JURGEN KLOPP still has that manic look in his eyes on the touchlines and can react with pure emotion to the ups and downs of a football match.
But as he prepares his dynamic Liverpool team for the eternal heavyweight showdown against Manchester United tomorrow night he has a surprising revelation to make.
“I’m much calmer than I used to be,” says the German with his trademark smile.
The confession comes as he reflects on another battle of managerial wits against United counterpart Jose Mourinho in a hugely anticipated contest.
This time last year Mourinho, then still manager of Chelsea, was critical of how Klopp constantly berated the fourth official in a match at Stamford Bridge that his Liverpool team won 3-1.
“Really, I don’t recall that,” says Klopp. “We didn’t speak about it then - of course not.
“But I have to accept that for a long time in my life not everybody is 100 per cent happy with my performance on the sidelines.
“I think I’m not as intense as I used to be when I was younger. Sometimes it happens, but actually now at Anfield there is much, much more space for all of us.
“I’m one year older too. That’s what age in a positive way can do. We will see. There were never incidents between Jose and myself, no personal clashes. Everything has been good until now.”
Maybe it’s easier for Klopp to see it this way given his successful record in the past against Mourinho.
There was last season’s victory at Stamford Bridge, and before that a memorable occasion when his Borussia Dortmund side thrashed Real Madrid 4-1 in a thrilling Champions League semi-final that effectively ended Mourinho’s time at the Spanish giants.
Many observers believe such superiority is down to the modern gegenpressing tactics of Klopp, which outsmart the more methodical and cautious approach of Mourinho.
New football against old football, some call it.
Certainly, the statistics are fascinating. Liverpool have run more miles as a team than other in the Premier League this season. Manchester United are close to the bottom of that table.
Klopp, though, remains a strong admirer of Mourinho, and takes nothing for granted.
“He (Mourinho) is a very, very successful and very experienced colleague,” says Klopp. “But the game is not between us. That would make things much easier.
It’s about the players, and there’s not a big difference between the teams. Nobody can be thinking this will be a clear result with the game decided early on.
“It will be close and will be a big fight. We will be ready for this fight and that’s how football at its best should be. I love it.
“We know about United, where they are individually strong, experienced and all that stuff. They are a good side. They have big quality.
“If you have one second where you don’t concentrate, then you lose the game in that second. That’s how it is. But if they are not concentrating for a second, then we can use the situation.”
Klopp adores the passion of this fierce English football rivalry which he equates to Bayern Munich against his old side Dortmund --- but he declines to play mind games over the status of Wayne Rooney, and whether or not it would help Liverpool if the England captain is in United’s team tomorrow.
“I would have preferred that he hadn’t played last season against us when he scored a goal,” says Klopp the diplomat.
“There is nothing else to say from our side about this. I think it’s not my job to speak about how English people handle their skipper.”
There is a measured response as well to a question about what has surprised Klopp after one year working here in the Premier League.
“I have a really long answer for this, but it’s the wrong moment,” he says. “I think about a lot of things, but maybe it’s not my job to speak about it. I am still a guest.
“Most of the things that are sometimes here (in his head) will stay behind the wall.”
The formidable German manager’s mind is clearly bursting with brainwaves and criticism about football in England.
It would be intriguing for him to speak out; instead, just for the moment, there is the new cool, calm and collected Klopp.
“I’m much calmer than I used to be,” says the German with his trademark smile.
The confession comes as he reflects on another battle of managerial wits against United counterpart Jose Mourinho in a hugely anticipated contest.
This time last year Mourinho, then still manager of Chelsea, was critical of how Klopp constantly berated the fourth official in a match at Stamford Bridge that his Liverpool team won 3-1.
“Really, I don’t recall that,” says Klopp. “We didn’t speak about it then - of course not.
“But I have to accept that for a long time in my life not everybody is 100 per cent happy with my performance on the sidelines.
“I think I’m not as intense as I used to be when I was younger. Sometimes it happens, but actually now at Anfield there is much, much more space for all of us.
“I’m one year older too. That’s what age in a positive way can do. We will see. There were never incidents between Jose and myself, no personal clashes. Everything has been good until now.”
Maybe it’s easier for Klopp to see it this way given his successful record in the past against Mourinho.
There was last season’s victory at Stamford Bridge, and before that a memorable occasion when his Borussia Dortmund side thrashed Real Madrid 4-1 in a thrilling Champions League semi-final that effectively ended Mourinho’s time at the Spanish giants.
Many observers believe such superiority is down to the modern gegenpressing tactics of Klopp, which outsmart the more methodical and cautious approach of Mourinho.
New football against old football, some call it.
Certainly, the statistics are fascinating. Liverpool have run more miles as a team than other in the Premier League this season. Manchester United are close to the bottom of that table.
Klopp, though, remains a strong admirer of Mourinho, and takes nothing for granted.
“He (Mourinho) is a very, very successful and very experienced colleague,” says Klopp. “But the game is not between us. That would make things much easier.
It’s about the players, and there’s not a big difference between the teams. Nobody can be thinking this will be a clear result with the game decided early on.
“It will be close and will be a big fight. We will be ready for this fight and that’s how football at its best should be. I love it.
“We know about United, where they are individually strong, experienced and all that stuff. They are a good side. They have big quality.
“If you have one second where you don’t concentrate, then you lose the game in that second. That’s how it is. But if they are not concentrating for a second, then we can use the situation.”
Klopp adores the passion of this fierce English football rivalry which he equates to Bayern Munich against his old side Dortmund --- but he declines to play mind games over the status of Wayne Rooney, and whether or not it would help Liverpool if the England captain is in United’s team tomorrow.
“I would have preferred that he hadn’t played last season against us when he scored a goal,” says Klopp the diplomat.
“There is nothing else to say from our side about this. I think it’s not my job to speak about how English people handle their skipper.”
There is a measured response as well to a question about what has surprised Klopp after one year working here in the Premier League.
“I have a really long answer for this, but it’s the wrong moment,” he says. “I think about a lot of things, but maybe it’s not my job to speak about it. I am still a guest.
“Most of the things that are sometimes here (in his head) will stay behind the wall.”
The formidable German manager’s mind is clearly bursting with brainwaves and criticism about football in England.
It would be intriguing for him to speak out; instead, just for the moment, there is the new cool, calm and collected Klopp.
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