Jörg Schmadtke becomes sports director at Liverpool FC and resigns from the end of his career for the task. Jürgen Klopp had always wanted to work together. A portrait.
A dream has come true for Jürgen Klopp. When Jörg Schmadtke ended his managerial career in January of this year, the Liverpool FC coach told an old anecdote in the “Wolfsburger Allgemeine Zeitung”. As a teenager, Klopp was at a trial with Fortuna Düsseldorf, where Schmadtke was a successful goalkeeper, “failed with drums and trumpets“. Schmadtke got the “probably noticed to this day“, him “never made an offer to become a coach“Klopp joked and then got serious:”I would have liked to have worked with him sometime.“
The 55-year-old describes Schmadtke as “great personality“. “I’m sure it would have been very good“Said Klopp. And now the two still get the opportunity to prove it. Schmadtke will become sporting director in Liverpool if Klopp is to bring the players to the “Reds”, which he is responsible for the upheaval and turnaround after a disappointing season in of the Premier League wishes.
Disbelief leads to the end of early retirement
“I thought someone was going to have fun with me“was Schmadtke’s first reaction, he told the “WAZ” when he received the request a few weeks ago. “But then I quickly understood that it was reality.“The fact is that Schmadtke will initially be employed by one of the largest football clubs in the world from the beginning of June to the end of August.”After three months we review the cooperation. If we like each other, we can work together beyond the transfer window. Let’s see. Then we continue or not“, explained Schmadtke at “Sport1”.
For many, the manager’s comeback comes as a surprise, others did not believe anyway that Schmadtke would deny his future completely outside of football. “He’s taking early retirement. Let’s see if he can stand it“said Niko Kovac, who was coach under Schmadtke at VfL Wolfsburg in January. “But if he gets bored at some point – I’m assuming he will – he’ll definitely look for something new again.“
Success at all stations
Schmadtke didn’t search, he was found. And he owes that not to his relationship with Klopp, but to his agent. “We’re not that close. I know his advisor Marc Kosicke better. He maintains a good exchange with the owners of Liverpool FC“, said Schmadtke.”When the current sporting director announced that he wanted to leave for personal reasons, Marc told them: ‘If you are looking for an older and experienced manager for the transfer period, you might want to look into Jörg Schmadtke from Germany.’“
No sooner said than done – and found suitable. Schmadtke is back on the football stage and for the first time at an absolute top club. In his career he was manager at Alemannia Aachen (2001 to 2008), Hannover 96 (2009 to 2013), 1. FC Köln (2013 to 2017) and Wolfsburg (2018 to 2023), all clubs he led to the European Cup. Now it is for him permanently – at least for three months – on the international stage.
Klopp stays in the limelight, Schmadtke works for him
But unlike his previous positions, Schmadtke will not be the big decision-maker, but Klopp remains the Liverpool maker. “Jürgen Klopp sets the priorities. We set him up with a team of data analysts, scouts and so on, so he can then choose from a list of players who he wants to work with“, said Schmadtke to “Sport1”.
The 59-year-old is likely to act mainly in the background. In the NDR interview about the end of his career, Schmadtke answered the question of what he would not miss: “interviews I will not regret not being in the public eye anymore.“The public would probably be happy if he were to return to the front row. After all, Schmadtke was never comfortable, but always entertaining.
Schmadtke: “I do my thing”
“I know I’m polarizing. My aim has never been to be the friendliest and most popular manager in the league. I always wanted to do the best possible job for my company“, Schmadtke told the “Welt”.It could be counterproductive if they think you’re the nicest guy on the planet – but inept.” But he also emphasizes: “There are even people who see me again and want to have a coffee or a beer with me. I’m not as big a ass as you might think.“
Jörg Schmadtke will be the new sporting director of Liverpool FC from June 1st.
Schmadtke describes himself as “sensitive“. “I am Pisces, so it is inevitable that you will be a little more sensitive. But that doesn’t just have negative sides, it’s also sometimes very positive“, so the new Liverpooler. “I have always tried to do my job as well as possible, but I have always had a basic distance to parts of this business. i do my thing“And he’s doing it in England now.
