JURGEN KLOPP'S TACTICS HAVE FANS IN STITCHES AS EX-LIVERPOOL BOSS RETURNS TO DUGOUT

Jurgen Klopp made a return to the dugout with his former club Borussia Dortmund for a testimonial match on Saturday.

The German announced back in January that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign and has since kept a low profile while his replacement, Arne Slot, beds into life at Anfield.

That hasn't prevented Klopp from being linked with a host of high-profile jobs, though. And while he has distanced himself from some, he did agree to return to Dortmund.

He oversaw a match to honour Lukasz Piszczek and Jakub Blaszczykowski: both of whom were key figures during his tenure.

On the eve of the match, which was contested between former team-mates of both players, a picture of Klopp standing in Dortmund coaching attire in front of a flipchart with some basic tactical instructions, including a picture of a player shooting with some light-hearted messages, such as 'Plan = Win, 'Score!' and 'Vibes', went viral on social media.

The post, captioned: "This is why he is in charge," went down a storm with fans, some of whom were in stitches. Others even called for his return on a permanent basis, albeit light-heartedly.

Fittingly, Klopp was involved in a nine-goal thriller as Blaszczykowski's team clinched a narrow 5-4 victory at Signal Iduna Park on an afternoon where a number of popular figures, including Klopp, were given a chance to soak up the adulation of Dortmund's fans.

While Klopp was back in familiar surroundings on the touchline in his native Germany, it remains unclear as to when - or if - we will see him again in such a capacity.

Numerous reports had indicated that he planned to take a 12 month sabbatical after leaving Liverpool and he has fielded questions over his future plans both before and after his final match at Anfield back in May.

Speaking at the International Coaches' Congress in Wurzburg, Germany back in x, Klopp teased that he could decide to call time on his managerial career for good, though he did concede he would like to stay in football even if that does come to pass.

"As of today, that's it for me as a coach. I didn't quit on a whim, but it was a general decision. I've also coached the best clubs in the world.

"Maybe we can talk about it again in a few months. I still want to work in football and help people with my experience and contacts. Let's see what else there is for me."

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2024-09-07T20:59:17Z dg43tfdfdgfd