Iconic Klopp favourite blasts Red Bull move: 'I think it's s**t'

Tom Weber

Updated: 12 Oct 2024 18:37 BST
4 min read

Borussia Dortmund cult hero Kevin Großkreutz has slammed Jurgen Klopp's decision to join Red Bull.

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Earlier this week, it was announced that the Austrian energy drinks behemoth had managed to pull off the spectacular coup of landing Klopp as their Global Head of Soccer starting from January 1, 2025.

The legendary German coach has decided to cut his post-Liverpool sabbatical short to take up a role he has reportedly been eyeing up for some time. Klopp is said to have always had a keen interest in management beyond just standing on the touchline and he also previously expressed his admiration for the Red Bull model.

However, given the exceedingly negative perception of Red Bull and RB Leipzig in Germany, Klopp has come under heavy fire for his move, with many fans shocked that one of the most popular figures in the country will soon be working for its most unpopular club.

Großkreutz hits out

Klopp's decision has not only surprised and disappointed supporters but also some of his former players. One of them, Kevin Großkreutz, has now vented his frustration on his podcast Viertelstunde Fussball.

Großkreutz is one of the Bundesliga's biggest cult heroes. A versatile full-back who wore his heart on his sleeve, the boyhood Borussia Dortmund fan won two league titles under Klopp and was even part of Germany's World Cup-winning 2014 squad before enduring a fairly hard fall from grace.

“I woke up, I had 30 messages on my phone and I thought: ‘What happened?’ I thought I was dreaming, then I hoped it was fake news,” the 36-year-old, who is playing in the sixth tier of German football now, said.

“Two hours later it was official. It was pretty shocking and sad. Somehow it hasn’t really sunk in yet. I don’t think anyone was expecting it. It’s very, very strange and I can’t really comprehend it yet. It’s like a shock! Nevertheless, he’s a friend of mine and I owe him a lot. And I will always be grateful to him.

As a football fan, I think it sucks, to put it bluntly! But as a friend, you have to accept the decisions being made. When we meet, I’ll still tell him personally that I think it’s s**t that he would do something like that!”