Jurgen Klopp reveals he's already turned to 'other passion' after Liverpool exit

One door closes, another opens.

Jurgen Klopp might have hung up his football manager’s whistle for an indefinite period five long days ago, citing the exhaustive nature of the role and a need for some deserved rest. But the former Liverpool boss is already back scratching his competitive itch: this time on the padel court.

Padel is the sport that is adored by Andy Murray, Virgil van Dijk and a slew of other high-profile athletes and celebrities and one that Klopp admitted he was so “addicted” to that the 56-year-old had a padel court installed at Liverpool’s training centre.

And after a slog of a final Premier League season and all of the emotions which arrived with a departure that threatened to shake the very foundations of English football, Klopp has found refuge in his beloved game, even if the start has come with needed patience.

Taking to his new Instagram account, a sun-tanned Klopp posted a video updating his followers about his ongoing padel journey and the start of his post-Liverpool era.

“So five days ago was the big goodbye,” Klopp said to the camera as he walked in the bright sunshine with a Wilson tennis bag over his shoulder. “And I’m still trying to process everything that happened that day and then the days around it.

"So I’m slightly settled now. But I’m actually not sure if I said clear enough: thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for the love. Thank you for the support. It was a wonderful day, the best experience I could’ve ever imagined, really outstanding.

“Now what I’m doing I try – no, no, I follow my big passion, I try to improve my paddle game. Started two days ago, today is my third session, and I started on an extremely low level, didn’t play for awhile and felt it immediately. But step by step, I will get there. Bye.”

Klopp also posted a series of Instagram stories, with the German boss looking tanned and happy while holding a signed racket, which he teased his followers with by asking: “Who signed my racket?”

Klopp is far from the only football manager to believe in the padel hype, with Pep Guardiola also installing a padel court at Manchester City ’s training ground, with the management staff and players playing during downtime.

But Klopp’s passion for the game reaches just a step further. The long-time Liverpool boss, who called an end to his nine years with the Reds last week with an emotional speech and ceremony after his final match in charge, has even teamed up with tennis apparel and equipment giant Wilson on designing bespoke rackets to improve his game.

And now it seems with football indefinitely behind Klopp, padel will be the passion into which he pours himself.