Virgil van Dijk has discussed how Jurgen Klopp, the manager of Liverpool, “activated” him prior to joining the team.
Virgil van Dijk, a defender for Liverpool, has spoken out against Jurgen Klopp’s suggestive pre-game antics and said they ‘triggered’ him while he was a player for Southampton. In warm-ups before Liverpool games, Klopp is infamous for standing on the field and is frequently photographed glancing at the opponents’ players as they are ready to take off.
The 55-year-old, who has a towering build, is rumored to finish the pre-game routine to the last minute to terrify the opposition’s players. That appears to be the case, for both opponents and his own players, even those as cool-headed as Van Dijk.
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The Reds defender claimed to Gary Neville on The Overlap, produced in association with Sky Bet, that witnessing Klopp observe him warm up as a rival player ‘triggered’ him. And he asserted that the German coach’s frightening actions are a covert means of raising the bar for his team prior to the game.
Listen, I know for sure you’re going to have a good warm-up [as he watches], he remarked. Every pass you make, you’re going to attempt to avoid giving the impression that he’s going to enter and say something along the lines of, “Listen, he had a poor warm-up, you have to get on him.”
“But I recall that my final game for Southampton was a 3-0 loss at Anfield. He was also looking, and that obviously gave me a little anxiety. Yes, that is what I noticed. I believe it is noticed by everyone.”
During his time at Liverpool, Klopp’s imposing demeanor helped him become one of the top managers in Europe and win every trophy imaginable. Van Dijk has praised him as a person and coach, but his attitude and man management will also play a significant role.
“He is, however, a very friendly person. quite fervent. I mean, I just have good things to say about him. I don’t like working with him just because he’s the boss; it’s not only that. And I’ve been extremely, extraordinarily fortunate to have had several excellent bosses over my career. He is absolutely one of the managers from whom I have learned a lot “Van Dijk continued.
Klopp signed a contract with Liverpool that will keep him there until the 2026 season before the start of the campaign. Van Dijk will be sure of sharing even more success in the future, even though the Reds’ sluggish start to the current season suggests they may not add to their collection of trophies together inside the coming season.