Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said he knew when Jurgen Klopp left for Liverpool they would “never get back such a coach”.
Klopp joined the Reds in October 2015 after seven successful years with the Bundesliga club - a transfer that Watzke said made him cry “real tears”.
“You know it too: it’s better to leave now after seven years,” Jürgen said,” Watzke writes in his new book ‘REAL LOVE. A life with BVB’, serialised by Bild via SportWitness .
“We did not try to change his mind anymore. But that was maybe a mistake. Perhaps it would have been better if we had exchanged the entire team – not the coach.
“Because I knew that, we would never get back such a coach. When I said goodbye, real tears came.
“Such a relationship, as I had with Jürgen over seven years at BVB, that did not exist before. And such a relationship will probably never happen again.
“This is a bit like when the children move out. You also know that it will happen at some point, but you still miss them.”
Klopp has lead Liverpool to incredible success, winning the Champions League and transforming his side into one of the best in world football while also uniting the fans and club at every level.
And Watzke believes the German manager’s ability to be so successful and well-loved is down to the face Klopp is “always honest”.
“The most important thing in our relationship was and is that we can rely on each other blindly,” he added.
“Jürgen never lied to me. He is always honest, even in the job. And I never lied to him.
“Even in the most difficult phase, in the season of separation, when we crashed to the last place sometime shortly before the separation in the Bundesliga, that was the case.
“That sounds so obvious when you say that, but I’ve experienced it in a different way in this business and with other coaches.”
