Jurgen Klopp ‘in the wrong – big time’ over Hamann spat, as Ally McCoist rounds on Liverpool boss

Ally McCoist has defended his fellow pundit Dietmar Hamann after the German got into a spat with fellow countryman, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

Former midfielder Hamann spoke on Monday morning of several issues at his former club. But above all after Sunday’s defeat to Arsenal, he warned Klopp’s future is not absolutely secure.

The 2005 Champions League winner insisted that “the dynamics at Liverpool are no different than anywhere else”, claiming he is not sure how long it will be before talk of the manager’s future properly ramps up if results do not improve.

And he called on Klopp to find a “spark” from his players, but admitted he doesn’t know where that will come from.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Hamann’s latter point was relayed to Klopp. And the 55-year-old took issue, sarcastically labelling Hamann “a fantastic source” and “well respected everywhere”.

On Wednesday, former Rangers star McCoist hit back at Klopp for his response to Hamann.

“I think Klopp’s in the wrong – big time. Absolutely. I don’t think there’s any case there for the defence,” the pundit told talkSPORT (9.09am, 12/10/22).

“Two things, Didi Hamann is absolutely 100 per cent entitled to ask questions of Liverpool. [He’s an] ex-Liverpool player, won the Champions League, [played at] the highest level.

“Not that that gives him any more kudos in terms of asking the question. Secondly, I think it’s a valid question.”

McCoist labelled Liverpool’s start to the season “bang average”. He picked out Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk as players who need the spark which Hamann was referring to.

“Maybe he [Hamann] just got him [Klopp] at a bad moment, it can happen,” the Scot added. “It looks to me as if he’s maybe dropped his guard a little bit, he’s not handling [it]. The fact of the matter is, they haven’t looked themselves.”

Second former Liverpool star weighs in

Former Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert has also had his say on the Reds’ current situation.

He said Klopp’s side are “still feeling” last season’s 63-game campaign, when they were seven days from a quadruple.

And Lambert believes it is “probably the first time” Klopp has made a recruitment mistake in not properly bolstering his midfield.

But, he insisted Klopp’s successful title challenges with Manchester City have been “beyond belief”.

Lambert concluded: “I think we will come back and I think we will finish second because we are more than capable of winning 10, 15 games on the bounce.

“I think Arsenal have started brilliantly, but they will realise how hard it is to get over 90 points, which Man City will easily do again.”

Facts are clear over Reds’ situation

The fact is, Liverpool have not had a great start to the season and their issues are clear to see.

There has been a noticeable drop in intensity and pressing. The spaces Liverpool were closing when teams went on the transition are simply not being closed anymore.

That dip allowed Brighton to score three at Anfield and proved a big cause of Sunday’s defeat to Arsenal.

The reason Klopp is facing criticism is because he needs to prove if it is a blip or a decline.

If it is the latter, attention will – and is – turning to the lack of midfield investment in the summer.

On the flipside, Klopp insisted at the start of the season that, when all his midfielders are fit, he has every trait a manager would ever want.

But that is not the case – and hasn’t been for a while. And while Klopp has vowed to fight on and find “solutions”, there is only so far that will get him.