Mario Götze praises Jürgen Klopp's man-management skills
Mario Götze has praised Jürgen Klopp's ability to manage players and expectations as the former Liverpool boss edges closer to a return to management, with talks ongoing over replacing Julian Nagelsmann as Germany head coach.
Few players know Klopp's methods better than Götze, who enjoyed one of the most successful spells of his club career under the German at Dortmund. Together they won back-to-back Bundesliga titles and the DFB Cup before Götze joined Bayern Munich in 2013.
Germany's 2014 World Cup-winning hero said the 59-year-old's success was built as much on his man-management as his tactical acumen.
"What he understands, and what most coaches may not, is how to manage people," the Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder told The Athletic. "Managing players, managing expectations, putting people together as a whole, he understood that in the perfect way. He can be very sharp about what he wants and demands. That's why he was so successful."
Watch: Jürgen Klopp - the Borussia Dortmund years
Götze also revealed he came close to reuniting with Klopp at Liverpool whilst still on the books of Bayern.
"Liverpool was close. Klopp was there. I was in Liverpool visiting him," he recalled. "I really liked the idea of going to him, but the club was in a not-so-good situation. They played in the Europa League and I came from Bayern, winning the World Cup, playing Champions League every time, always getting to the the semi-finals, and that was my expectation."
Instead of moving to Anfield, Götze eventually returned to Dortmund before later joining Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven.
The 34-year-old is now preparing for his fifth season with Frankfurt, while Klopp went on to enjoy a highly successful spell in charge of Liverpool, with the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League and 2019/20 Premier League titles among his nine-season trophy haul.
Klopp recently revealed talks with the German Football Association over succeeding Nagelsmann were "heading in the right direction", as he moves a step closer to a return to coaching after serving as Red Bull's Head of Global Soccer since 1 January 2025.
Nagelsmann resigned as Germany head coach after the country's surprise FIFA World Cup 2026 elimination to Paraguay in the Round of 32.
