Spotlight falls on Rodgers but Klopp rules out new job offers
LIVERPOOL manager Brendan Rodgers is expected to meet the club’s hierarchy for make-or-break talks over his future this week.
Rodgers, who endured a turbulent third consecutive barren campaign at Anfield, is poised to undergo an end-of-season review with Reds co-owner Tom Werner tomorrow.
The Northern Irishman is just 12 months into a four-year contract and the club are thought to be leaning towards retaining his services, but Rodgers may be required to explain a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League and a poor end to the season in which they took just eight of a possible 27 points, culminating in a 6-1 drubbing at Stoke.
Rodgers almost delivered Liverpool’s first top-flight title since 1990 last year, only for costly dropped points against Chelsea and Crystal Palace to allow Manchester City to pip them to the crown.
Former Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp has effectively ruled out replacing Rodgers should the Liverpool job arise this summer, confirming yesterday that he intends to take an indefinite break.
Klopp, who led Dortmund to two Bundesliga titles and the Champions League final in a seven-year reign, said: “It makes sense to take time to take stock of the countless memories before me and my fellow coaching team embrace a new challenge, fresh and highly motivated.”
Klopp was linked to Real Madrid, who are poised to hire Napoli’s former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez.