Tribal Football

Red Bull chief admits first Klopp approach made two years ago

Ansser Sadiq
Red Bull chief admits first Klopp approach made two years ago
Red Bull chief admits first Klopp approach made two years agoAction Plus
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was first approached by Red Bull over two years ago.

Klopp is now the global head of soccer for the energy drink franchise’s teams.

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Klopp will oversee teams that include RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, and Red Bull New York.

“Over the last 20 years, I have experienced, helped shape and negotiated many negotiations in football. I have to say that when he got the yes, it was the easiest,” said Red Bull chief Oliver Mintzlaff, as per BILD.

“Not because we offered him an unbelievable financial package, on the contrary. We spoke about the financial side for 20 seconds because he said he was up for the task.”

“I hope he doesn't hear that now, because then he'll think that he and his advisor negotiated poorly,” Mintzlaff joked.

“But no, financially it took 20 seconds. When the yes was there, it was one of the easiest negotiations I've conducted in 20 years.

“It took a long time. It was a very, very long process. The first idea was more than two years ago, when I first spoke to Jurgen about it. He said: 'I think that's great, I think that's impressive'. Not just what's happening in football, but also the sports Red Bull is involved in, how much is being done for young talent. 

“That always interested him and excited him. So we always kept in touch and I didn't let up. 

“But at some point he told me that I was extending my stay in Liverpool and that was of course a disappointment for me because that little door was then closed.

“When he announced his departure, we met at his place in Liverpool a few months later and I started again with my topic and told him a lot of things, where I think we could use him and that it would be an exciting task for him. 

“And then he said: "All right, let's do it." I had to slap myself in the face. Then he agreed and I quickly drew up the contracts.”