Former Borussia Dortmund star criticises Jurgen Klopp's move to Red Bull

Former Borussia Dortmund star criticises Jurgen Klopp's move to Red Bull

Kevin Grosskreutz, a former Borussia Dortmund player and lifelong fan, has expressed his bewilderment at Jürgen Klopp's decision to join Red Bull football.

At 36, Grosskreutz, who spent the majority of his career at Dortmund, finds it difficult to understand why Klopp, who led the club to back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012, would abandon his roots.

"Somehow it still hasn't really sunk in. I hoped it was fake news. It was a shock, sad in a way," Grosskreutz told the Viertelstunde Fussball podcast.

"When we meet, I'll tell him personally that I think it's crap that he's doing something like this."

Klopp recently departed from Liverpool, where he achieved remarkable success by winning the Champions League and Premier League.

He is set to become the head of global soccer at Red Bull from January, taking on a role as a top adviser to RB Leipzig, RB Salzburg, New York Red Bulls, and Red Bull's franchises in Brazil and Japan.

Dortmund fans have reacted with disgust, accusing Klopp of abandoning his principles.

Many believe that by joining Red Bull, a company that has been synonymous with commercialisation in football since its inception in 2005, Klopp has contradicted the values he once championed.

Speculation among German media suggests that Klopp may have opted for this position to enjoy a less intense workload, potentially paving the way for a future management role with the German national team, succeeding Julian Nagelsmann. 

READ MORE: Germany still unbeaten in Nations League, Van Dijk sees red as Netherlands draw