Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Klopp: Liverpool will use All Blacks as inspiration

Written by 
Published in Soccer
Thursday, 02 July 2020 03:43

Jurgen Klopp wants to use the All Blacks to inspire Liverpool to a sustained period of success.

The All Blacks are rugby union's most dominant team. With an unrivalled win record, New Zealand became the first team to win the Rugby World Cup back-to-back and have been used as the benchmark for sustainable success in pro sport

Klopp watched a documentary about them early in his managerial career and, after leading Liverpool to the Champions League and Premier League title in successive seasons, he said there is more to come.

Ogden: The story of Liverpool's title win
What did you miss? The latest from Europe's top leagues

"We feel in the middle of something, not the end of something," Klopp said ahead of the Premier League clash with deposed champions Manchester City in which Liverpool will be given a guard of honour. "We have to give everything until we finish our careers. As long as you wear this shirt, less than 100% is not allowed.

"That is not my phrase, it came from the All Blacks. I saw that in a nice documentary about the All Blacks and I kept that always for myself. That is for each LFC player the same and for me the same.

"We prepare for Man City with full focus. We will be prepared for the next season as well. I don't know another way. I've learned when you think you've reached the pinnacle you are already on the way down and we don't feel that. I don't feel finally satisfied.

"It's a big step but not the only thing I want to talk about with the boys in 20 years."

Elaborating on watching the documentary, Klopp added: "It was in 2001. It was my first preseason at Mainz and I saw this documentary in the summer break.

"I was completely impressed by these big fellas and how they spoke about each other. At that time, the All Blacks were by far the best in the world. I think they had a winning percentage of something over 70% and it was really impressive.

"They were all amateurs, maybe they got a little bit of money, I don't know. They worked as butchers, builders, all that stuff. These pretty impressive guys spoke about their past and what it meant to them to play for this team.

"At Mainz, the last two minutes before the team bus arrived at the stadium we always listened to the haka. When the door opened I don't know if people thought a bunch of boys would come out of the bus because it was pretty loud and impressive and it gave us a little kick. They were the All Blacks, Mainz's main colour is red so we made ourselves the All Reds.

"Nobody noticed that because we were a small team but, for us, it was big. That is how it started for that team. The players really liked it. It gave us the chance from a team nobody is interested in to become a team at least we are really interested in. That helped us."

Liverpool, who won the title with a record seven games to spare, can still beat the record Premier League points tally of 100, held by City, by seven points.

Read 1061 times

Soccer

Dest honored, Tillman scores 2 in PSV 8-0 win

Dest honored, Tillman scores 2 in PSV 8-0 win

PSV Eindhoven paid tribute to injured defender Sergiño Dest before putting on a show in a 8-0 thrash...

Man City thrash Brighton to close gap on Arsenal

Man City thrash Brighton to close gap on Arsenal

Manchester City chalked up another big win in their hunt for an unprecedented fourth straight Premie...

Why Xavi decided to reverse course and stay at Barcelona

Why Xavi decided to reverse course and stay at Barcelona

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWhat started with a 5-3 defeat at home to Villarreal in January end...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Bucks' Middleton (ankle) questionable for Game 3

Bucks' Middleton (ankle) questionable for Game 3

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton's is questiona...

Why the Cavaliers are dominating this throwback series against the Magic

Why the Cavaliers are dominating this throwback series against the Magic

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsJUST 90 SECONDS into Monday's Game 2 of their first-round series, t...

Baseball

M's Crawford to IL after tweaking oblique in BP

M's Crawford to IL after tweaking oblique in BP

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsARLINGTON, Texas -- Leadoff-hitting shortstop J.P. Crawford was pla...

Dusty Baker wins Baseball Digest lifetime award

Dusty Baker wins Baseball Digest lifetime award

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Dusty Baker has won the fourth Lifetime Achievement Awa...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated