This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
The next weeks are going to be difficult ones for Jurgen Klopp to negotiate.
Before the end of the calendar year, Liverpool will play at least nine matches in all competitions, and that could rise to 10 if they win their Club World Cup semi-final on December 18. With clashes in four competitions, it is likely to have a big impact on their season.
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The Reds will even have to play two games in the space of 24 hours. The day before that international semi-final in Qatar, the Anfield outfit will face Aston Villa in the League Cup. Of course, Klopp and his players will not be able to line-up in both fixtures, so the former Liverpool boss has had to decide which one is more important.
By asking Neil Critchley, the club’s U23 manager, to take charge of the clash against the Villans, the 52-year-old has shown the world exactly where his priorities lie. He will therefore manage the team in the Middle East, whilst the club’s younger players will be tasked with putting up a good fight against Dean Smith’s men.
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No doubt it is a situation that Klopp would have rather avoided, but his team’s success over the past 12 months has led to it occurring, and he is absolutely right to give the Club World Cup precedence. Firstly, it is a competition the Merseyside club have never won. Whilst it may not be as important to European clubs as it is to those from South America, for example, victory would still allow the Champions League holders to say they are the world champions. That must not be taken for granted.
Also, the League Cup tie against Villa is at least over two legs. As long as the youngsters keep the score respectable at Villa Park, the senior players will have the chance to turn it around in front of their own fans in January. Given the way they have performed so far this season as they sit top of the Premier League table, there is no reason why they wouldn’t be able to turn around a two or three-goal deficit should the worse occur.
No matter the competition, success and trophies must come first. And in recent years, the lack of silverware at Liverpool – they have won just three competitions since 2006 – means that they should be hungry to grab every cup they can. Klopp, therefore, has his priorities absolutely spot on.
Meanwhile, Liverpool should take these words of warning from 65-year-old seriously.
