Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has sought to further clarify his stance regarding the German national team job ahead of Joachim Löw's departure later this year.
Almost six years after joining the reigning Premier League winners, Klopp declared earlier this month that he "will not be available" as a potential replacement for Low after the World Cup-winning manager announced his decision to step down after the European Championships.
In a lengthy interview conducted with guest editor Lothar Matthäus for SportBild, the Liverpool manager sought to clarify his stance on the matter further.
"I didn’t say that I didn’t WANT to become a national coach, but that I CANNOT," stated Jurgen Klopp. "That’s a huge difference."
Currently enduring a torrid run with Liverpool, last season's Premier League champions are fighting for a place in the league's top four this time out.
Still a force in the Champions League, a competition Klopp won with the club the season before, he expressed his determination to guide Liverpool through this difficult period.
“There is a very clear commitment," he explained. "I have an important role here at Liverpool.
"This is my sixth year at Liverpool, and I’ve built an incredible relationship here with people I work with on a daily basis. We rely on each other.
“Right now, in such a difficult phase, to say from my side: I’ll be gone then? That will not do."
Despite what has been a difficult year both professionally and personally for Jurgen Klopp, he insisted that he is coping just fine and has his mind firmly focused on Liverpool.
“I am full of energy, even when friends text me: ‘Are you okay? You look bad!’," he said. "I’ve just gotten older and haven’t seen the sun for a year, and I don’t sleep much. That’s why I look bad.
"And not because we have six home defeats in a row. I want to sort this out with the boys and girls who work with me.
“And there is no way to say: ‘Oh, national coach, that would be an interesting job.’ That would be a great honour without question, but the timing is not right. I can’t.
"I am very sorry if I’ve let people down with it, but I can’t just step out of my responsibilities.”
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