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Jurgen Stropp! Klopp is quickly morphing into Mourinho as the Liverpool boss loses control

It’s a Klopp out: After a couple of controversial decisions, the Liverpool manager has turned his focus on the press
It’s a Klopp out: After a couple of controversial decisions, the Liverpool manager has turned his focus on the press

If it’s not his cackle to rival Jimmy Carr, it’s the fact his middle name is Norbert or that he still has an active MySpace page.

We all like something a bit different and we’ve all got a reason why we deep down have a soft spot for the Liverpool manager, whatever our colours.

But recently Jurgen Klopp, the high chief of all the football hipsters, is starting to break their strictest code and go all mainstream.

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The German’s act of self-destruction on Sunday was a genuine watch-through-your-fingers moment. The media darling’s on air strop at the apologists at Sky Sports was TV gold, but uncomfortable viewing in equal measure.

His trademark wide smile seems to be disappearing as the reality dawns that progress in the Premier League hasn’t happened. If anything, they’re going backwards.

Klopp lost it on Sunday. Making a spectacle of himself for threatening to end the interview because the reporter didn’t agree with his assessment of a key decision when pushed into answering.

Big moment: But Dominic Solanke says his disallowed effort against West Brom did clip his arm.
Big moment: But Dominic Solanke says his disallowed effort against West Brom did clip his arm.

He then headed into the press conference and demanded to know who didn’t agree with him. Most didn’t and the rejection was met with a disbelieving snarl.

But the problems run deeper than playing the fool on live TV. Hit-and-miss Liverpool are in second gear and people are cottoning on that there may not be as much knowledge behind those misty glasses as we were once led to believe.

Klopp, once the free-spirited free-thinker who burst into English as the maverick manager we were missing, is now living permanently on the defensive.

His latest groans came last night, having surrendered two more home points this time to the relegation fodder of West Bromwich Albion.

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Again aimed at the referee, his full-time plod across the pitch to find the match officials is becoming more and more familiar.

He had a point last night, at least, where as on Sunday he was banged to rights by one of his own defenders. A player who the world and his wife know should have been got shot of in the summer.

Klopp’s main failing – being so top heavy when major surgery was required at the other end – is so obvious to see, but the Liverpool manager is almost morphing into some of his rivals.

There’s more than a sprinkling of Arsene Wenger about him, stubbornly saying he’ll do it his way regardless what anyone else thinks. His defence, he says, is capable enough. As are his goalkeeping options. Both tales are wholly inaccurate at best, alarming and laughable at worst.


It may have been a one-off meltdown, but the weekend’s reaction carried more than a whiff of arrogance.

There was some Jose Mourinho swagger about his post match observations, an answer for everything and his refusal to admit mistakes. Like his team selection for the big derby game with Everton, a disaster to rest key forwards and pile the pressure on a not yet ready Dominic Solanke.

Klopp’s character is his main selling point, and Liverpool fans are a fiercely loyal bunch but they won’t be shortchanged by anyone.