Jürgen Klopp: The closer we stick together, the better the good times will be

The teams meet for the fourth time in the Reds’ last 11 matches for the rearranged Premier League encounter at Anfield.

In January, a 2-2 draw in the Emirates FA Cup third round on Merseyside was followed by a 1-0 win for Klopp’s side in the replay at Molineux.

However, Wolves recorded a 3-0 win over Liverpool in the league in the Midlands on February 4.

Ahead of the latest clash between the clubs, Klopp sat down with Liverpoolfc.com at the AXA Training Centre, during which he outlined what he wants to see from players and fans alike in the coming weeks, starting this evening.

Read on for a transcript of our chat with the boss…

On there still being plenty to play for this season…

Of course. We want to qualify for the Champions League, which is a tough task as well, but it’s always the target and was in all seasons. And that’s, of course, what we’re going for. But the most important thing we’re going for is winning football games, bringing people some enjoyment when they’re coming to Anfield or following us wherever we go. We want them to go there with excitement and go home with something to celebrate and to be happy about. So these are enough reasons to go for pretty much everything.

The part of the season behind us, we cannot change anymore, but it’s a big part of always explaining, ‘Why is that? Why is that and why is that?’ But in football, it’s a good thing that there is always the next game and that’s what I’m looking for and to. Knowing they’re all difficult and, of course – Wolves we played a couple of times now already, so we know it’s difficult, but anyway we want to go for everything. It’s just difficult [that] I have to explain all the time, ‘Why is that? Why is that and why is that?’ I understand it 100 per cent, just my answers cannot differ all the time. It’s quite boring, you think, ‘That’s because of this and that’s because of that’ and you can see it anyway. I have no problem with that. Sometimes you have to take a step back or a step aside and stuff like this to go for a completely new challenge. Each Premier League season is very important; nobody has to worry about it that we write off this season or whatever. Not at all.

On whether he has learned more about his players this season…

No, that would mean that you only know people really when you see them in bad times and I think we are a full package. It’s very important, people forget it completely, but it’s a game – and for a game, what we do, for what we play, for playing a game you need to enjoy what you’re doing. You cannot just let it be work. It is hard work, but it must be a game as well. For that you need to be in a good mood and we always can do that during the week. It’s not that we ignore the fact that we are not flying this season, not at all, but when we go onto the training pitch the boys enjoy what they’re doing, I enjoy what we are doing and that’s completely fine. It’s not that I know now new things about players; I know them, some of them already for a long time, some not that long. It’s about the package of the boys and my job is to make sure they see the positives as well because you all know it for yourselves, if you only get negative feedback how can you be positive? There’s no chance. It’s an interesting, interesting challenge,

On facing Wolves for a fourth time in 11 games and whether they are a different proposition to the first meeting…

It’s just a good team. When we played them and you saw who they could bring on during the game and you think, ‘Oh, OK.’ Diego Costa didn’t start now that much and in our last game came on. They can start with Traore or bring Traore [on], they can start with Hwang or bring Hwang [on]. They have Sarabia, they have Jimenez still. That’s just the offensive part and in midfield Neves, Nunes and whoever will play there. Whichever system they will play, it is a really good side. That’s why it will be tricky. But again, I’m really looking forward to the game.

It’s the next chance for us, it’s the next opportunity for us. I really think our people were absolutely outstanding so far. Of course, it’s a little bit because they enjoyed a lot of what we did in the last few years, but as well because they’re just real Liverpool fans. I have known them now for seven-and-a-half years and it’s not always easy to enjoy, it was not always easy to enjoy, but even then they were really ready for the first little bit of a positive sign when we gave it to them from the pitch and then they were there again. I hope we can give that, I hope we get the feedback and I hope we can create a special atmosphere because that’s needed. Anyway, why should we, just because we cannot win the FA Cup or the Carabao Cup anymore, now think, ‘It’s just football’? I really think we all should make ourselves ready to have a good night together with an intense football game. I would love that.

On how sticking together now will make the good times better…

Absolutely. Look, when you start a season you never know where it will end up. You have big dreams, you have big expectations and stuff like this. [Then] along the road, some things happened – you draw, you lose and sometimes you win. But one thing is really important: we decided all consciously [to be here at] the club. For the people, maybe they could not make a decision because their dad or granddad told them, ‘You have to be a Liverpool supporter’, but it’s so easy to love this club. It’s so easy to be really part of this club and that you want to be around and want to get all the information. Now it’s not the most shiny season so far, but that doesn’t mean we cannot enjoy the moment. And, again, the closer you stick together in a period like that, 100 per cent the better the times will be after that.

I turn 56 this year, so life is so quick, it’s like everything is forgotten in a second and then, ‘Who cares what was yesterday?’ and stuff like this. Why would we forget it? Why would we use it in the wrong way? We had a great time and in 10 years’ time we will look back and all the people who were part of it will say it was outstanding. Why would we not enjoy this moment now? Let’s give ourselves a chance to be ourselves again and again and again. That means the full package: that means Anfield rocking and the team fighting for absolutely everything. That’s what I’m looking for.