Jurgen Klopp and Dortmund

[NoLogo]

Whenever I have seen Son this year, he has been quite good but Im not sure about him leading the line. So if they get him Im guessing him and Kuba will battle for that right wing position.

I also doubt they are going to sign both Eriksen and De Bruyne. The former is capable of playing the deeper position but I dont think they need any more additions there. If they do a deal for Sahin, then they have Gundogan, Sahin, Leitner, Bender and Kehl. Unless they plan to push Grosskeutz as back up left back and maybe use De Bruyne on the left wing along with Reus. Not sure if that would work out. If I was to choose between the two, I would pick Eriksen since right now he is much more of a finished product that De Bruyne.

I have a strange feeling if Bayern dont get Lew this summer, he is going to sign that contract extension. Something about that place might convince him to change his mind.

Son is pretty similar to Reus and I don't know if a formation with two players like him would actually work so I'm fairly certain he will rather be a rotation option for Reus and not for Kuba, but let's first see if the deal even happens, Leverkusen are also keen to get him as a replacement for Schürrle, which would be a good option for him as well and probably a bigger chance for a starting spot in a CL team.

Eriksen and De Bruyne would make sense for a point of view that they need to strengthen their squad depth significantly but of course it might get a bit expensive to get both of them and get a quality striker in as well, so it's probably all a bit dependent on the Lewandowski situation.

Lewandowski according to his agents is going there either this or next year and has a contract offer for both situations.

On top of that Lewandowski and his agents might speculate on getting a nice signing on bonus if he goes there for free next year, either way the deal seems pretty much done deal.

 

[jeston]

Klopp has signed a contract extension until 2018

 

[Balu]

Klopp extended his contract until 2018. Brilliant news for Dortmund.

/edit:

great timing, jeston

 

[shaggy]

Bollocks.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Fantastic news. Can't wait to see him take the fight to Bayern.

 

[OGkush]

great for dortmund, terrible for every other fan out there who want(s/ed) Klopp to manage their team

 

[Brophs]

Dortmund won't be able to keep him if a massive club come calling, contract or not. I actually think he'd be a brilliant fit for Barcelona if their manager doesn't work out. Though from what I've seen that's probably true of pretty much every club out there.

 

[adexkola]

Dortmund won't be able to keep him if a massive club come calling, contract or not. I actually think he'd be a brilliant fit for Barcelona if their manager doesn't work out. Though from what I've seen that's probably true of pretty much every club out there.

Dortmund are a massive club though.

 

[Balu]

Dortmund won't be able to keep him if a massive club come calling, contract or not. I actually think he'd be a brilliant fit for Barcelona if their manager doesn't work out. Though from what I've seen that's probably true of pretty much every club out there.

He wouldn't have extended his contract if he doesn't want to stay until 2018, he still had a contract until 2016. Do you really believe that none of the big clubs who changed their manager this year asked him?

 

[van der star]

This was the only way Dortmund were ever going to try to compete with Bayern. Glad to see the Dortmund management are more than ready to have a go at Bayern.

 

[RedSky]

Goddamn it. I rate Klopp hugely, good for Dortmund though.

 

[Brophs]

Dortmund are a massive club though.

I think they're a great club, but they're not as massive as other clubs he could go to in terms of both resources and international scope. It's the reason they lost Gotze and will lose Lewandowski. The resources aren't there to compete at the top end of the market financially.

He wouldn't have extended his contract if he doesn't want to stay until 2018, he still had a contract until 2016. Do you really believe that none of the big clubs who changed their manager this year asked him?

As above. I'm not suggesting he wants to leave now, but if a bigger clubs - and you can post all the laughing smileys you like - come in for him, he might want to leave. He might just fancy a new challenge.

 

[KM]

Dortmund are increasing financially though.

Last season they gave a 61% increase in their financial standings and broke the 300m Euros mark. With the new German TV deal coming, and Dortmund's increasing popularity, surely the income will only increase.

 

[Brophs]

Dortmund are increasing financially though.

Last season they gave a 61% increase in their financial standings and broke the 300m Euros mark. With the new German TV deal coming, and Dortmund's increasing popularity, surely the income will only increase.

But will they be able to compete for the likes of Javi Martinez? As long as they can't they'll always be struggling (in relative terms, obviously). Also, at the moment from what I know their wage bill isn't that high, at least in comparison to the likes of Bayern, Madrid, Barca, us etc. That'll either rise as they continue to be successful - which will obviously bring its own financial rewards - or they'll continue to lose their best players. I might be wrong, Klopp might be able to get the club on that sort of financial footing, but I think they're quite a few years away from competing in that sense.

 

[Balu]

As above. I'm not suggesting he wants to leave now, but if a bigger clubs - and you can post all the laughing smileys you like - come in for him, he might want to leave. He might just fancy a new challenge.

It's obvious that Klopp's challenge is to establish Dortmund as a top club in Europe, he hasn't done that and he won't leave before he succeeded or failed, he won't stop inbetween. It's not about collecting as much trophies as possible or using the club for a stepping stone to an even bigger club. The same happened when he was managing Mainz. He wanted to establish the club in the Bundesliga and didn't leave when bigger clubs came calling. He stayed until his contract was up, he even stayed for his 8th year after they were relegated and tried to bring them up again. Then he moved on.

He's not extending his contract to leave early, he simply won't unless significant problems at Dortmund occur. I'm not saying he won't leave ever, but he won't ask the club to let him go for a bigger job somewhere else before his contract is up. That might not be common in football today and might even sound naive, but everyone who followed his career and listens to what he says, will tell you that's how it is. He's like Ferguson and Wenger in the sense, that he's not taking the easy way out just because a club with more money offers a job.

 

[Brophs]

It's obvious that Klopp's challenge is to establish Dortmund as a top club in Europe, he hasn't done that and he won't leave before he succeeded or failed, he won't stop inbetween. It's not about collecting as much trophies as possible or using the club for a stepping stone to an even bigger club. The same happened when he was managing Mainz. He wanted to establish the club in the Bundesliga and didn't leave when bigger clubs came calling. He stayed until his contract was up, he even stayed for his 8th year after they were relegated and tried to bring them up again. Then he moved on.

He's not extending his contract to leave early, he simply won't unless significant problems at Dortmund occur. I'm not saying he won't leave ever, but he won't ask the club to let him go for a bigger job somewhere else before his contract is up. That might not be common in football today and might even sound naive, but everyone who followed his career and listens to what he says, will tell you that's how it is. He's like Ferguson and Wenger in the sense, that he's not taking the easy way out just because a club with more money offers a job.

Fair enough. I hope that's the case.

 

[do.ob]

But will they be able to compete for the likes of Javi Martinez? As long as they can't they'll always be struggling (in relative terms, obviously). Also, at the moment from what I know their wage bill isn't that high, at least in comparison to the likes of Bayern, Madrid, Barca, us etc. That'll either rise as they continue to be successful - which will obviously bring its own financial rewards - or they'll continue to lose their best players. I might be wrong, Klopp might be able to get the club on that sort of financial footing, but I think they're quite a few years away from competing in that sense.

So who exactly is able to compete with Bayern for transfers these days? Real and Barca? Then again those two were supposedly very interested in Martinez too.

 

[Mad Winger]

Klopp and Dortmund are basically the underdog, the good guy, and the future of football, all at the same time. Their last 3 seasons have been like a Hollywood movie. You have a semi-crazy, yet extremely likeable coach in charge of the whole thing, who's flaws are few and far between. And then you have the young and exciting underdog team that "shocks" the world with their brilliant and beautiful football. Whenever the're playing, it's as if they're screaming: "yeah, we insist on playing entertaining football. But guess what: we also manage to win! You didn't think this was possible, did you?"

It might be because they haven't been around for too long, but I really can't see myself hating or even mildly disliking this team while Klopp is in charge. Losing to this team wouldn't really feel bad at all, compared to other losses. Because you know that you're playing the good guys, who represent everything that's right about football.

 

[Amar__]

Dortmund won't be able to keep him if a massive club come calling, contract or not. I actually think he'd be a brilliant fit for Barcelona if their manager doesn't work out. Though from what I've seen that's probably true of pretty much every club out there.

You think Real Madrid or City weren't interested in him this summer?

edit: just Real Madrid, City is far from massive club, although they are interesting for most players and managers though.

 

[Ish]

Great news for Dortmund, the Bundesliga and football in general (that he didn't up and leave them for a money rich club) IMO.

 

[Brophs]

You think Real Madrid or City weren't interested in him this summer?

edit: just Real Madrid, City is far from massive club, although they are interesting for most players and managers though.

I have no idea. But what does that matter. Quite obviously, the scenario mentioned only comes up if he wants to leave, which he plainly didn't during the summer.

 

[paceme]

Klopp and Dortmund are basically the underdog, the good guy, and the future of football, all at the same time. Their last 3 seasons have been like a Hollywood movie. You have a semi-crazy, yet extremely likeable coach in charge of the whole thing, who's flaws are few and far between. And then you have the young and exciting underdog team that "shocks" the world with their brilliant and beautiful football. Whenever the're playing, it's as if they're screaming: "yeah, we insist on playing entertaining football. But guess what: we also manage to win! You didn't think this was possible, did you?"

It might be because they haven't been around for too long, but I really can't see myself hating or even mildly disliking this team while Klopp is in charge. Losing to this team wouldn't really feel bad at all, compared to other losses. Because you know that you're playing the good guys, who represent everything that's right about football.

Get a room.

 

[Alock1]

Klopp and Dortmund are basically the underdog, the good guy, and the future of football, all at the same time. Their last 3 seasons have been like a Hollywood movie. You have a semi-crazy, yet extremely likeable coach in charge of the whole thing, who's flaws are few and far between. And then you have the young and exciting underdog team that "shocks" the world with their brilliant and beautiful football. Whenever the're playing, it's as if they're screaming: "yeah, we insist on playing entertaining football. But guess what: we also manage to win! You didn't think this was possible, did you?"

It might be because they haven't been around for too long, but I really can't see myself hating or even mildly disliking this team while Klopp is in charge. Losing to this team wouldn't really feel bad at all, compared to other losses. Because you know that you're playing the good guys, who represent everything that's right about football.

So that's what they're signing in the standing section.. I did always wonder.

It's obvious that Klopp's challenge is to establish Dortmund as a top club in Europe, he hasn't done that and he won't leave before he succeeded or failed, he won't stop inbetween. It's not about collecting as much trophies as possible or using the club for a stepping stone to an even bigger club. The same happened when he was managing Mainz. He wanted to establish the club in the Bundesliga and didn't leave when bigger clubs came calling. He stayed until his contract was up, he even stayed for his 8th year after they were relegated and tried to bring them up again. Then he moved on.

He's not extending his contract to leave early, he simply won't unless significant problems at Dortmund occur. I'm not saying he won't leave ever, but he won't ask the club to let him go for a bigger job somewhere else before his contract is up. That might not be common in football today and might even sound naive, but everyone who followed his career and listens to what he says, will tell you that's how it is. He's like Ferguson and Wenger in the sense, that he's not taking the easy way out just because a club with more money offers a job.

So basically, you're saying he's perfect for us? We should go in for him this summer, based on what you've said, he'd definitely join us.

I jest, I jest

 

[do.ob]

Based on Balu saying that Klopp would never leave for before 2018 you think that he'd definately switch clubs in the summer of 2014?

 

[Balu]

So basically, you're saying he's perfect for us? We should go in for him this summer, based on what you've said, he'd definitely join us.

Of course, he's perfect for you. The problem is, if you want a loyal manager, you can't expect him to leave when he's still with a club, you know, because then he wouldn't be loyal anymore and not perfect. Bad luck for you guys

 

[Alock1]

You guys suck. White text peepz.

 

[Balu]

I didn't take your comment seriously, even without the white text ... thought my answer was funny, ah well, German humour, I know I suck.

 

[Aboutreika18]

You guys think he might take the Germany job after Löw? Or is it too early in his managerial career for that?

 

[Adam-Utd]

You guys think he might take the Germany job after Löw? Or is it too early in his managerial career for that?

No chance, he seems like the type who hates the regimes. Rage against the machine and all that.

 

[Balu]

You guys think he might take the Germany job after Löw? Or is it too early in his managerial career for that?

I don't think Löw stays until 2018 and I can't see Klopp taking over a nationalteam in the next 10-15 years, he loves to work with his players on a daily basis. I still hope Heynckes takes over for 4 years after the worldcup in Brazil.

 

[strongwalker]

You guys think he might take the Germany job after Löw? Or is it too early in his managerial career for that?

Germany does not have a long history of team coaches coming from the ranks of Bundesliga coaches. Schön, Herberger or Derwall had no club experience at all and were products of DfBs internal system, experiences with Ribbeck, Vogts or Völler haven't been overly successful. Even Löw himself had a very mediocre club career. Still today, a solid standing in the DfBs complicated hierarchy of power and alliances seems to count more than a successful career on club level.
Still, things change (although slower at the DfB), so nothing is impossible.

 

[Amar__]

I have no idea. But what does that matter. Quite obviously, the scenario mentioned only comes up if he wants to leave, which he plainly didn't during the summer.

Yeah, but why would he want to leave next summer then? Or the year after? Looking how they are doing over the years, I can see them just improving even more and becoming even better club, and if he didn't want to leave this year, I don't see him leaving if they become even better. All that of course, if they stay on the track, and continue their success.

 

[GlasgowCeltic]

'hired gun'

 

[holyland red]

Utmost respect for the man. Great news for Dortmund. I know it's naive that a drop in the ocean of money that the sport has become will have influence on players too, but at least Dortmund fans get the (huge) break they deserve.

If only some of their players weren't pricks of the highest order, representing the exact opposite to their boss by flirting with their biggest rivals in mid-season.

 

[Antisocial]

Pleased to see this - given that we're not going to be making him an offer, then I'm glad he's staying at Dortmund to continue his work there rather than heading to one of our domestic rivals, or getting himself caught on the Madrid roller-coaster.

 

[Balu]

Very good interview with Klopp before the game against Arsenal on the Guardian, some good comments for anyone who still has doubts he'd leave before his contract is up. He also talks in his very own way about Ferguson and why he has to be a great person oh and it sounds like hw thought Barca at their peak was a boring team, even though I disagree I like that he says stuff like that in public .

My favorite part:

(An article with him demands stage direction).

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/03/borussia-dortmund-jurgen-klopp-arsenal

Jürgen Klopp is pondering the similarities between himself and Arsène Wenger, between his Borussia Dortmund team and Arsenal which, on the face of it, appear to be numerous. Klopp, however, does not see it. "He likes having the ball, playing football, passes … it's like an orchestra," the Dortmund manager says, pretending to play the violin. "But it's a silent song, yeah? I like heavy metal."
Klopp's every entrance ought to be accompanied by a cymbal crash and it is no great stretch to imagine him laying into the speakers with a guitar. There is a wildness about the Dortmund frontman; a high-octane, all-or-nothing passion that overtakes him on match days. It feeds his explosive team and the 80,645 supporters that pack the club's Westfalenstadion, where 25,000 stand behind one of the goals to form the Yellow Wall. The place teems with energy and intensity. It is Klopp's home from home.

"For me, he is Sir Arsène Wenger, he is really something, I love him," Klopp adds, before miming a polite handshake. "But I'm this guy, with high fives. I always want it loud. I want to have this … " Klopp makes the sound of an exploding bomb. (An article with him demands stage direction).
"If Barcelona's team of the last four years were the first one that I saw play when I was four years of age ... with their serenity, winning 5-0, 6-0 … I would have played tennis. Sorry, that is not enough for me. What I love is that there are some things you can do in football to allow each team to win most of the matches.
"It is not serenity football, it is fighting football – that is what I like. What we call in German – English [football] … rainy day, heavy pitch, everybody is dirty in the face and they go home and can't play football for the next four weeks. This is Borussia.
"When I watch Arsenal in the last 10 years, it is nearly perfect football, but we all know they didn't win a title. In Britain they say that they like Arsenal but they have to win something. Who wins the title? Chelsea, but with different football, I would say. This is the philosophy of Arsène Wenger. I love this but I cannot coach this because I am a different guy. You think many things are similar? I hope so in some moments, but there are big differences, too."

Klopp will face Wenger in Dortmund on Wednesday night, in Champions League Group F, knowing that a repeat of the victory at Emirates Stadium the week before last would put his team in the driving seat to qualify. That 2-1 win was built on trademark pressing and quick transitions but what appeared to please Klopp the most was the statistic that said his players had run a collective 11.5km more than their opponents.
"Coaches will say that it's not important for their team to run more and they prefer to make games the right way," Klopp says. "I want to make games only the right way and run 10km more. It's a rule to give all and it can make the difference if you work more. If you don't have to give all and you still win, what's this? You don't like this game? It's like this [Klopp yawns]. What, you can win Wimbledon like this?"
Klopp peppers the conversation with tennis references. He was not impressed when his own meltdown at the fourth official that saw him sent off in the Champions League defeat at Napoli in September was attributed, in some quarters, to the pressure he felt. "No, I make this fecking face when I play tennis. That's the truth."

The 46-year-old is a talker, and he adds flavour with anecdotes and detail; some insightful, others more off-the-wall. He admits to being rubbish at DIY, for example. "You'd be waiting 30 or 40 years for me to build a table," he says. "I have more than two left hands."
He remembers his one and only meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson as lasting for two minutes and coming "during the most shitty moment of my life". He encountered Ferguson at Wembley after Dortmund had lost last season's Champions League final to Bayern Munich. "He said 'great season' to me," Klopp says, before indicating how his own chin had been on the floor.
It would be interesting to hear what Ferguson thinks of Klopp's look – the jeans and trainers and black-rimmed spectacles – given his more traditional sartorial values. "I don't think I have a chapter in his book," Klopp says. "Chapter One: How is Klopp looking?
"I'm sorry, he is British," Klopp continues. "You drink tea at four o'clock in the afternoon and nobody else knows why in the rest of the world. You drive on the wrong side of the road. We are different. But I'm sure I can have two days and two nights with Sir Alex Ferguson. I don't know what he drinks. Red wine, OK. He can have his red wine. I prefer beer.
"But we are like we are. He worked with Ryan Giggs for 20-odd years and when Ryan Giggs hears Ferguson's name, he doesn't go like this [Klopp pretends to vomit]. That is the best you can do in your life. Every day, every year, all the talk ... you know everything about this guy and you still like each other. That says everything about Sir Alex Ferguson."

 

[Balu]

Klopp loves to laugh and his is a very big laugh. He jokes that his ugly face is one problem and he turns to the journalist from the Sun. "You have the same problem," he says, uproariously. He has all the trimmings of the charismatic maverick and it is put to him that he would get on well with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with whom he would like to work. "Crazy players love me," Klopp says. "I don't know why."
He is relaxed and engaging when he does not have his must-win game-face on and it is easy to see why the Dortmund players like him and, to quote the midfielder Nuri Sahin, will "run through walls for him". Most importantly, Klopp gets results. He has the highest points-per-game ratio of any Dortmund coach in history, together with two Bundesliga titles and one German cup.

It has combined to make him an attractive proposition and the predators have sniffed, particularly from the Premier League. Klopp does not want to say that Manchester City and Chelsea wanted him before they appointed Manuel Pellegrini and José Mourinho respectively – to him it is in the past – but the references are almost matter of fact.
"I know that some clubs were interested, of course," he says. "They thought about us. You know these clubs … they changed coaches last season. Man City? But I don't say anything about this. From other countries, they were also interested."
Many Arsenal fans believe that Klopp would be tailor-made as Wenger's eventual successor. Like Wenger, he came from a small club (Mainz in 2008); he promotes young players; he is wedded to an entertaining style and he hunts for answers when key personnel depart. Klopp has lost Sahin, Shinji Kagawa and Mario Götze over the past three summers, although Sahin has since returned, and he will lose Robert Lewandowski as a Bosman free agent next summer. Klopp believes that renewal is essential for progress.

But Arsenal and anyone else would have to wait until 2018, at least, for Klopp. He signed a new contract at Dortmund last Wednesday and he could not have been clearer about his intention to honour it. He had previously been contracted to 2016 and there was no pressure from either side to agree to the extension. But they did it because they wanted to; because the partnership feels right.
"Borussia Dortmund is the only club in the world where if I speak to a young player, he knows that I am his coach for the next four-and-a-half years," Klopp says. "We want to have this situation. The players are similar to the journalists. They always think: 'Ah, he says this and then Real Madrid call and he is away.' But this is the message: Everybody can call but nothing will happen. This is for sure and then we will see what's with the players.
"It makes me proud to hear that some Arsenal fans might want me, but it's not important for me to be proud. My mother is proud. It's a better feeling than if nobody knows me but it doesn't help me in the morning, it doesn't help me in the evening and it doesn't help me through the day."

Klopp's connection with Dortmund is total. He talks emotively about how the club is "worth falling in love with because this is pure football" and, also, the unique thrill of emerging from the dark and narrow tunnel at the Westfalenstadion, in which he has to stoop at various points, to be assailed by the colour and noise.
"It's a little bit like when you are born and your mother is [Klopp makes a face like a woman in labour]. Then, you come out and you see the best of the world," he says.
Klopp is the incurable romantic. To him Dortmund are the Rebel Alliance to Bayern's Death Star, but his club can compete. The players have an average age of 25 and they will enter their prime years over the course of Klopp's contract. "The important thing is new ideas, not money," he says. "It is important to make the next step. You always want to be the team that can beat the one with more money."

 

[Kaos]

While I'm happy for Dortmund, part of me thinks he'll probably be Wenger's eventual replacement. Gutted we never went in for him, ahh well we have Moyes at least.

 

[Antisocial]

Can't help laughing about his comments on Sir Alex

 

[Thisistheone]

Aye, Klopp has big respect for Fergie and Giggsy. Good to see.