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Jurgen Klopp has defended his decision to become head of global soccer at Red Bull and explained it was difficult to take a job where “everyone is happy”.<\/b><\/p>\n
The German, who left Liverpool<\/a> at the end of last season, has received a lot of criticism for joining Red Bull – especially among fans of his former club Borussia Dortmund.<\/p>\n In 2009, Red Bull caused controversy in German football when it took over fifth-division SSV Markranstadt and turned the club into RB Leipzig.<\/p>\n The Austrian company owns Red Bull Salzburg, New York Red Bulls, Brazilian club Red Bull Bragantino and recently acquired a stake in Leeds United. <\/p>\n While not technically owning RB Leipzig, it is also financing the Bundesliga team, who have been branded the “most hated club in Germany” and faced regular protests by opposition fans – ranging from boycotting games to the arrest of 28 Dortmund fans for throwing cans and stones at rival supporters in 2017.<\/p>\n Speaking on the podcast of former Germany, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos, Klopp said: “You cannot make your decision depending on what reactions there will be.<\/p>\n “I did not want to step on anyone’s toes. I love all my former clubs, but I don’t know what I could have done so that everyone is happy.<\/p>\n “I am 57 and can still work a few more years, but I did not see myself on the sidelines for now. It was clear for me that I would do something – so then Red Bull came.”<\/p>\n Klopp added he had never viewed Red Bull’s involvement in football “so critically” and called his new role, which he will begin in January, a “fantastic” opportunity while criticism from German football fans<\/a> was “not hugely relevant to me”.<\/p>\n “I can’t poll the fans and ask them, ‘what should I do?’ If I had gone to Bayern [Munich], there would have been a huge outcry in Dortmund,” he added.<\/p>\n “What should I do? I want to keep working. If you organise your life around trying to please everyone, you’ll find you fail every day.”<\/p>\n Klopp also reiterated he did not see himself making a return to management, even at international level with Germany.<\/p>\n “My only real option would have been to become a coach of a national side, but I don’t want to be a coach any more,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n