Former manager Jurgen Klopp's choice of new job appears to have been met with disapproval from fans of his previous clubs. The Liverpool legend has agreed to join Red Bull as its head of global football.
The former Liverpool manager has been on sabbatical since leaving the Reds at the end of last season. He will continue his sabbatical until the end of the year and will resume his football career in January next year.
Red Bull currently owns 5 football teams, with 3 famous teams being RB Leipzig, New York Red Bulls and Red Bull Salzburg.
Outlining Klopp's responsibilities in the role, Red Bull said: "Klopp will not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the clubs but will focus on supporting the Sporting Directors in promoting the Red Bull philosophy.
He will also leverage his extensive network to assist in the search for top talent and contribute to the training and development of coaches."
RB Leipzig are unpopular with fans of their German rivals due to their ownership structure. The move for Klopp is particularly unpopular with Mainz and Borussia Dortmund fans, who spent seven years at each club.
RB Leipzig didn't exist as a club until 2009, when Red Bull took control of fifth-tier SSV Markranstadt. They then changed the team's name and colours. With the help of a large investment, RB Leipzig rose through the divisions and qualified for the Champions League within 10 years.
In German football, the importance of the bond between a club and its fans is paramount and Leipzig are seen as a club that does not adhere to these principles.
While RB Leipzig technically complies with the Bundesliga's 50+1 rule, which requires the club's fans to own at least 51% of the voting shares, Leipzig got around this by issuing only a small number of shares, buying 49% of them and, as ESPN reported, valuing the remaining shares at a high price and choosing who could invest.
Bundesliga freelance reporter Archie Rhind-Tutt reveals some of the messages he received from Dortmund fans following the news.
Posting on X, Archie wrote: "If you want to know how things are going in Dortmund… a little about the comments BVB fans sent me this morning: Football is dead; He doesn't exist for me anymore; It makes me sick."
A German podcast host wrote: "I have one positive thing from Klopp's message for you: In Dortmund, the Jurgen Klopp era can finally come to an emotional close. No more nostalgic whining that hinders the current sporting progress."
Meanwhile, one Dortmund fan wrote: "Klopp has always considered himself a traditionalist and a man with certain values and morals, and in this context, signing for RB after Dortmund and Liverpool says it all."
