‘I quit Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp’s decision left me embarrassed and ashamed’

Jurgen Klopp was never afraid to make ruthless decisions during his time as Liverpool manager, as one former Reds academy prospect will be able to testify

Jurgen Klopp left former Liverpool academy star Connor Randall feeling ’embarrassed’ and ‘ashamed’ following a brutal decision.

While the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harvey Elliott succeeded under the former boss’ leadership, many other youngsters struggled. Ex-Liverpool academy prospect Randall is one of those, as he was on the end of a ruthless decision from Klopp during a 2017 FA Cup fourth-round defeat to Wolves.

Liverpool were losing 2-0 at half-time and while Divock Origi did net a late consolation to make the score 2-1, they were still knocked out of the FA Cup by the then-Championship team. The loss was tough for all Liverpool fans and for Klopp, who was on the end of a huge amount of criticism for the exit.

But the result was especially painful for Randall as he was ruthlessly hooked at half-time by the German. It was a moment that would haunt him throughout his career.

While reflecting on what happened during an appearance on the Football Journeys Podcast, the now 28-year-old said: “I can remember it clear as day, going into the changing room and getting taken off. I just stood in the shower, I think the game was on in the changing room on the telly and I felt ashamed.

“I felt embarrassed, I felt like [I was] letting everyone down and things like that. All my mates who’d come to watch me, a few of my mates, my family, they were upstairs and obviously you [usually] go and speak to them and whatever.

“I remember just going straight to the car. I was sat in the back of the car, putting my hood up and hiding. Not that that makes any difference, but at the time that’s the way I felt.

“I just wanted to go home, get in the house and stay in the house. I can remember it clear that night. My sister, my little nephew and that came round and when they left I just went up to bed and tried to go to sleep, sort of just shut off from everything.

“If I’m being honest I did find it tough. Not just football, I probably took it with me outside of football as well. The biggest emotion is being half-ashamed, even going out, you don’t want to go places and for people to see you and go ‘that s*** player’ or whatever.”

Randall was not able to break back into the starting eleven after that match, reports the Liverpool Echo. He was sent on loan at Hearts for a season before a following six-month spell at Rochdale.

After leaving the Reds in July 2019, he endured three months without a club until he signed with Bulgarian outfit Arda Kardzhali. His stint in Eastern Europe did not last long as he was on his way to Ross County on a free transfer the following year, where he has been playing since.

While he is enjoying his football now, the right-back admitted the sting of his early exit from the game lingered for a long time. He added: “I definitely kept it with me for a lot longer than I probably should have and I did dwell on it and let it get to me in a way that I would never do now.

“When you step up and you do get that opportunity it’s brilliant, but it is tough on the mental side of things. It’s just a completely new sort of pressure that you’ve never experienced before.”

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