‘A crime worthy of investigation by Amnesty international’ – Jurgen Klopp sets off some TNT with his hyperbole

Klopp has been a long-time critic of the 12.30pm kick-off slot on Saturdays, especially for those sides with Uefa commitments and an overload of midweek games.

He has claimed television broadcasters are partially responsible for English clubs’ failure in European competition this season.

The Liverpool manager was evidently biting his tongue in the build-up to the 2-2 draw with West Ham at 12.30pm last weekend, but he let rip in his pre-match briefing yesterday.

“Seeing that Aston Villa lost 4-2 last night, for example, would mean that if they really go out, no English team is in any kind of European final,” said Klopp ahead of tomorrow’s visit of Spurs to Anfield.

“I watch a lot of football all over the world. The Premier League is the best league in the world. So it’s not over-rated. The players are overworked. Easy as that.

Jurgen Klopp attacks state of English football and ‘overworked’ Premier League

“You can talk about that until everybody realises finally, but somebody needs to help the people.

“I’m not sure exactly how many more Champions League games we have, they have next year. Three? Three more Champions League games and you cut off for that, what is it, a League Cup semi-final, the second [leg]. And the discussion you all allow, ‘What is that? They cut off one game?’

“I had a discussion only the other day with colleagues from our favourite TV channel, which I will definitely not watch again, TNT, and said it’s always a conversation they have, saying they pay you, they give money to football.

“It’s not like that. I really don’t see it like that. It’s exactly the other way round. Football pays them. They broadcast it, they deliver, but it’s not that TNT is not doing extremely well, or Sky or whoever is doing extremely well.

“You have to become a part of football again, and not just the squeezer. That’s it, that’s a little advice from an old man on the way out.

“I will watch a lot of football, but not all because people can survive without match days from time to time, definitely.”

Klopp suggested the Premier League title contenders would have progressed in Europe but for their demanding schedule.

“Us, City and Arsenal are out in the quarter-finals. That is just not a reflection of quality. It’s just a reflection if we could not deliver on the day we had to,” said Klopp.

“Yes, other countries have really good teams, no doubt about that, but it’s a sign. Years ago, I think we had four English teams in the quarter-finals.

“You always think when I speak about it, it’s because of our last situation. No, it’s a general problem. Nothing to do with our schedule now. Our schedule is right, it’s good. Can we use that? I don’t know, we will see.

“But that they dare give us Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday 12.30 is a crime.

“I was actually waiting for Amnesty International to go to them.

“Somebody sits there and decides that. I would like to meet them. I would like to once be part of that meeting where somebody says, ‘Liverpool 12.30’, and the whole room is bursting into laughter. ‘Again?!’ I would like to be there.

“This morning, I got sent the stats of the biggest turnaround in the whole world. Liverpool FC, yeah [laughs].

“And we sit there, and I’m the same. I tell you, ‘You have to do more, you have to fight more, and you have to go for it’. In the whole world, we have the quickest turnaround between games. That is absolutely insane. But they are still happy and they like subscribers. You can take me off that list! If you’re looking for a pundit [shaking his head].”

Klopp’s comment could be a complication for TNT if they hope to broadcast his last game as Liverpool manager.

TNT have ‘second pick’ of the final round of games, which could make Klopp’s last stand attractive if the title race and relegation issues are settled and Sky pick the fixture of the champions of Manchester City or Arsenal.

Liverpool v Tottenham, Live, Tomorrow, Sky Sports, 4.30