'Everyone can think what they want!' - Jurgen Klopp admits he expected backlash for taking job at Red Bull Group as ex-Liverpool boss breaks silence on Mainz protest banners

Klopp left Liverpool at the end of the 2023-24 season, bringing down a successful era with the Reds that brought great success and Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League and Club World Cup trophies to Anfield. The German then started a new non-coaching role at the start of 2025, overseeing the worldwide network of Red Bull football teams, which includes RB Leipzig, Salzburg, and the New York Red Bulls. Klopp signed a long-term contract with Red Bull and reportedly earns around €12 million (£10m/$12.5m) per year in his new position. Red Bull chief executive offer Oliver Mintzlaff revealed it took approximately "20 seconds" for Klopp to say yes to the job after being approached while enjoying a sabbatical and some time away from football after leaving Liverpool.

The former Liverpool boss has received plenty of criticism for his decision to move to Red Bull. Fans at Bundesliga side Mainz, where Klopp also enjoyed success as a manager, displayed banners protesting his move which read, "Have you forgotten everything we made you become?" Liverpool fans also expressed their disappointment, telling Klopp the move "absolutely stinks" and accusing him of "selling out". The reaction even led to Klopp interrupting a holiday to explain why he had moved to Red Bull in a video that he posted on social media.

Klopp has now been quizzed on the situation and told The Athletic that he's not worried by those who do not like his move to Red Bull. He explained: "I knew it (would come). I’m German. I know what people in Germany think about the involvement of Red Bull in football. They love Red Bull. In all departments. But in football? No. So whatever, they want to do it that way.

“Funnily enough, it was only in Germany where the reaction was like that. But that’s fine - no problem. Everybody can think what they want. You just have to accept that I do what I want as long as I don’t hurt anybody. By the way, I don’t expect people to remember what I did for a specific club. The people in Mainz in the stadium now… they were little kids when I was there (1990-2001 as a player, then seven years as a coach), so their parents had to tell them who I was. So that’s how it is, it is absolutely fine."

Klopp also pointed out that Liverpool fans will have been happier to see him join Red Bull than take on a coaching job at another club. He added: "I don’t expect everybody to like what I do. I have to do it for the right reasons - for my right reasons. By the way, in Liverpool, people are overly happy that I do what I do because I am not coaching another team.

"If I went to a foreign country, to Italy or Spain, people would have said, ‘Oh my God, that’s great.’ If I go to Bayern (Munich) or whatever, then especially Dortmund fans would have said, ‘I don’t like it!’ I finished at Liverpool at 57. I was 100 per cent certain and sure that I will not finish working. I had a break for seven months or so. I enjoyed it - wow!"

Klopp has continued to be linked with a return to a future role in football management, with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad the latest club reportedly keen on trying to tempt the German back into the world of coaching. However, the Liverpool legend has once again ruled out returning to management and insists he does not miss the daily grind that comes with coaching a professional club.

"Not. At. All," he added. "I was super happy with the way Liverpool performed. I watched some games. But it is not like, ‘Oh, it’s Saturday!’ I didn’t know when games started. I was just out. I played sports. We enjoyed life, spent time with the grandkids, completely normal stuff, knowing I will work again. But knowing as well, that I don’t want to work as a coach anymore. That’s what I think. But you don’t know. I’m 58. If I started again at 65, everybody will say, ‘You said you’ll never do it again!’ Er, sorry, I thought 100 per cent (when I said it)! That is what I think now. I don’t miss anything."