Jurgen Klopp says he’s happy seeing Martin Odegaard deliver on his potential at Arsenal having followed the Norwegian’s career since he came through the ranks at boyhood club Stromsgodset.
The German says he made a big effort to recruit the midfielder for Borussia Dortmund seven years ago only to be thwarted by Real Madrid who beat off competition from a host of Europe’s top clubs, including the Gunners.
In Klopp’s eyes, it was disappointing to see the player struggle at the Bernabeu but he recognises that it’s helped Odegaard, who now captains Arsenal and his country, get to where he is today.
In an interview with Norway’s TV2 (translated by Sport Witness, Klopp said: “I really like him. It’s easy [on the pitch] these days.
It was a bit more difficult at the start of his career when he was at Real Madrid. Then it looked like it might not go his way. I was really disappointed by that, because we wanted him in Dortmund when he was very young.
“We had a long conversation when he was still a boy, together with his father. In the end he decided on Madrid, and that’s fine, but that’s why I’ve always followed him.
“[His development] is very, very impressive. You can only imagine how many talents, huge talents, ‘crazy’ talents, I have seen over the course of quite a while in this industry. At the time, Martin was 15 years old and already playing in Norway. The whole world went berserk.
“Until he was 15, he probably experienced no hardship. After that, a lot of things went against him. It makes him the person he is now, the man he is now, and the player he is now.
“I’m really happy that he has now become the player we all expected him to become. In fact, even better than that, if you will. He plays a massive role in an incredibly strong Arsenal team.”
“He’s still young, clear in his head, very influential. I honestly can’t say anything negative about him. Really a top player.”
Odegaard and Klopp will come face to face on Sunday when Liverpool visit the Emirates in the next leg of Arsenal’s title procession.
Hands off, Jurgen.
😄
Interesting connection here. Odegaard means fallow farm and Jürgen is derived from a Greek name ge ergon which literally means farmer…
Cool story Hansel!
Hands off Juergen! Being honest, this is genuine adulation from a top coach. I could see him as a dortmund player back in the day.
Worked out well in the end for us. I wonder if there any regrets on his part. Feels like he’d’ve been much more involved at Dortmund and probably out of our price bracket by this time.
He’s the Arsenal and Norway captain at 23, we’re top of the league and just smashed Sp*rs in the derby.
I reckon he’s probably OK with his choices at this present time.
Well, when you put it like that! lol
I remember seeing at the time, reports of Odegaard sr taking his son on a tour of all major european clubs and it turned into a kind of auction which R Madrid won.
Maybe I’m being paranoid but I wonder if Klopp’s playing funny games.
Didn’t Wenger used to do this alot? Single out an opposition player and heap praise on him during the build up to a game againt his team? Or am I imagining that?
It is all part of learning and evolution as a man. I am glad he is with us and leading the team every game.
He has a sensible head and hopefully he keeps going with us and take us to heights that we all want to see.
Hopefully he gets one step above Cesc and hoists the PL trophy soon.
Let’s hope Martin proves him right on Sunday at the Emirates and we keep winning!
Good of him to comment like that. Well done, Juergen. Hope we beat you on Sunday though.
Dr Teeth likes talking about our players
He does, seen him having a word with martinelli last season. Definitely feels like a ploy to butter odegaard up.
Maybe so, but if a club were/are interested in any of our players (or any club’s players) I’m sure that there are less public options available to make a more “meaningful” approach. It’s illegal of course, but as I’m sure we know that doesn’t stop all clubs doing it from time to time.
Unsure if Klopp is ‘like that’ as a Manager though? Seems a pretty good guy and straight up. Despite that, I hope we seem him raging this weekend 🙂
£10 that klopp comments on Martinelli after the match
Especially since that’s Trent’s side
I think people are being too cynical. It’s not like Klopp is spontaneously bringing up Odegaard in a regular press conference–he’s talking to a Norwegian television reporter. I also think Arsenal and Liverpool are similarly-situated clubs in terms of size and the ability to recruit players. Liverpool have the edge in recent success and European pedigree, but Arsenal are in London and rising. Both are at a disadvantage, for various reasons, compared to the likes of Madrid, Barca, Bayern, City, and PSG. (Probably no longer Chelsea, maybe Man United, maybe soon Newcastle.)
Sadly, if you look at the LA Dodgers, you’ll see that Chelsea’s excessive spending is unlikely to end just because they are now without the Russian…
a friend of mine works for that organization and he’s not had nice things to say about boehly’s hands on method of recruitment of players he has to train with every day- the guy likes his name in the paper.
I don’t know for sure, but I think you are mistaken. Boehly is a big spender, but only because he expects to get a financial return for his spending. He is arrogant enough to believe his business brilliance will pay off (he may be right, though i doubt it). Abramovich, vastly more wealthy, was in a fundamentally different position: his aim was to integrate himself into the fabric of British life, to normalise his presence and activity, to use his money to make a substantial part of the public, grateful for Chelsea’s success (and his philanthropy), demand that he be… Read more »
Odegaard made a big mistake going to Madrid.
He would have been way better off at Dortmund
Nope, he probably wouldn’t have come to us if so. Hence a great decision to go to Madrid!
The Lord works in mysterious ways His wonders to prove.🙏🏾
Dennis sent him to Madrid???!?
Very sneaky Jurgen, we know what you are trying to do 😉 he will show you how good he is at the weekend.
I see what Klopp is doing, but it won’t work. The Arsenal is really happy with Arteta’s work as manager so the top job won’t be available for some time!
Thanks for the compliments, Mr. Klopp. See you on Sunday.
If we win that game, Top 4 is sealed. Its early days, I know, but there is no way they can come back from a 14 point gap in the form Arsenal is in at the moment; and United, Spurs and Chelsea can’t all finish above us.
“If we win that game, Top 4 is sealed.” – The Kiss of Death? I hope not. I think your reference to “… the form Arsenal is in at the moment…” is a small pointer. I really hope we can keep things going as now – and we probably will – but with eight games coming up (is it?) this month alone, then the hiatus of the World Cup soon afterwards, this isn’t going to be an “ordinary” season. The same factors could affect other clubs aiming for a top four finish of course but most of those are more… Read more »
Every team is playing under the same conditions, in the first place. If we are affected, so will all our rivals. That is why the 14 point cushion would be huge.
Talking about experience, our lads are not that green. The pain of losing out of top 4 last season (Ramsdale alluded to it in a recent interview), plus the presence of proven winners like Jesus and Zinchenko, count for some quality experience within the squad.
For me, a win on Sunday would be the moment the team cements itself as a top 4 side this season.
I was going to join in the shhhusshing but you know what? Fuck it! Yeah I’m with you. Win and top 4 is ours!
Also Haaland is on an ESR hot streak at the moment. New to the league, it won’t take defenders long to work out how to counter his athletic ability, height, pace, lethal finishing and movement.
Then let’s see we’re city are when it turns out they’ve built their whole squad around Andy Carroll II.
#champions2023
In a normal season a 14 point lead over Liverpool would look good for top 4, I agree. With the compressed schedule + WC, most likely there will be volatility though. Who knows about injuries and freshness of squad? Maybe some team that is not in Europe and can stay together might break through?
Brighton? Unlikely, but can’t think of another team that fits your criteria. Oooooh even better, Brighton in 4th at the expense of Sp*rs 🙂
Yes, maybe Brighton, an Brentford? Newcastle also do not have Europe, but maybe some of their players are going to the WC? They could cause trouble anyway.
Shut it!
I won’t!
Liverpool are very capable of going on a long winning run – of the type that we used to do at different points during Arsene’s reign – so overcoming a 14 point gap is not that big a deal for them, providing they get back into top form (let’s hope that doesn’t happen anytime soon).
I think you are looking at the Liverpool of two seasons ago or thereabouts. The situation on ground at the moment does not support your assertion.
That team has lost something.
No Matter how hot their form, we’ll have to drop 14 points for them to pick up. That’s unlikely.
Hey Real Madrid, stop beating off the competition.
Indeed.
Klopp is playing game minnd.he knows is coming to emirates now he is working on odegaard his minnd not to play his really Football to be in intention on klopp.stop that fuckin game mind klopp.
What? Stay off the drink, mate.
The easiest way for Klopp to work with the players of ours he likes is to take an assistant coaching role under Arteta
Oh for God’s sake, buzz off Klopp
We gat Supa Mik Artetaaaaaa……
The hardship might have made him into the person he is today but it also shows tremendous character to begin with to go through that and work your way up again. The football world really treated him like the second coming of Pele when he was 16…couple of years later people were talking about another Freddy Adu. I can’t imagine a better captain than him.
He’s made of Norwegian granite from the fjords, our captain. As tough as they come. And still humble.
Just like A-ha and Mayhem.
Hands off, Specs Savers.
You can see why Klopp was touted as ‘arsenal’s next manager’ at Dortmond. Before Wenger you didn’t have managers talking about players in terms of their personal development.
I like Klopp.
On a slightly different note…..I think the Dunford song (which I like), is completely the wrong song to play immediately before kick off. The atmosphere was electric and when that was played, it ripped the atmosphere right out of the stadium. Something more upbeat please. And play that some other time.
We’ve had a lot of questionable pre-game music in recent years. Something a bit uplifting and motivational.
Suggestions?
How about the tequila song?
So Jurgy is after feeling up annother one of ours. Didn’t work ou too well with Martinelli who absolutely roasted TAA last time, he’s probably still untying himself.
He’s right though, MOs difficulties have forged him well for the rest of his career.
Klopp blowing smoke