Jurgen Klopp has revealed he left Borussia Dortmund early to help the club land his successor Thomas Tuchel.
The current Liverpool manager gained popularity in Germany for his time with Dortmund, but announced he would be leaving the club at the end of the 2014/15 season, ahead of his departure.
He was then replaced by Tuchel for the following campaign and eventually moved to Merseyside to take the reigns at Anfield in October 2015, where he led the club to the Champions League crown and their first Premier League title. .
Speaking to German outlet WDR, Klopp explained his decision to leave: “I still remember the reason at the time – Thomas Tuchel was going to go to HSV.
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“‘Wait a minute! Tuchel is going to HSV? Then we have to get him out of there now!’ That’s why it was a little earlier than planned at the time.”
The German coach is referring to Hamburg, who were close to appointing Tuchel before Dortmund swooped in and was chosen as Klopp’s successor at the Borussia.
Klopp’s final season at Dortmund was a difficult one, with the club struggling for form in the Bundesliga but eventually managing to finish seventh.
Tuchel took the club to the DFB-Pokal final in his first season at the helm and would win the trophy a year later in a short but sweet stay.