BERLIN: RB Leipzig coach Marco Rose said Jurgen Klopp, who has been appointed head of football at parent company Red Bull, had the “expertise and aura” to boost the club.
Former Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Mainz boss Klopp is set to start a new role as head of football operations at Red Bull, which owns the RB Leipzig, Salzburg and New York clubs, from 2025.
Rose, who played under Klopp at Mainz for six years and has previously spoken about his influence on his coaching career, said his addition was “a real bonus and a great signing.”
“His aura and expertise will benefit and help us,” Rose told the Bundesliga website. “He didn’t just win titles but also went through tough times.
“We were relegated at Mainz. He didn’t win the title in his first or second year at Dortmund.
“Even at Liverpool he had to go about working on developing things, putting together a squad that suited him. And that paid off in the end.”
Klopp won back-to-back Bundesliga titles with Dortmund before moving to Liverpool. At the Reds, Klopp won several major trophies, including the Champions League and Premier League.
Leipzig host Klopp’s former side Liverpool, now managed by Arne Slot, in the Champions League on Wednesday.
“I think everyone knows who Kloppo is,” added Rose. “I’ve got a good feeling about it.”
Klopp’s appointment has however caused controversy, particularly in Germany where some fans are critical of the energy drink brand’s ownership of Leipzig, as well as multi-club models in general.
Klopp ‘aura’ will boost Red Bull, says Leipzig coach Rose
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Klopp ‘aura’ will boost Red Bull, says Leipzig coach Rose
- Rose said his addition was “a real bonus and a great signing“
- “His aura and expertise will benefit and help us”
Jones leads after blemish-free 65 at Address Marassi
- Englishman holds 1-shot advantage as 3 players share second at Egypt Golf Series
AL-ALAMEIN, Egypt: England’s Ben Jones carded a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 to take the first-round lead at the Egypt Golf Series Address Marassi Golf Resort 2, the third event of the MENA Golf Tour’s four-tournament Egypt swing.
Jones holds a one-shot advantage over three players at six under — Italy’s Giovanni Manzoni, Scotland’s Michael Stewart and Spain’s Juan Salama — as players returned to the resort course for the second consecutive week.
Jones said: “It was a bit fortunate the first day by getting the right side of the wind and that’s when you have to take advantage of the course.”
“I hit it really solid all day, stayed out of trouble and had no dropped shots, so I’m really happy with that. It’s probably my best round of the year so far and hopefully I can keep that going.
“I nearly holed one on eight and for a second I thought it was in, and then on the final putt of the day I nearly grabbed another birdie. It hit the back of the hole but just didn’t drop. I maybe hit it a little firm because I misjudged the wind down there.”
Scotland’s Stewart said: “I played really nicely today. I felt like I had good control of my ball in the wind, which was really important out there. The preparation over the last few days definitely helped, and last week’s final round was very breezy as well, so that experience carried over.
“I would not say it is getting easier, because it is not, but you do start putting yourself in better positions because you understand the course and the misses a bit more.
“Overall, it just felt like one of those days where I played really solid golf, gave myself plenty of chances, and managed to take a few of them.”
Salama enjoyed a tale of two halves having teed off on the 10th, with six birdies on his back nine, the course’s front nine, transforming his round.
“Six under is obviously very pleasing, but it really felt like two completely different nines out there,” said the Spaniard.
“The front nine was quite tough and I started a little cold with the putter. On the back nine everything clicked, the putter got hot and I was able to make six birdies, which made a huge difference.
“Finishing the round by holing that putt on my final hole was a great feeling and gives me a lot of confidence going into tomorrow.”
Italy’s Ludovico Addabbo, second in the MENA Golf Tour Rankings and alone in fifth at five under, went blemish-free on the card, which included an eagle on the fourth hole and three birdies on the back nine.
Rankings leader Chris Wood, who won last week’s Marassi 1 event in a dramatic playoff, is among a large group at one-over par following an opening 73 as he looks for a repeat win at the venue.
The Egypt Golf Series has $100,000 in prize money and Official World Golf Ranking points on offer. Following this week’s event, the Tour concludes its Egypt Swing at Madinaty Golf Club in Cairo from Feb. 3 to 5.
