Schmadtke Explains How He’ll Work with Klopp

Following his official appointment as Liverpool FC’s new sporting director, Jörg Schmadtke has spoken a bit more about his role, and how he’ll be working together with Jürgen Klopp.

Hat tip to Bundesliga journalist Chris Williams, who translated Jörg’s interview to German outlet SPORT1 on his Twitter account:

The input of the coach in transfers is greater in England than in Germany, where a sports board or a sports director holds everything in one hand. Klopp sets the priorities.

We then work with data analysts and scouts, he will then choose from a list of players who he’d like to work with. After that, I will approach the targets and clubs. And in the end, the owners must also be satisfied with the investments.

I’ll start on 1 June. If we like each other, the cooperation can go beyond the transfer window. Let’s see. Then we will continue this or not…

That doesn’t seem that different from what we’ve heard before about Liverpool’s recruitment process. Presumably, Klopp says he needs a player at a certain position, the team identifies a number of players who would fit the team, Klopp chooses one and they go out and see if it can be done. It certainly puts the fearmonger-ish rumours of Klopp and Lijnders having total say over transfer matters with no pushback to bed.