Jurgen Klopp ended his nine-year spell at Liverpool earlier this summer
Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp(Image credit: Getty Images)
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is preparing for an emotional return to the dugout for the first time since he called time on his spell at Anfield.
The German ended a nine-year tenure on Merseyside this summer, leaving Liverpool having delivered the club’s first title of the Premier League era, a Champions League win, an FA Cup and two League Cups since swapping Borussia Dortmund for Liverpool in 2015.
Klopp admitted that he was ‘running out of energy’ when he announced his forthcoming departure in January, but after a summer off, he is ready for a one-off game in familiar surroundings.
VIDEO How Arne Slot Has ALREADY Transformed Liverpool
The German has confirmed he will be the manager for a testimonial match for former Dortmund duo Lukasz Piszczek and Jakub Blaszczykowski next month.
Klopp managed the Polish pair during his time as Dortmund boss and will now take part in their send-off match which will take place at Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park on September 7.
The news was announced on Dortmund’s Instagram account in a video that sees Piszczek and Blaszczykowski discussing the match and speaking about who they wanted to come on board as a coach.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
They then decide to give ‘the retired coach’ a call, with Klopp then appearing on the screen wearing sunglasses - quite possibly from the Mallorca villa he has purchased.
"You finally have your farewell game," the former manager says. "Oh my god. And you want to train before the game. Are you stupid?"
The players then asked Klopp which team he wants to manage.
Jurgen Klopp during his Borussia Dortmund days
"I couldn't care less!,” he says, laughing.
“I do it like I used to, I start thinking about it five minutes beforehand. Is the game sold out? I’d buy a ticket if I wasn’t coming anyway!”
Klopp will take charge of Blaszczykowski’s team, with the likes of Dortmund’s new coach Nuri Sahin, who played for both sides, Sebastian Kehl and Marcel Schmelzer among those to have signed up so far.
For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.
