Jurgen Klopp's three basic instructions for his new Liverpool stars revealed as "run, run and run!"

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will issue his new players with three basic instructions: "Run, run and run!"
That is the message the German gave to his Mainz players back in 2007, Tim Hoogland has revealed after being signed by Klopp that year.
Klopp is expected to push Liverpool's stars to their physical limits as they bid to establish a clear and defined brand of football at Anfield, report the Liverpool Echo.
Former Fulham defender Hoogland revealed in an interview with FourFourTwo magazine that players would be set specific running targets by their manager.
“You have to run. That’s it,” Hoogland said. “I think this is one of the important things you have to know about him. The whole team has to run 120 km (74.5 miles) collectively every game. 120km minimum.”
Patrick Owomoyela, who spent five years under Klopp at Borussia Dortmund, backs up Hoogland’s claims, and says players would be given rewards if they hit their individual targets.
“In his first year he said he wouldn’t guarantee anything apart from that when we reached 120km per game then it would be much harder for us to lose,” he said.
“He actually offered us a day off when we reached that target. He thought that if we reached that then we would win the game. And from then on it became easy because we understood that his plan would work.”
At Liverpool, Klopp will inherit a number of players who are used to hard running. James Milner, the vice captain, was flagged up earlier this season as the player who covers the most ground per game (12.29km) in the Premier League.
Much, of course, will depend on whether Klopp gets the buy-in from his new players. Hoogland spent just one season under him at Mainz before the manager moved on to Dortmund, but is in no doubt that Liverpool have appointed one of the best man-managers around.
He said: “His speeches are really good and they make you want to go out and play. He’s one of the best managers I’ve had for motivation.
“You’ve seen it in the past when he’s standing in the technical area, he can go really crazy. But on the other hand, I think it can give extra motivation. He pushes you to a really, really high level.”
Omomoyela, a former Germany international, concurs.
“He creates pictures in your heads when he talks,” he said. “He will find the right picture to put in your head to make you feel or see what he wants you to understand. Then it’s easy for you to believe, understand, and to do it. That’s something special.
“He brought the winning mentality back to Dortmund. He gave the whole team hope of doing better than the last year, and he just showed us that if we followed and believed in him then there will be success at the end.
“It didn’t take long for him to prove it to us. Even in his first year, the team was doing much better than the year before. From then on it was only forwards. There was progression and it was always in the right direction. We just believed him and followed him.”

Klopps first session with Liverpool squad

The full squad trained together on Wednesday for the first time since the German's appointment and he made what he will demand of them crystal clear

Jurgen Klopp has wasted no time in impressing his methods on his new charges — just three days into his Liverpool reign.
Klopp may have presented a charming public face in his first media event as Reds boss, but behind the training ground gates, a very different message was delivered to the first team squad as they assembled for the first time since the international break.
The German had already phoned those Liverpool stars away on national team duty, but when they returned on Wednesday, it was to a fresh approach that will have a tough new look at its heart.
Boss Klopp has already recognised the team he inherits had a soft centre over the past 12 months, capitulating all too easily, and failing to deliver the pressing game previous boss Brendan Rodgers always claimed to favour.
With the new boss, it is not a preference, it is – in his own words - “the law”. And if anyone was in any doubt about that, then Lucas Leiva explained that the message is brutally clear.
Klopp has made clear his team will have to “chase, run, fight and work more”, and training has already reflected that philosophy.
At Dortmund, he demanded his team total of distance covered in every game was more than 130km, and that will be repeated at Anfield.
That will see him look for faster, stronger and fitter players, and the winners under the new system will be those players who can press and fight throughout the game.
Younger players such as Jordan Rossiter, Jordon Ibe and Cameron Brannagan will all get a chance, as too should mobile midfielders Jordan Henderson (when fit) and Joe Allen and forward Danny Ings.
Even Jose Enrique could be brought in from the cold as he is the only alternative to the defensively suspect Alberto Moreno at left-back.
Lucas hinted everyone has been told they now stand on an equal footing as the new manager evaluates what he has at his disposal.
He said of Klopp: “His CV is amazing and it’s a fresh start for every player. Everyone is really excited to learn with him and improve as a player and a team.
“Everyone is starting from zero really and everyone will have to prove that you deserve to be here and play for him.
“If we have the same success that Dortmund had when he was there, everyone will be happy. That’s why we’re really positive about it.”
Klopp’s first game in charge comes at Spurs in Saturday's lunchtime game, but he is likely to be without Christian Benteke for that game. The striker only started running again in training this week following a hamstring injury.
Skipper Henderson is also sidelined, as is Joe Gomez, but Philippe Coutinho, Dejan Lovren and even Roberto Firmino could all figure.
New assistant boss Zeljko Buvac has been cleared to receive a work permit, and joined in Wednesday afternoon’s training session.

Barcelona want striker Robin van Persie

The former Arsenal and Manchester United striker is just 32 but over the past few weeks could be forgiven for thinking his career is coming to an end.
Video emerged from Fenerbahce’s last game showing van Persie largely disinterested in the warm-up before sitting on the bench for the Turkish giants.
This was followed by an own goal for Holland against the Czech Republic, which although it made no difference to the Dutch failing to qualify for Euro 2016, seemed to symbolise their decline from the side that came third at the World Cup. Arsenal fans loved it!
So, the front page of Mundo Deportivo on Thursday will come as some relief to van Persie, if there is any semblance of truth to the rumour that Barcelona want to sign him in January.
According to Xavier Muñoz, Barcelona would be keen on a cut-price move for van Persie in January.
Robert Fernandez, the technical secretary of FC Barcelona, was spotted at Holland v Czech Republic in the Amsterdam ArenA on Tuesday evening, supposedly to watch RVP.
Whilst Barcelona are not overly keen to sign players in January, they have a number of injuries, most notably to Leo Messi, and believe they could sign Robin van Persie for around 3.5 million euros.
Although there are worries about the current form of van Persie, he could fit the bill as a “Henrik Larsson” type substitute to come in and help the likes of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
The only caveat suggested by Muñoz, is that Barcelona coach Luis Enrique is keen on Celta Vigo forward Nolito, if the Catalan side do buy anyone in January.
If this Mundo Deportivo transfer rumour does turn out to be true, it would be some turnaround for Robin van Persie, who may well be at his lowest ebb during a long career right now.

Mourinho backed by Chelsea FC

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho continues to enjoy the club's "full support" despite a disappointing start to the season, the Premier League champion has declared.
"The club wants to make it clear that Jose continues to have our full support," Chelsea said in a brief statement published on their website.
"As Jose has said himself, results have not been good enough and the team's performances must improve. However, we believe that we have the right manager to turn this season around and that he has the squad with which to do it."
Chelsea is currently two places above the Premier League relegation zone after losing four and winning only two of its first eight league games - the club's worst start to a season in 37 years.
Speaking after Saturday's 3-1 defeat at home to Southampton, Mourinho openly discussed the risk of dismissal, but said that he had no intention of walking away from the club.
"If the club wants to sack me, they have to sack me, because I am not running away," he told Sky Sports in a candid post-match interview.
"It is a crucial moment in the history of this club because if the club sacks me, they sack the best manager this club has had and the message is bad results and the manager is guilty.
"This is a moment for people to assume their responsibilities. I assume my responsibility and the players should assume theirs too.
"There are other people at the club who should assume their responsibilities and stick together."

Jurgen Klopp to the next Liverpool fc manager

Liverpool’s American owners reportedly believe the appointment of Jurgen Klopp could see the club challenge for the Premier League title this season.
Former manager Brendan Rodgers was axed on Sunday by the Reds after a 1-1 draw with local rivals Everton and Klopp is the big favorite to take over, with reports claiming a deal is close to being agreed, per Andy Hunter of the Guardian.
According to Simon Hughes of the Independent, the reason for such swift action against Rodgers is the owners still feel as though this team can challenge at the summit of the table:

Owners hastened Rodgers’ exit as they feel with a new man in charge Liverpool can still challenge this season....

Beneath the frenzy of the last 24 hours, lies a reality: only six points separates Liverpool in 10th from Manchester City in first. By sacking Rodgers, FSG believe that not only do they now possess a head start on rivals, it will give Liverpool the best possible opportunity of finishing inside the top four – or  even challenging for the title this season, taking into consideration the relative struggles of several clubs they are meant to be competing against.

While critics will argue their decision is short-term and reactive, they consider the removal of Rodgers as pro-active, one that could have positive short-term consequences as well as long-term ones.

Currently there are six points separating Liverpool, who are in 10th place, and league leaders Manchester City after what has been a gripping start to the domestic season. There are few sides that have struck up any kind of consistency in the opening weeks, with champions Chelsea faltering badly under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho.

That’s likely to open the door to a lot of sides for a potential top-four challenge, something Liverpool should be contesting. There were few early signs this season that Rodgers was capable of hauling the Reds up to those levels, as the team turned in some weary, imbalanced displays.
Klopp will surely enliven this group. The former Borussia Dortmund man is a figure of infectious charisma and his teams play the game with a real vibrancy. So feasibly, the top four may not be beyond this group quite yet.

There will be different challenges facing Klopp in English football. In the Bundesliga he only had to usurp one juggernaut in Bayern Munich, whereas in the Premier League, while none of the top sides have started particularly well, there are a lot more teams capable of competing with the very best.

In addition, Klopp will be taking over another manager’s squad and won’t be able to make major adjustments to it until the January window. Even then, in mid season it can be very difficult to lure players to a football club, making a squad reshuffle problematic.

He’s a manager who got so much out of his players at Dortmund, turning youngsters into title winners. Liverpool’s squad isn’t too dissimilar, rife with talented footballers with malleable abilities. If Klopp can give them some direction, Champions League qualification is a realistic ambition. However, even if the German does come in, the title looks beyond them.