Jurgen Klopp has reiterated his plan to take a sabbatical from the game, following his eventual Liverpool exit.
The former Borussia Dortmund boss has worked wonders on Merseyside since taking charge in October 2015, guiding the club to Champions League glory in 2019, before ending the Reds long wait for a league title with a dominant triumph a year later.
Achieving that success came at the end of a long road for the German and his side, having endured defeats in the League Cup final and Europa League final in 2016, as well as in the Champions League showpiece in 2018.
Despite those early setbacks, Klopp continued to build a side capable of eventually returning to the top of English and European football, with Liverpool once again top-four regulars and consistent title challengers, having endured a difficult spell at the start of the last decade.
As a hugely popular figure at the club, supporters are understandably fearing a potential exit by the 54-year-old in the near future, with his current deal set to expire in 2024.
He had been at the centre of speculation earlier this year regarding a possible departure to replace Joachim Low as German national team boss, yet even after Hansi Flick’s appointment to the role, Klopp continues to have to face questions about taking on the job.
Amid such questioning, he has revealed that he is still looking to take a ‘year off’ when he does eventually depart Anfield.
“It’s nice that I’m asked that again and again,” he told RTL.
“When the contract in Liverpool ends, whatever it will be, I first have to find out what it is like to lead a ‘normal’ life again. A year off. I’ve never had that. But I’m deeply relaxed there.
“When you’re out for a year, it can also be a good thing that maybe no cock crows at me, which is perfectly fine. There are so many good coaches out there.”
The Liverpool boss went on to hint that he may not see himself continuing as a manager into old age, due to the role’s never-ending demands.
“What I do is unbelievable fun; I enjoy it very much,” he said. “The only problem is that in my job you have no end of the day, no chance to switch off. Do I really have to have that into old age? I don’t know.”
