When Luton Town manager Rob Edwards takes on Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp this afternoon, he considers it a ‘privilege’ to be up against one of the game’s top managers.
To date, the 56-year-old German has had an enormously successful career, winning promotion with Mainz 05 in 2003, then leading Borussia Dortmund to two Bundesliga titles, two DFL Supercups, one DFP Pokal Cup, and finishing as runners-up in the Champions League.
After arriving at Anfield in 2015, Klopp took a few years to add to the Reds’ already stacked trophy cabinet, but he has since won the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, and Community Shield, as well as the Champions League, Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.
Despite being an exchange student in Luton as a teenager, Klopp will be visiting Kenilworth Road for the first time today, and when asked if he is looking forward to pitting his wits against him, Edwards replied, “We’ll see if I enjoy it!”
“He’s fantastic; he’s one of the best in the world.”
“I have a lot of respect for him and what he’s done and is doing.
“It’s a real privilege to be out there stood opposite him, it will be an incredible moment.”
After a disappointing fifth-place finish last season that saw Liverpool miss out on Champions League football, Klopp has rebuilt over the summer, spending around £150 million to bring in a slew of new players such as Dominik Szoboszlai, Alex Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, and Wataru Endo.
Despite interest from Saudi Arabia, he has kept hold of talismanic forward Mo Salah, with the Egyptian international responding with a haul of 10 goals from 14 appearances in all competitions.
“They’ve got threats all over the pitch in terms of personnel, but their model is winning the ball back as soon as possible, which they’ve done since Jurgen Klopp has been at the football club,” Edwards continued.
“They’re excellent at that, so when we win the ball back, we have to make sure we’re very, very good and try not to get caught in that initial press that will inevitably come.”
“They solve problems, they’re very good at finding spaces and solving problems.”
The game will receive even more attention this afternoon, as it will be broadcast live on Sky Sports at 4.30pm as part of the station’s Super Sunday event.
“I think there’s been a focus to every game and the build up to this one is exciting,” Edwards said of whether it will lead to any more anticipation from Luton’s players ahead of the game.
“There’s a little bit more around it on Sunday on TV, but we’ll treat it the same way we’ve treated every other game so far, put in the same amount of work and try not to overdo it as well.”
“We can’t lose sight of what it is: a football game.”
“A big, big club, there will be a lot of interest in it, but we have to focus on ourselves.”
“We know it will be difficult for us again, but we’ll have a good plan and will do our best.”
“I don’t think many people expect us to get much from Villa, Liverpool, or Manchester United away, but we’ll try.”
“We believe that we can do something, but if we do we’ve got to be almost perfect.”
