Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is to step down from the role at the end of the season, saying he is “running out of energy”.
Klopp was appointed in October 2015 and his contract was due to run until 2026.
He won the Champions League in 2019 before leading Liverpool to their first league title in 30 years in 2019-20.
“I told the club already in November,” said 56-year-old Klopp, who has announced his decision with his side top of the Premier League.
“I can understand that it’s a shock for a lot of people at this moment when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it – or at least try to explain it.
“I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff. I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take.
“It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew already for longer that I would have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again.
“After the years we had together and after all the time we spent together and after all the things we went through together, the respect grew for you, the love grew for you and the least I owe you is the truth – and that is the truth.
Klopp guided Liverpool to their sixth European Cup in 2019 when they beat Tottenham in the Champions League final in Madrid.
They followed that up with victory in the Uefa Super Cup, the Fifa Club World Cup and, most significantly, the Premier League title the following season.
Liverpool won a domestic cup double in the 2021-22 season and narrowly missed out on a quadruple as they were pipped by Manchester City on the final day of the Premier League season and lost the Champions League final to Real Madrid in Paris.
The Reds failed to win any major silverware last season but are in contention for four trophies this term. They beat Fulham on Wednesday to reach the Carabao Cup final.
“It didn’t start [then], but of course last season was kind of a super-difficult season and there were moments when at other clubs probably the decision would have been, ‘Come on, thank you very much for everything but probably we should split here, or end it here.’ That didn’t happen here, obviously,” added Klopp.
“For me, it was super, super, super important that I can help to bring this team back onto the rails. It was all I was thinking about.
“When I realized pretty early that happened, it’s a really good team with massive potential and a super age group, super characters and all that, then I could start thinking about myself again and that was the outcome. It is not what I want to [do], it is just what I think is 100%.”
Liverpool assistant managers Pepijn Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, as well as elite development coach Vitor Matos, will leave the club along with Klopp.
As well as being top of the Premier League and in the EFL Cup final, Liverpool host Norwich City in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday and are through to the last 16 of the Europa League.
“Let’s now really go for it. The outside world wants to use this decision, laugh about it, want to disturb us,” said Klopp.
“We are Liverpool, we went through harder things together. And you went through harder things before me. Let’s make a strength of it. That would be cool.
“Let’s squeeze everything out of this season and have another thing to smile about when we look back in the future.”
Klopp has a win percentage of 60.7%, which is the highest of any Liverpool manager with 50-plus games in charge of the club.
He is also the only Liverpool manager to win the league title, European Cup/Champions League, FA Cup and EFL Cup with the Reds.
Mike Gordon, president of Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group, called Klopp’s appointment “one of the greatest blessings of our time as owners”.
“First and foremost, on behalf of [principal owner] John Henry and [FSG chairman] Tom Werner, I would like to state our profound appreciation for Jurgen,” said Gordon.
“It goes without saying that we will be hugely saddened to lose not just a manager of such caliber, but a person and leader for whom we have enormous respect, gratitude and affection.
“At the same time, we fully respect his wishes and the reasons why he has decided the current season will be his last at Liverpool.”
Source: BBC SPORTS
