Jurgen Klopp says he is not afraid of the axe after a spate of Premier League casualties but admits struggling Liverpool must deliver as he prepares his team to face managerless Chelsea.
Liverpool, who fell agonisingly short of winning an unprecedented quadruple last season, are eight points off the top four after Saturday’s painful 4-1 loss at defending champions Manchester City.
Klopp takes his team to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday after the weekend sacking of Graham Potter, hours after Leicester parted ways with Brendan Rodgers.
Antonio Conte left Tottenham “by mutual agreement” last week.
There have now been 13 managerial departures in the English top flight this season, a new record.
“I think the elephant in the room is probably why I am still sitting here in this crazy world,” Klopp said at his pre-match press conference on Monday. “Last man standing.”
The German admitted the current season had been a disappointment for the club, who are used to winning silverware.
“I’m aware of the fact that I’m sitting here because of the past and not because of what we did this season,”
“If this was my first season it would be slightly different,” said Klopp.
But he said he was not fearful over the future, even though his team, eighth in the table, face an uphill task to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
He said,
“I don’t think that Graham was afraid but there’s no need to be afraid,” he said. “I’m here to deliver. I’m not here as a talisman or for murals on a house wall.
“I’m here to deliver. I know that 100 per cent. There’s nothing else in my mind.”
Klopp, 55, who has been Liverpool manager since 2015, reiterated his commitment to the club.
He added,
“I’m fully in.
“There’s no doubt about that. We have to sort it. We cannot just continue playing like we do from time to time, not always, thank God, but from time to time and that’s not allowed really.
“I’m really disappointed about us that we do these kinds of things but it has happened so now we have to find a way out and that’s what we are constantly working on.”
AFP