Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has personally replied to a 10-year-old Manchester United fan who wrote to him asking the Reds to lose games to stop them winning the Premier League title. Daragh Curley, from County Donegal, sent the letter as part of a school assignment, hoping to persuade Klopp to let other teams score. Klopp said the letter was 'cheeky' and responded privately, though he expressed disappointment that the exchange later appeared in the press.
In his letter, Daragh wrote: 'Liverpool are winning too many games. If you win nine more games then you have the best unbeaten run in English football. Being a United fan that is very sad. So the next time Liverpool play, please make them lose. You should just let the other team score. I hope I have convinced you to not win the league or any other match ever again.'
Klopp's reply explained why he could not grant the request, stating: 'Unfortunately, on this occasion I cannot grant your request, not through choice anyway. As much as you want Liverpool to lose it is my job to do everything that I can to help Liverpool to win as there are millions of people around the world who want that to happen, so I really do not want to let them down.' He added that Liverpool would lose games in the future because 'that is football', and praised Daragh's passion for his club.
Daragh's father, Gordon, said the family was surprised to receive a registered letter from Klopp. 'My wife Tricia was up in the local post office/shop and she was told that there was a registered letter there for Daragh Curley. She was wondering who would be sending Daragh a registered letter, but when she mentioned it to Daragh he said 'oh it's Jurgen Klopp',' he told BBC News NI. Mr Curley described Klopp as 'an awful, awful decent individual', adding: 'What I love about the letter is that it's about sportsmanship and respect too and I think saying that to a 10-year-old is great.'
Klopp, speaking at a press conference on Friday, confirmed the exchange but said he did not like the letter being made public. 'I cannot answer all the letters, I get a lot. But it was nice, it was cheeky. We had time that day so I read the letter and I replied. It's a private thing, I get a letter, I respond and the next day it's in a newspaper - I don't like that too much but it's all fine,' he said. Despite his admiration for Klopp, Mr Curley assured that neither he nor Daragh would switch their allegiances from Manchester United.
