Reds boss to match rivals’ loyalty
MAYBE there is just a hint of envy, but Jurgen Klopp admits he is impressed at how Tottenham have kept hold of star men like Harry Kane and Dele Alli.
While Klopp has had to contend with losing Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona, Mauricio Pochettino has had no such worries with his Spurs squad.
Barring the sale of Kyle Walker to Manchester City last summer, Pochettino has kept the core of his squad together, while others have seen their star names picked off.
“That they can keep their squad together for so long is a big sign, to be honest,” said the Liverpool boss.
“Harry Kane is still there, the whole world is going nuts transfer-wise and I think if someone has too much money or more than enough, then it would make sense to ask, ‘Don’t you want to play for our team?’.
Together
“He is obviously an outstanding, toplevel player. Dele Alli is not having the same season as last season but he still is of the highest quality. (Christian) Eriksen is constantly performing, Son (Heung-min) is really good, (Moussa) Sissoko made a step again and is back to the player he was at Newcastle.
“They are just a good side and they are still together.
“The whole world buys players from everywhere but no one buys one player from Tottenham.
“Maybe they don’t want to go. You can imagine working together helps a lot. With these players and their age group, the players are closer to 20 than 30, so that is a very, very interesting project.
“I don’t know too much about ® Tottenham, about their circumstances, but obviously the group wants to stay together as well.
“That is another good thing; they had success so far. Only a little bit more than we had since I came in, but more.
“That makes them a really, really good football team and that is the most important thing.”
Klopp’s admiration for the job Pochettino is doing won’t stop the Liverpool boss from plotting their downfall at Anfield tomorrow, though.
Liverpool hold a two-point lead and Klopp believes if they finish above Tottenham that it will mean Champions League qualification, which he says will rank as a successful season.
The Reds finished 10 points behind Spurs last campaign and they are out for revenge after suffering a 4-1 defeat at Wembley in October.
Klopp said: “We could beat Spurs. Since I came here they have been ahead of us and I am not sure but maybe this is the first time we are ahead of them.
“But it is only two points. It is nothing. Before the game it makes it interesting but in the end, to fulfil our dreams at some point, we have to overtake all of them, that is how it is.
“When you start a season, you can dream of something and you have to make a realistic target as well.
“Being champion is probably the dream – not only at Liverpool, but especially at Liverpool.
“Because of the season Manchester City is playing that is quite difficult. Then I would prefer to be second, to be honest, if you cannot be first.
“But if you are second, third or fourth at the end of the season, when you look back, all three positions are good and similarly difficult to reach, so top four is a success for sure.”