Press conferenceJürgen Klopp: We can always improve - and that's what we'll try

Shortly after a 37-man Reds squad landed in Bangkok, where they will face Manchester United on Tuesday, the manager delivered a press conference.

As well as being quizzed on the clash with United and the incredible reception granted to the team on their arrival by local fans, Klopp also offered insight on his mentality heading into the 2022-23 campaign.

Read a summary of his briefing below…

On the reception the squad received on arrival in Bangkok…

Thank you very much for the really warm welcome we received already here, in the hour we are here now. It was really nice. This is actually only my second time in Thailand; the first time was a flight to Sydney and an hour in Phuket in the airport. So, my first proper time in Thailand. I heard so many good things about it and I can’t wait to experience it a little bit. We are looking forward to the game obviously, looking forward to having some time to spend in the city of Bangkok if possible. We are here for you, for all of you and I hope we can have a good time together and tie the knot between us and our supporters here in Thailand a little bit more, it would be absolutely great. Thank you very much for the warm welcome.

On Tuesday’s match against United…

Usually football matches are the most important thing for us but in this specific case it is really more for the people. We brought here 37 players, so we have all generations here and we have to use all of them because the boys who were on international duty in the summer only arrived today pretty much and they cannot play too long, but we will try to give them a few minutes as well. So, it will be really exciting. Manchester United, a new manager, trained a little bit longer than us so might be, I’m not sure, in a better situation in the moment. But we see it as an important test because it’s against United and we don’t play friendlies, obviously both teams don’t play friendlies against each other, so we will see what we can do.

On what he expects in 2022-23…

A good season, a season where we can improve. We have space for improvement. It’s not about how many games you can win, it’s about: how can we play? You can always do better and that’s what we will try.

On Liverpool’s preparations for the game with United…

We never prepare for one match, we prepare for a full season. That means the boys who started Monday last week had a proper start so far, we could train in the way we wanted. We had now a full week already and we are now here to play two games in Asia, first this one and then in Singapore against Crystal Palace. So, we have to see. We have to train and we have to play, it means the games are actually like a session as well but the boys have to go really hard. Let’s see where we stand in this specific moment and then we can go home to England and then we go from there to Austria for another camp. That camp ends already with the Community Shield against Manchester City. So it’s not a long time we have so we have to work really hard in the sessions. You might see that in the games, that the boys are a little bit tired but it’s an important part of the pre-season, that we go through these difficult moments and then we can get the benefit through the whole season.

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On how confident he is that the Reds can continue to challenge for trophies this season…

As confident as possible. You never know obviously but I saw today on the plane a squad full of quality. You always need a little bit of luck, how we all know, if you want to win a trophy. But to play a good season you need first and foremost consistency, that’s what it’s all about and that’s what we will try. I have no doubt about the quality of the boys. We brought in new players – yes, we lost a few players – but we brought in new players; if you want, fresh blood, really helpful. There are no places already sorted, who will play where. The boys will make pressure, which is important. We have five subs from now on in the Premier League as well – we have to get used to that, we have to adapt to that. I’m really looking forward to it. There are no guarantees in football but there’s a good chance that we play another good season, I would say.

On the positive influence May’s end-of-season parade can have on the club…

It was absolutely incredible. Hendo said it afterwards and I think we all felt it: it was one of the best days in our lives. For different reasons. It was the atmosphere of course but it was as well the showing of the respect for what we all did together in the years before. Not only the year before, but the years before; we didn’t have the chance to celebrate the championship [of 2019-20] properly and all these kinds of things. It was an absolutely outstanding experience. Only a few days ago people asked me, ‘How was it to end the season on a low?’ and I really had to think, ‘On a low, what do you mean?’ Then I realised he means the Champions League final, I get it. But our season finishing was the parade and that was an absolute high. I didn’t need proof, to be honest, but if someone needed it that was definitely the proof that this club is so extremely special and people are so extremely in our situation. I don’t have the right words for it. It’s absolutely outstanding and a real push to try to have this again and again and again for whatever reason. It must be a good reason obviously – and we will try everything to have a parade next year, a good reason for a parade next year again.