TalkSPORT pundit Adrian Durham has defended Jurgen Klopp’s plans to relieve himself of his managerial duties for Liverpool’s upcoming FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury Town on the basis that it has precedent on Merseyside.
Explaining why he has not joined other pundits such as Danny Murphy and Harry Redknapp who feel Klopp should be present when the Reds take on the League One side at Anfield, Durham insisted on his TalkSPORT show that the fact Bill Shankly once missed an FA Cup tie to watch a match abroad means that no-one should take issue with the manager’s plans.
Durham said: “I haven’t criticised Jurgen Klopp, and there’s a very good reason why. In the 1964/65 season, Liverpool were drawn at home to bottom of the Football League, 92nd-placed Stockport County. The manager missed the tie to go and watch a game in Germany. That manager was Bill Shankly. So in missing an FA Cup tie, Jurgen Klopp is doing what Bill Shankly did all those years ago, so how can anybody have a problem?”
Though Durham went to the lengths to recall the one time Shankly missed a Liverpool first-team match (as per John Keith, p.52), he perhaps should have noted that Liverpool went on to draw the game, which may not bode well given the implication that Klopp will field a second-string side with Neil Critchley set to take charge next week.
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It seems bizarre that Durham deems Klopp free of criticism purely because it has happened before, not only because that excuse hardly stands up – just because it happened once 55 years ago doesn’t automatically make it acceptable – but the circumstances are hardly the same.
While it is not as if it is beyond Klopp’s capabilities to take control of the team or even merely attend the match in the first place, the principle of giving respect to their opponents (which Shankly passed up on) would surely still apply today – even if the legendary boss felt a scouting mission ahead of a European tie took priority. Even still, it makes Klopp’s excuse of joining his players on a break look rather pathetic.
The fact Durham appears to look down on anyone taking issue with Klopp’s stance shows his narrow-mindedness on the matter and while he is entitled to his own opinion, to totally dismiss the other side of the coin regarding this situation seems nonsensical on the basis that such an approach has been essentially unheard of for decades.
Liverpool fans, does this revelation change your opinion on Klopp’s plans to miss the game? Share your thoughts below!
