Advisor Klopp: "I will not replace a coach of an RB club"

Permission to launch: Klopp speaks in Salzburg

With his trademark broad smile, Jürgen Klopp stepped into Hangar-7 on the eastern side of Salzburg Airport to discuss his new role. The press conference was held in English—a breeze for Klopp after nine years at Liverpool.

"This is pretty much what I wanted to do," said Klopp, whose curiosity drew him to the role. "I wanted a fresh start and a different position. This is the opportunity for that."

RB CEO Oliver Mintzlaff, also present, noted that convincing Klopp to take the role was "the easy part," calling it "probably the best job in the world of football." Mintzlaff revealed that plans with Klopp had been in the works for some time.

What does Klopp’s job involve?

Defining his responsibilities precisely wasn’t straightforward for Klopp. "We’ll see," said the Stuttgart native, explaining that the tasks are multifaceted. Each RB club operates with its own structure, and the dynamic nature of the sport doesn’t allow for a one-size-fits-all approach.

Beyond football, Klopp wants to explore synergies between sports within the Red Bull universe. He mentioned Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen from Red Bull Racing as an example. The energy drink giant is active in various sports, including hockey with EHC Red Bull München, cycling, and extreme sports events.

"I can’t change the world"

Managing expectations, Klopp made it clear to the audience—over a dozen cameras and about 150 journalists from around the globe—that he wasn’t promising miracles. "I can’t change the world," said the 57-year-old. However, he emphasized his desire to bring in his experience: "I want to give wings," he joked, referencing Red Bull’s slogan. "I don’t want to be a passenger or just a celebrity in the room." Klopp described himself as an "advisor" aiming to provide real value.

Mintzlaff reiterated on Tuesday that Klopp’s focus is not on day-to-day operations but on long-term development. Klopp was spotted in the stands during RB Leipzig’s 4-2 victory over Werder Bremen on Sunday.

Klopp won’t coach RB clubs

Klopp’s involvement with Red Bull has drawn criticism from fans, even in his former strongholds of Mainz and Dortmund. Addressing the backlash, Klopp said, "Those who want to understand will understand. Those who don’t, won’t." He added, "Don’t the people in Leipzig and the region deserve good football?" Answering his own question, he said, "They do. Not just there—also in Salzburg, New York, and beyond."

Red Bull’s football network includes Leipzig and Salzburg, the New York Red Bulls in MLS, Red Bull Bragantino in Brazil, and Omiya Ardija in Japan. The company also owns shares in English club Leeds United and is involved with Torino and Atletico Madrid as a sponsor and with Paris FC as a minority stakeholder.

Klopp categorically ruled out working as a coach for any of these clubs. "I will not replace a coach of an RB club," he assured.

No to the Germany job

He also dismissed the idea of becoming the German national team coach, saying there’s no exit clause or verbal agreement to allow it. "We have the best national coach Germany could have," Klopp said of Julian Nagelsmann. "I think he’s fantastic, and I hope he stays for a long time and is successful. Even if he does it for ten years, he’ll still have 20 years left in the job."