Jürgen Klopp: There's no time for reflection, so I don't want a cake!Jürgen Klopp is interested only in looking forward as he approaches his first anniversary as Liverpool manager.This Saturday marks a full year since Klopp took charge at Anfield, with the 12 months since October 8 2015 having been an eventful mix of highs and lows.
Brilliant, exhilarating performances against the likes of both Manchester clubs, Southampton and Borussia Dortmund were among the highlights of last season, which also included the disappointment of losing in two cup finals.
Klopp’s first full season on Merseyside has started promisingly, with superb victories at Arsenal and Chelsea, along with Anfield demolitions of Leicester City and Hull City, helping the Reds to sit two points off the top of the Premier League as the second international break of the campaign begins.
However, the boss has no appetite to consider what has happened over the last year, and is instead fully focused on the future.
“I have no time, and I am not in the mood for reflection, to be honest,” Klopp said after Saturday's 2-1 win at Swansea City.
“It’s a year, I’m a year older and all this, but everything else is good. Not perfect, but in a good way. That’s what we hoped, that’s what we said.
“After one year standing here, we can talk like this. There was doubt, there was a lot of rumour around me. People said ‘obviously he was a good coach at Dortmund but a German managing here doesn’t work’ things like this. That’s better now.
“The thing is, I’m not here for a year, I’m here hopefully for the long term, and it means that we have to use all the information we have until now and learn from it.
“That’s how life works, collecting experience, learning from it and being ready for the next challenge.
“My year is what, October 8, yes? We will not celebrate, I can tell you that! Hopefully nobody brings me a cake!”
Klopp, who signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool in July, continued: “We have to create hope, dreams, whatever. The only problem is that we cannot hope and we cannot dream!
“Everyone else is allowed [to dream]. So far this season it’s a very positive thing to talk about but we have to go out and do it.
“I liked the club before I was here, but when you are in it, it is so different.
“This club has a lot of work to do, it’s not about enjoying the history, it’s about being part of it. And being a part of it is nice.”
http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/238100-Jürgen-klopp-there-s-no-time-for-reflection-so-i-don-t-want-a-cake
Klopp: Reds must be prepared for Swansea battle every weekJürgen Klopp believes Liverpool's first-half performance during their 2-1 victory over Swansea City on Saturday provides the perfect example of why his players cannot afford to get carried away when the going is good.The Reds had claimed four straight wins in all competitions prior to their trip to the Liberty Stadium, where they were set to face an opponent with just four Premier League points to their name after six fixtures.
But the opening 45 minutes made a mockery of both teams' respective positions, as the Swans came flying out of the traps to claim an eighth-minute lead, which they were perhaps unfortunate not to extend before the break.
The visitors were facing an uphill task as they headed back out for the second half, but put on a massively improved performance that was rewarded as three points were secured through Roberto Firmino's header and a James Milner penalty.
And, while Klopp was understandably delighted to have seen his team turn things around against the odds in south Wales, he cited the first half as evidence that the Reds need to be at their best in every game.
"It was such a positive week: Interview here, interview there, ‘the manager is brilliant’, ‘everyone is enjoying themselves’," he said.
"And then at the end of the week, Swansea is waiting with the knife between the teeth, and you have to go and perform again!
"That’s what I mean. We have to get used to it. To be a successful team you need to be a challenger in each game, challenging for three points in every game.
"I’m happy with the performance from the [fans], it was great! We didn’t make it too easy for them, but you saw that they took each good moment from us to help us back in the game. That was nice."
Klopp went on to reveal that he had seen no signs in training that Liverpool would make a lacklustre start against Francesco Guidolin's men.
But he also vowed to ensure his team are ready to show their best at exactly the right moment in future.
"In situations like this, you see one or two sessions in the week and you think ‘Oh my God, it was so good!’ And it’s really difficult to keep that level up," he added.
"We had one session this week where everybody was ‘wow’! We had 22 players on the pitch and every single one was angry, greedy, clear, hot, however you want to say it. And you think ‘Oh my God, what was that?!’
"The problem is, there is one time in the week where you really need all this stuff. And that’s in the game. Of course you prepare in training, so you can rely on it in the game. That’s what I say.
"We will learn to push the button in the right moment, to train all during the week to prepare for this game.
http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/238094-klopp-reds-must-be-prepared-for-swansea-battle-every-week