LONDON (UK) – Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp hit back at criticism from former Manchester United captain Gary Neville and defended his club owners as āgreat peopleā on Monday as tempers flared over a breakaway European Super League.
Liverpool, along with their great rivals Manchester United, are among big clubs proposing to form their own elite league ā a move that has triggered widespread condemnation across the sport and society.
Neville, now a pundit for Sky Sports television, had referred to Liverpoolās āYouāll Never Walk Aloneā crowd anthem to highlight the irony of the clubās stance.
He also termed the breakaway āan absolute disgraceā, proposed by owners motivated by greed.
Klopp said Neville should not be allowed to speak of the anthem.
āWe have a lot of right to sing that anthem, itās our anthem, itās not his anthem ā and he doesnāt understand it anyway,ā said the German.
āI donāt talk about other clubsā¦ but I would wish Gary Neville would be in a hot seat somewhere and not everywhere where the most money is. He was at Man United, where the most money is; Sky where the most money is.ā
Neville, listening in the Sky studio, said he had not meant any disrespect.
āYesterday was nothing to do with insulting Liverpool Football Club. I donāt know why Iām living in his head to be honest with you,ā he commented.
āI donāt know what spiked him. Yesterday was an impassioned plea from me about protecting football in this country and my biggest disappointment was with Manchester United and Liverpool.
āI think Iāve equally distributed enough criticism to both clubs in the last 24 hours.ā
Klopp defended the clubās owners, the U.S.-based Fenway Sports Group, after Liverpoolās evening 1-1 Premier League draw at Leeds United.
āOur owners, I work for around six years in this club and they are great people, they are reasonable people, they are serious people,ā said the German, who has been clear in the past that he does not support a Super League.
āThey are really good people and they will try to explain me the decision. Will I understand it, I donāt know.ā
Leeds United players warmed up for the match in shirts bearing the Champions League logo and the words āEarn Itā on the front while fans unfurled protest banners outside Elland Road.
Fans also booed the Liverpool team as they arrived, something Liverpool captain for the night James Milner said was āunjustā. He did, however, speak out against the breakaway.
āYesterday was the first we heard of it. Lots of questions and my personal opinion is I donāt like it and hopefully it doesnāt happen.ā
Leedsā experienced Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa offered his take on the events of the past 24 hours.
āIn all walks of life the powerful look after their own and donāt worry about the rest of us,ā he said.
āIn the search for higher economic earnings they forget about the rest. The powerful are more rich and the weak are poorer. It doesnāt do good to football in general.ā
Leeds striker Patrick Bamford added: āWeāre like fans really; weāre in shock. Without fans, football is nothing, so itās important we stand our ground and show that football is for the fans and try to keep it that way.ā