Klopp claims he must 'look like an idiot' with touchline antics
Speaking in a new film, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has described himself as looking like "a complete idiot" with his touchline antics.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp acknowledged sometimes he must look like "a complete idiot" with his animated behaviour in the technical area during matches.
The German has become famous for his touchline antics both for the current Premier League champions and at previous clubs Borussia Dortmund and Mainz.
Speaking in a new film, The End of the Storm, which charts Liverpool's bid to end their 30-year wait for the league title, Klopp claimed he finds it hard to contain his passion.
He said: "People see me very animated constantly, grinding my teeth and pointing.
"I cannot look overnight like The Thinker [a bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin], standing out there like this and everybody thinks obviously something must be going on in his mind.
"I still have the most red cards, or certainly the most fines, as a manager in the history of the Bundesliga. [My use of] irony doesn't help. Referees cannot really deal with that.
"At specific moments I still look like a complete idiot on the sidelines, I know that."
Klopp's Liverpool team have become known for their aggressive pressing style on the pitch, with his side's players showing boundless energy.
Although the Reds boss, who also described himself in the film as a "control freak", claimed it had more do with their style of play rather superior fitness levels.
"You don't have to be fitter to play for Liverpool," explained the 53-year-old German.
"You just have to be fit and to fit our plan. Our game is not actually as intense as it looks. We do the things we do to save energy.
"Winning the ball back immediately is a two or three-yard sprint. If you don't win the ball there, 10 players have to run 50 or 60 yards to win the ball, it's much more exhausting.
"You feel free when you have protection"
"Even when we are attacking we need to have players who are ready to defend. Because the only time in life when you can feel free is when you have protection."
Klopp also revealed his pride at the cosmopolitan and diverse makeup of Liverpool's squad, citing the welcoming and flexible environment for Muslim players such as Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in particular.
He added: "I love that we have so such ‘Multi-Culti’. I would say [having] the best ambassadors for being a Muslim in the team is really great.
"Muslims wash their body very often in specific situations. Before warming up, after warming up, it takes time. So, we decided to do things differently.
“We only had an hour when we arrive in the stadium and when we go back in the dressing room after warming up to do these rituals. It costs us exactly two minutes to do these rituals.
"It’s easy to give these two minutes away that they can do in this moment what is to them absolutely important.”