Jurgen Klopp has been branded a work-hating “clown” who was “chewing bricks in his teeth” at Liverpool by an actual UEFA official.
Klopp became a Liverpool legend, winning five major trophies in his nine seasons at the club, including the Champions League and Premier League.
He resigned at the end of the 2023/2024 season due to fatigue and is currently the Red Bull Group’s Global Sports Director.
He was targeted on a YouTube podcast called IamSport by former Romania and current UEFA international Florin Purnea, who previously said British women “look like cows”.
This shows exactly the caliber of this man, who is also the former president of FC Dynamo, and how much we should pay attention to his stupid statements.
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This is a highly unusual criticism, in which he criticizes not only Klopp’s personality, but also his appearance, reflecting on his role as UEFA representative, whose job it is to oversee all aspects of the game and act as a liaison with UEFA headquarters to ensure that matches run smoothly.
Pournea mocked Klopp’s teeth, dismissed it as a “circus act” and claimed he took the Red Bull job “just to collect money without working”.
The exchange began after Romania national team coach Mircea Lucescu said Romania’s victory over Austria was “first and foremost his victory.”
Host Kostin Stukan disagreed, quoting Jurgen Klopp’s famous line: “Defeat is mine, victory is yours.”
Full English translation:
Stukan: “Defeat is mine, victory is yours.” In short, that’s what he said.
Purnea: So what do you want to talk about about Jurgen Klopp?
Stukan: Yes, he is the guy who won the Champions League.
Purnea: There is a hierarchy. It must be so.
Stukan: Still, there are differences in approach. It’s the difference in energy.
Purnea: The president (meaning the person who attends to the owner) pays the money in front of the owner, and the coach pays the money in front of the president. Even if you say, “I am the only one who sins,” there is no explanation. Everyone is guilty.
Stukan: No, I didn’t understand anything. That’s the message…that’s why Klopp is Klopp.
Purnea: So is he still coaching? He’s no longer coaching.
Stukan: Well, he’s not coaching now, but he was.
Purnea: Stay with Papagal (note: “Papagal” in Romanian literally means “parrot”, but is used here as an insult meaning “clown/fool”).
Stukan (laughing at the situation): Be careful. Florin Purnea just called Jurgen Klopp Papagal. can’t believe it! How can we say that? That’s not possible. He won the title with Liverpool. It was Liverpool’s first title in 30 years.
Purnea: That circus.
Stukan: The players are obsessed and would die on the pitch for him.
Purnea: Yes, that’s why he left.
Stukan: No, he didn’t quit over that.
Purnea: So why did he leave Liverpool? For how long?
Stukan: Eight years.
Purnea: So why did he leave Liverpool? Why did he leave Liverpool?
Stukan: Because he was obsessed with the intensity of the work. Because he prepared every game as if it were his last. He is different from other managers who only prepared properly for the match against Austria.
Purnea: But why doesn’t he coach anymore? He went to Red Bull. He went to Red Bull Salzburg just to hang out and get free money.
Stukan: He was working. can’t believe it. You are really terrible sometimes. terrible. So football is over. Florin Purnea says Klopp is not a coach.
Purnea: I didn’t like him. All that circus stuff…you could say he was chewing a brick in his teeth.
Stukan: One of the greatest coaches in history.
Purnea: Height. How tall was he? 1.90, 1.50(cm)?
Is there nothing that UEFA won’t tolerate from their representatives? Unbelievable.
