Klopp and Schmadtke: A Tale of Two Opponents
The story of Jurgen Klopp and Jorg Schmadtke is one of two opponents who have gone on to become colleagues. In the late 1980s, Klopp was a young player trying to make his way in the game, and he had a trial at Fortuna Dusseldorf, where Schmadtke was the No. 1 goalkeeper.
Klopp was unsuccessful in his trial, but fast forward to 1992 and the two were opponents in a 2. Bundesliga match between Mainz and Fortuna. Klopp’s Mainz won the match 2-1, and it was the only time the two ever faced each other on the pitch.
Since then, both men have gone on to have successful careers in football, with Klopp becoming one of the most successful managers in Europe and Schmadtke taking up a number of sporting director roles. Now, in 2020, the two are working together at Liverpool as Klopp is manager and Schmadtke is sporting director.
Klopp’s Journey From Player to Manager
Jurgen Klopp’s journey from player to manager has been an interesting one. After his unsuccessful trial at Fortuna Dusseldorf, Klopp went on to play for Mainz until 2001, when he retired from playing due to a knee injury.
After retirement, Klopp took up a role as manager of Mainz in 2001, where he stayed until 2008. During this time, he led Mainz to their first ever Bundesliga promotion in 2004. After leaving Mainz, Klopp went on to manage Borussia Dortmund from 2008-2015, where he won two Bundesliga titles and a DFB-Pokal.
In 2015, Klopp took up the role of manager at Liverpool, where he has since gone on to win the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. He also led Liverpool to their first ever Premier League title in 2020.
Schmadtke’s Journey From Player to Sporting Director
Jorg Schmadtke’s journey from player to sporting director has been just as interesting as Klopp’s. After retiring from playing in 1998, Schmadtke took up a role as sporting director at Nuremberg in 2000. He then moved on to Cologne in 2004, where he stayed until 2010.
In 2010, Schmadtke took up a role as sporting director at Wolfsburg, where he stayed until 2014. After leaving Wolfsburg, Schmadtke returned to Cologne as sporting director in 2014, where he stayed until 2018. In 2018, Schmadtke joined Liverpool as sporting director, where he currently works alongside Klopp.
Conclusion
The story of Jurgen Klopp and Jorg Schmadtke is one of two opponents who have gone on to become colleagues. From meeting during Klopp’s trial in the 1980s to playing against one another in the 1990s, it is apt they now work together in the 2020s after both reinventing themselves off the field.
Klopp’s journey from player to manager has been an incredible one, while Schmadtke has gone from player to sporting director. Now they are both working together at Liverpool, and it will be interesting to see what they can achieve together in the coming years.