James Milner has revealed that he once faced the full force of Jurgen Klopp's anger during a half-time team talk at Liverpool. The former Reds midfielder, now 40 and playing for Brighton, recounted the incident on the High Performance podcast in 2023.
Milner, widely regarded as one of the most professional players in Premier League history, said he and Klopp clashed during a half-time interval. 'He was sharing his thoughts and I was sharing mine,' Milner recalled. 'I remember him smashing his hands down on the table like, "Will you shut the f*** up?!"'
Despite that moment, Milner stressed that Klopp was 'brilliant' and that they had a great relationship both on and off the pitch. The German manager also supported Milner's charity foundation alongside his wife Ulla.
Milner, who holds the record for the most Premier League appearances, praised Klopp's leadership and willingness to listen. 'He's a leader, he makes the decisions, but if you've put something in his head and it's helped, he was pretty good at listening,' Milner said.
The midfielder also revealed that Klopp advised him to take a break after retiring from playing before considering a move into coaching. Milner has completed his coaching badges but remains undecided about his future.
