Jurgen Klopp has urged patience for new Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola, admitting he has "no idea" what caused the club's dramatic decline under Arne Slot last season. The former Liverpool boss also hinted that the passing of striker Diogo Jota in July 2025 had a lasting impact across the entire club.
Klopp's message to Iraola
Speaking to ESPN in New York, where he is attending the World Cup, Klopp said: "Andoni Iraola is a great coach. Like Arne Slot is. But it has to click, it has to work together for a long time and for that you need luck." The German, now head of global soccer at Red Bull, stressed that Slot's struggles were not necessarily indicative of Iraola's future prospects.
Liverpool's turbulent season
Slot won the Premier League in his first season after replacing Klopp in 2024, but his second campaign unravelled spectacularly. Liverpool lost 20 matches across all competitions, leading to his dismissal on May 30 following an end-of-season review with sporting director Richard Hughes. Iraola, who left Bournemouth at the end of the campaign, was quickly appointed as his successor.
Klopp acknowledged the difficulty of Slot's situation: "I was super happy that they won the league the year before and I have no idea what went wrong the year after. So I don't think anyone was really happy with the season, that is obvious but they still qualified for the Champions League and that is great success then."
The Diogo Jota tragedy
The former Liverpool boss pointed to an unforeseen tragedy that rocked the club: "There was a situation at Liverpool last season which nobody expected to happen (Diogo Jota dying) and to deal with these kinds of things is really difficult." Jota's death in July 2025, aged 28, sent shockwaves through the football world. Klopp implied the emotional toll affected the squad's performance.
A return to Anfield?
When asked by former Newcastle goalkeeper Shaka Hislop if he would like to experience a European night at Anfield again, Klopp expressed a desire to return as a spectator rather than a coach. "If I am allowed to coach another game again, yes, a European night at Anfield is super, super special. I am not sure coaching it is the best experience but probably being in the stands and watching it might be an even better experience," he said.
He added: "Maybe there is a day I can go there, nobody recognises me and I can just stand in the stands and have the same fun as everyone else."
Klopp's philosophy
Reflecting on his own tenure, Klopp noted: "The football we were delivering, and the reason behind the way we played, is that we wanted to achieve success and entertain the fans. We wanted to play in the most exciting stadiums, and in the best football atmospheres, and to achieve the greatest possible amount of success. As long as you're not the best team in the world, you have to play in a style capable of beating the best team in the world. That's what we tried to do."
He accepted the compliment that his teams were exciting to watch: "I accept this compliment with great pleasure... because I also enjoy watching my team play."
