s what we do.

“When we win something, this city will explode – I’m sure – in a very positive way.”