Boss on Wigan victory, transfer activity and tour plans
Jürgen Klopp detailed his satisfaction with Liverpool's 2-0 win at Wigan Athletic, provided a transfer update and discussed plans for the upcoming tour of America on Sunday evening.
The manager spoke to the media shortly after second-half goals from Danny Ings and Ben Woodburn ensured the Reds secured a third successive victory in pre-season.
As well as analysing the game at the DW Stadium and a number of individual performances, Klopp opened up on a variety of key topics too.
Read on for a summary of the manager’s thoughts…
On the match…
It was a good first 30 minutes and then there was a little break in the game, we lost the formation – too big spaces – and they could play a little bit. We let them play. I told the boys that I have seen a lot of games in my life and a few of them were more exciting than our first half, especially the end of the first half. But it was OK. I saw a lot of good things, creating chances. Wigan had a good formation obviously and they have been in training a week longer, I know this.
It was the first game for Phil [Coutinho]; you could see Sadio [Mane] and Roberto [Firmino] were a little bit tired, so they had to fight from the first minute. It was OK, not more. The second half was more than OK because the young boys obviously didn’t think too much about tired legs and the intensity of training. They had good organisation, Tiago [Ilori] and Joel [Matip] plus Lucas [Leiva] together with young Trent Alexander-Arnold did really well, and the rest were involved in our offensive play. That was really flexible, it was quick and direct. We had good direction in the game and we scored two wonderful goals, and could have scored one or two more. It was absolutely deserved so I’m quite satisfied.
On the new signings’ performances…
Loris [Karius] made his own work with the backpass! He is a good goalkeeper, everybody knows this, and a good footballer and that’s important for us. We can play with him and that’s good. Joel gets better and better and better, you can see it. He had the problem today with his ankle again a little bit. It’s not too serious, hopefully – because of the intensity, we had to make the decision of Joel or Dejan [Lovren], who has to play the whole 90 minutes? We decided Joel but for him it was a little bit too much today. He is in a good way, as you can see. Sadio was in a very good way but today he was a little bit tired. Marko [Grujic] was not here, he had a little bit of back problems and was a little bit sick. He is a young boy and a few things came together, but up to now it’s OK.
We’ve had three games, but [what is] more important is the work between the games and so I am quite happy – but we are happy when we go to the USA now and all of the other players join us. We’ll have the big group together from the 26th when the last two players, Joe Allen and Emre Can, will join us. From the 21st, all the English players are with us. From the 22nd, all the Belgian players are with us. Then we will have a real group together and the work starts again with them and hopefully we can build on the base we’ve done in the first three weeks with the other players.
On transfer activity…
That will happen, a few things will happen I am pretty sure. I don’t know exactly what but on both sides, it makes no sense to stay in the squad and be in the squad when you don’t have a real opportunity to play. When there’s no chance to play, it makes absolutely no sense. The players are young. We will not give on loan our very young players, absolutely no chance. We have a few players, maybe who want to leave us and I am pretty sure it will happen – and one or two more players will join us from other clubs. It’s a long time until the 31st of August and we have to work a little bit.
On the young players…
It’s the proof of the good work of the youth department, of the Academy of LFC. I need to be blind not to see the talent of these boys – I have nothing to do with their qualities. I would like to say I have had a big influence on them, but it’s not true. My biggest skill is I am patient, so I can wait and we will wait until these guys are really ready. It’s about timing, but they are in a good way and we will never forget them, that’s for sure. It’s not that we have them and use them now in the pre-season and then never think about them. They are in our books, for sure, and we will do everything so that when they are old enough, they will be good enough.
On whether any youngsters will travel on tour…
I think we’ll take two of them, but no final decision. It’s not about taking them. I think in the last few years in England it’s always a lot of youngsters in pre-season and everyone is excited about how good they are, then you never hear something about them. I don’t want to do it like this – 100 per cent not. We see the qualities and we want to improve these guys, we want to develop them. That’s what we do. It’s not about America. [Ovie] Ejaria, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ben are still in school – OK, at the moment it’s holidays but they have a few other things to do. That’s how life is, our lives were the same. We will be with them, help them, and we know about their qualities so it’s the best situation.
On Woodburn…
I really like these stories. The problem that you can make these guys is that you write too much about them. You have enough time, they are young enough. You can write about them when they are 18, 19 and don’t bring them into the situation of going to school and not going to school, meeting the friends. I couldn’t have explained at this age what happens to me in this moment so cool down, everything is good. We are something like their family and we will really keep an eye on them. But it’s not important who will join us in America. We are not going there on holiday and it’s not the most important training for them in their lives so they have their own team at home and we will see what will happen. If we have the situation and if they learn, if they listen and stay concentrated and disciplined then they have a bright future, that’s for sure. But between now and the bright future, there’s a lot of work. Let’s start with the work and not with the news.
On Mane...
Everything is good. We are really happy about the transfer. We knew a lot about him as a player and we knew a little bit about him as a human being, good news. As a human being, he is better and nice as a player and everybody can see how he is as a player. It’s good for us, the squad. Everyone likes him. He likes the club, he likes the other players and he likes to work high quality. Today [he was] a little bit tired. Obviously, no problem – that’s how it is. All good.