Jurgen Klopp has laughed off claims that Michael Edwards and Julian Ward’s returns to Liverpool are down to him leaving and insisted Fenway Sports Group’s new-look structure will thrive.
The Reds boss, who takes charge of his final match as manager at home to Wolves on Sunday, believes “the club is in good hands” with Arne Slot’s confirmation as his replacement expected imminently.
Edwards, who served as sporting director from 2016 to 2022, will officially return to the fold on June 1 when he takes up a position as ‘CEO of football’ within the Fenway setup to effectively replace FSG president Mike Gordon as the day-to-day head of the club.
Ward, who was Edwards’ assistant and then replacement before leaving last summer, will also come back to work as FSG’s technical director while Richard Hughes will arrive from Bournemouth to become the new sporting director alongside the Cherries’ chief scout Mark Burchill, who will work in the recruitment department.
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After Feyenoord confirmed his departure this week, Slot stated on Friday that he will be joining the Reds after Klopp’s exit and the current boss is enthusiastic about the new operation behind the scenes.
“It’s great but did anyone make a story that they have all come back because I am leaving?” Klopp laughed. “It was really not because of me. It’s nothing. You can ask Michael Edwards if he will speak in public, but our work together was really, really good.
“We worked well together and Richard Hughes, who I know, is a great, great guy. I liked the signings a lot. Who the club is bringing in, I like them all. We have a good team, a really good manager is coming in and we have all these guys too. The club is in good hands.
“People might worry about the future but I am not worried about the future and I really want the club to do well. I am not worried about the future. It is not that I am thinking: ‘My God, how will that all go?’ No, no. It is fine.
“But they will have to do it themselves and speak about themselves, I cannot judge the people on the way out saying ‘I am not sure about that’. That would be really horrendous. I really like what they are doing. Yes there are a lot of changes, staff-wise but that is how it is. We are all fine.
“You work in football and then normally after a year or two you move on, next club. But we were privileged, we really feel that, to be able to do that for this long at this outstanding club.
“I see it like that, Pep (Lijnders), Johnny (Achterberg), Pete (Krawietz), Vitor Matos, we all see it like this. For such a long time, it was an honour and a privilege and now the next ones can do it.”
In the last media scrum before his final match at Anfield, Klopp was also asked about the 115 financial charges hanging over a Manchester City side who will win a fourth straight Premier League title if they beat West Ham United at the Etihad.
The Liverpool boss is adamant their on-field excellence is down to Pep Guardiola’s coaching of the quality players at his disposal but did concede he is curious to see a resolution over the charges.
Asked about City’s situation, Klopp responded: “I don’t worry about these things. Everybody knows about the 115 charges, but I have no clue what that means. I only know the number.
“Whatever has happened at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola is the best manager in the world – and that is really important. If you put any other manager in that club, they don’t win the league four times in a row. That’s down to him and his boys. Does that mean they can do what they want? No.
“But I don’t know what they did – if they did anything – and I’m not here to say they have. We will see. Of course, I would like to know (if City are guilty) one day. Everyone wants to know. But I will be somewhere else.
“The quality of Pep makes the difference. We will see. It’s not my problem and I am fine with what we have and what we’ve achieved.”