Jurgen Klopp has condemned a rescheduling of the Africa Cup of Nations back to January as “a catastrophe for Liverpool .”
But the Reds boss has insisted he will not consider selling Mo Salah, Sadio Mane or Naby Keita, even though all three hugely important players could potentially miss six weeks of thew new season.
The tournament had been switched to the summer from its previous winter slow, to reduce the impact on European leagues.
But the 2021 competition will be played in Cameroon, and it is simply too hot to play during June and July there.
So now Africa’s top players will be forced to miss their upwards of 10 games during January and February this time next year.
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And Klopp, for a full seven minutes, spoke passionately about the threat to players’ welfare…even though he admits he is wasting his breath: “The Africa Cup of Nations going back to January is, for us, a catastrophe.
“On top of that we have absolutely no power so if we did say ‘We don’t let him go’ the player is suspended. How is that possible that the company who pays the player cannot decide that the player has to stay or not?
“If you would say ‘Let’s play the African Cup of Nations but the players play in other countries, not in Africa, it still would be a great tournament but not the superstars but the superstars of tomorrow.
“I don’t say that would be a solution for it but it is strange we have absolutely no say. We just sit there and plan the route, the flight for the boys, and say ‘There you go, have the boys’.
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“Nowadays it should not be like this. But I speak here about it and no-one will listen. It is like the biggest waste of time ever. The Moaner from Liverpool or whatever it is again, on track. As long as nothing changes I will say it all the time.”
Klopp was adamant the switch in the tournament will not change his view on the three African players in his squad, but he did admit it could affect his transfer plans in the summer.
He did buy Sadio Mane in 2016 when he knew the winger would miss at least six matches at the finals that year, but he said: “We will not sell Sadio, Mo or Naby now because they have a tournament in January and February – of course not.
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“But if you have to make a decision about bringing in a player it is a massive one because before the season you know for four weeks you don’t have them.
“That’s a normal process and as a club you have to think about these things. It doesn’t help the players, for sure.”
Klopp confirmed he will have Fabinho and Joel Matip in his squad for Sunday’s Anfield visit of Manchester United , and he also revealed that Dejan Lovren will return to full first team training next Monday.
