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| Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has already lost several key players to injury ahead of Tottenham clash |
AFTER four months of relaxation, it took just four days for Jurgen Klopp to be reacquainted with the harsh realities of management.
From the joy of being back on the training pitch, and the wide-eyed excitement of tomorrow's return to the dug-out, came a rude awakening provoked by the clicks of two cruciate ligaments.
The season is effectively over for Danny Ings and Joe Gomez and yet for Liverpool's new manager, a brave face replacing the beaming smile he wore at last week's unveiling, the show goes on.
Klopp's sadness at losing two players inside 24 traumatic hours who would have been of particular interest to him cast a cloud over the build-up to the trip to Tottenham, but will not deflect his focus from trying to begin his much-anticipated tenure with a win.
It is one of the unenviable tasks of management to immediately look beyond those left injured and the reason why a nightmarish day moved on to a rallying call as Liverpool's players were challenged to live out their football dreams.
"I know how I want to play," said Klopp. "It's only football and all these guys are able to play really good football. That is what they did in their past, that's why they are here.
"We have to open our chests. Let's run and fight and shoot, defend together and attack together like in your best dream of what football looks like.
"I want to see more braveness. I want to see more fun in their eyes. I want to see that they like what they do.
"I saw it in the week. They're really good boys. Up to now we don't have enough goals, but you have to feel stability first. Then you are free offensively and creativity."
The hype and hysteria swirling around the former Borussia Dortmund coach since he ended a sabbatical and was unveiled as Brendan Rodgers' successor last Friday has quickly become tiresome for Klopp.
Those supporters he has bumped into on the streets of Liverpool have told him "we win the league, we win the league, we win the league," while others have questioned why he has come to a club that has lost its way.
It has been all consuming. The training pitches at Melwood have provided him with an escape and where the intensity of the early sessions this week has taken his squad by surprise.
For Klopp, however, the main issue has been to rein himself in. "It's perfect," he said. "I've had a really good time in these four months. The holidays were the best of my life because they were the longest of my life.
"The best moment in this week until now was the first moment when I was back on the pitch. I have to cool down myself a little bit by not giving them too much information because they had no holidays.
"To bring them together is one of the challenges I have for this moment but I feel good. OK, the injuries are not good but we cannot change that. The rest is good. It feels good to work here."
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| Liverpool striker Danny Ings is the latest injury blow for Klopp |
It should serve as a sliver of consolation to Ings that his absence feels such a blow given his mentality and qualities appeared so attuned to Klopp's way of working.
Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino are still injured, but when it was put to Klopp that the burden will fall on Daniel Sturridge his answer was intriguing. "We have [Divock] Origi - do you know him?" he said smiling.
"I learnt that you do not think about the players who are not available at this moment because there is no chance to get lucky if you do this all of the time.
"We have Daniel for the position and we have Origi. Two strikers: I don't need more. When you start if you have more, it's perfect."
It is hardly that, but after a week of highs and lows it seemed understandable that Klopp was eager to press ahead and make light of the difficulties with which he finds himself confronted.
"Everyone says it [the scrutiny] will cool down, but I hope it's not because of results," he said. "The most important thing we have to do is train as often and as long as is possible and not think about expectations from outside.
"The pressure I put on myself is big enough, so don't need anyone to tell me how I need to be successful."
Klopp also referred to the large number of restaurant selfies that have appeared since his arrival in Liverpool.
“I don’t like being photographed all the time, who does?
“It’s a funny thing to do, to wait three hours for me to come out, take one photo and go home. But it’s the situation.
“I’m interested in what we can do behind this door, not outside,” he politely reminded both supporters and the press.
“I am told it will cool down soon, but hopefully not because of results!
“[In this country] Twitter is more than in Germany. It looks like I’m always in restaurants and bars!”, he joked.
“It’s a little bit strange because we haven’t played. Let’s start playing football and then we’ll see how the relationship develops.”
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