Why did Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp send a message to Titans head coach Brian Callahan?

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp was involved in a pulsating Premier League draw against bitter rivals Manchester United on Sunday, a result which dents The Reds’ hopes of beating Arsenal and Manchester City to the title. Before the game at Old Trafford, it came to light that the German had sent a message to Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan in a soccer-NFL crossover.

Callahan quotes Klopp at Titans unveiling

The reason for Klopp doing so was as a response to Callahan quoting him when he was hired by the Titans back in January.

“There’s a quote from Jurgen Klopp - I didn’t want to just rip it off and present it as my own. But he said it at one point: “When you agree on a common idea and work towards it together, you can create something very special,” Callahan said at his unveiling.

On the Premier League’s Premier League Mornings Live show, Klopp was shown the clip of the new Titans coach’s original press conference, with Callahan then also invited to watch the Liverpool manager’s reaction.

The former Borussia Dortmund boss, who won the Premier League and the Champions League with Liverpool in 2020, has plenty of advice for his counterpart, who will be taking on his first ever position as a head coach at the age of 39.

What advice did Klopp give Callahan?

“It’s a drain! The next world class coaches in American football or football are already out there. He might be one of them. Why not?

“He seems to be a nice guy, which I think is a really important part of it as well, because you lead a team of people and if they hate you every day, that can work in the short term but it will never work in the long term. Being a good person is quite helpful as well.

“It’s all about results. It’s all immediate results. One year you’re the best manager in the world. Next year, everybody thinks somebody sucked your Football brain off and it’s like: ‘Oh, he’s not that good anymore’... stuff like this.

“The more together you are with the group of players, with the staff and the supporters, the more likely it is you will get through these periods without any scars. Be yourself, work extremely hard, be ready for knocks and don’t lose confidence.

Klopp, who will leave Anfield at the end of the 2023/24 season, also revealed he would use his additional free time to keep up with Callahan’s progress: “Now I will follow his way. Now I will have time in the summer so maybe I will watch American football games as well.

Callahan reacts to Klopp wisdom

A clearly humbled and somewhat emotional Callahan was recorded watching Klopp’s words of wisdom, nodding along in agreement at various stages.

“To have him actually watch something I said is a pretty cool moment for me. I’m not going to lie to you.

“That’s awesome. That’s a really cool thing to hear him kind of echo all the things I took from him, from just reading a book about him, reading some articles and watching some interviews. That’s pretty cool. He’s a legend.”

Previously offensive coordinator for the Cincinatti Bengals, Callahan takes over the Titans after their disappointing 2023-24 NFL season, in which they finished in last place in AFC South with a 6-11 record.