Jurgen Klopp has made his first sacking at Red Bull – despite backing the man he let go until his final day.
The former Liverpool boss is back in football after taking on the role of Global Head of Soccer at the company, a role he started in January after agreeing to take the opportunity in October.
He had quit his role in charge of Liverpool at the end of the last season – despite his contract running until 2026 – and received a £9.4million pay-off as he stepped down after nearly nine years, making way for Arne Slot.
And the Reds seem set for success in their first year without the German, as Slot looks to guide the club to only their second Premier League title in his first attempt.
Klopp has, though, been busy in his new role, which has seen him focus on the strategic visions of clubs under the Red Bull ownership and work with directors to make footballing decisions.
His first major one has now come, with Leipzig of the Bundesliga sacking head coach Marco Rose with the club sixth in the league table.
Jurgen Klopp (pictured) has made his first sacking as Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull
Now-former RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose (pictured) has been relieved of his duties at the club
Leipzig are sixth in the Bundesliga table and lost 1-0 against Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday afternoon
According to German publication Bild, Klopp had been the one calling for the club to give Rose more time in charge, instead of bringing his two-and-a-half-year reign to an end earlier.
But the powers that be – including Klopp – seemingly lost patience with the German after his side lost 1-0 to Borussia Monchengladbach in their first game after the international break.
R0se’s assistants Alexander Zickler, Frank Geideck, and Marco Kurth have left with him, as well as fellow staff member Frank Aehlig.
It is believed that Klopp and the club are looking for an interim replacement to take the club through to the end of the season, with an announcement expected imminently.
Leipzig have been in poor form of late, with their chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League – generally the minimum requirement for the club – up in the air.
They could drop to as low as seventh on Sunday, and they are ninth in the form table for the second half of the season.
Klopp will therefore have his work cut out in terms of trying to find a replacement – and he recently revealed his plans to return to Liverpool this season, but admitted he fears being a ‘jinx’ as the Reds close on the Premier League title.
The 57-year-old has not been back to Merseyside since quitting the club at the end of last season. He is now looking at returning – but not until the end of the current campaign.
Klopp officially began his role in January – just a few months after leaving Liverpool
The German has revealed his desire to return to the Merseyside club, where he spent nearly nine years as boss
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‘Yes, the plan is [to be in Liverpool] but not on the bus,’ Klopp confirmed. ‘I will be there with the people, the people I saw when we were on the bus.
‘That’s the idea to be honest, but we will see. I think I will be there for the last game… I didn’t want to go earlier to be honest because I didn’t want to jinx it all the time.
‘If I’m in the stadium for the first time and they lose, “oh f*** sake”. So I go there when it’s decided.’
Speaking last month, Slot revealed he had twice invited Klopp back to the club and stated the former Liverpool boss could come at any time he chooses.