Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has jokingly confessed that he actually has no idea why he does what he does as Reds boss, insisting he only knows how to react to situations.
Klopp has earned a reputation as one of the most charismatic, emotional managers around, with a natural affinity for motivation and man-management. As such, his team talks have become the stuff of legend, with many reports over the years detailing the inspirational things he supposedly told his players to motivate various great Liverpool performances.
Speaking to The Athletic, however, Klopp confessed that rather than planning his speeches and player interactions carefully, he tends to just gets caught up in the moment and lets his emotions take control.
“Sorry, I would write a book about the things I do if I knew why I did them,” he confessed.
“The meetings are based on our past if you want — what happened after the last game, what happened yesterday, things like this. What can we use? I always react.
“I don’t usually remember what I say. If the boys didn’t say things in the press afterwards then I wouldn’t even know I’d said it.
“I remember Divock Origi after the Dortmund game (back in 2016). He said: ‘The boss told us at half-time that if we turned the game around it would be a story we’d all be able to tell our grandchildren about so it would be really worth giving it a try.’
“But if it was that easy I’d tell them things like that constantly! We always want stories to tell the grandkids! When we start a team meeting the only thing I really know what I am going to say is the first sentence.”
The off-the-cuff a strategy has clearly worked for Klopp. The two-time Bundesliga winner has transformed Liverpool into European champions and one of the continents most in-form sides over the last couple of years.
Klopp insisted that his job is all about taking a reactive approach to what is going on around him.
“All that happens through the week, it stays in my mind, I don’t write anything down,” he added.
“I just think about what’s worth telling the boys. S**t session, very good session, whatever, little things. I know how it sounds and it should not sound like this — like I know always to say the right words. But I do trust myself 100% to find the right words.”
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