KLOPP’S FINE IS A VICTORY FOR THE KILLJOYS
HOW could they charge him? I asked myself that question when I heard Jurgen Klopp had got a call from the FA. I had watched the Merseyside derby and, given I will always have a foot in the Liverpool camp, I loved what I saw in the final minute. As Klopp went tearing on to the pitch to jump on Alisson Becker, my first reaction was to burst out laughing.
Spontaneity is one of the many things I love about football. I played in enough derbies to know what is at stake. We beat Everton 3-1 home and away in my first season at Liverpool and the noise at Anfield was unreal, so it was always going to be bedlam when Divock Origi hit the winner.
Klopp got caught up in the moment, but was it that big a deal? I appreciate why Evertonians hated seeing it. To be fair, if I was in Marco Silva’s position, I would have been fuming if I’d seen the opposition manager galloping off in that manner.
Silva deserves credit for remaining calm, both after the game and in the following days. You saw with Neil Warnock and Nuno Espirito Santo, when Cardiff lost to Wolves last season, how managers can take exception to celebrations and situations can turn ugly.
Yet, while I saw the good side in what Klopp did, part of me also knew he would be in trouble. I know the £8,000 punishment he received was not excessive but, still, I don’t think it was necessary. It felt, in some ways, as if they were being killjoys.
Forget about Klopp for a minute and be honest. If your team’s manager reacted in that way after you had just scored a vital goal, you’d love it. Don’t say you wouldn’t. We want our managers to feel what we’re feeling and Liverpudlians saw that from Klopp. I’ve never had a manager run over to me after I have scored a goal. Rafa Benitez was always focused on reorganisation, Harry Redknapp would give a little cheer — but then want to get the team back in shape — while Sven Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello were quite cold. The best reaction I’ve seen from one of my managers was Stoke’s Tony Pulis after my volley past Joe Hart in 2012. It was, of course, the best goal I have ever scored but the thing I remember most about it is turning around and seeing Tony waving his baseball cap up and down shouting ‘ Oh my f***ing God!’ He had this big smile on his face — again, just pure enjoyment — as he was running up and down the touchline, not really knowing what to do next. We play football and watch it for the moments when absolute happiness takes over. There is also something nice for a footballer to see his manager react to a big moment in that way. You feel like you are all in it together and it helps you through the difficult times. If a manager is celebrating with you, he’ll also back you when things are hard. It’s why I have never got my head around those people who score against their former clubs, but don’t show emotion. What’s that all about? You see someone apologise to supporters they used to play for and mouth ‘sorry’ but it’s all
for effect. If you are sorry, why shoot in the first place?
I’ve scored goals against Tottenham, Liverpool and aston villa. I’ve never done what emmanuel adebayor did and run the full length of the pitch before concluding it with a big knee-slide. I have always tried to be responsible but, without fail, I have smiled. you are not being true if you do not.
Klopp quickly accepted his punishment and said that he won’t do it again. he apologised, but I was glad to read he didn’t regret his actions. Why should he? he has brought so much to the english game with his character and the way his team play football.
We watch a league every week that provides us with iconic moments. If you think back to the inaugural premier League season of 1992-93, the first thing that should come to mind is Sir alex Ferguson and Brian Kidd racing on to the pitch after Manchester United beat Sheffield Wednesday.
If you had to name your top three Jose Mourinho moments, I’d be willing to say most of you would pick him running down the touchline at old Trafford following porto’s shock Champions League success in 2004.
These are moments that go down in history. If Liverpool win the league, footage of Klopp’s sprint against everton will be on a loop.
By fining him, are we now saying we don’t want to see this from managers any more? I hope not. We don’t want passion and emotion diluted.