LIVERPOOL football manager Jurgen Klopp has praised the passion of a “cheeky" young Manchester United fan from Co Donegal who sent a letter asking him to stop winning games.
Daragh (10) wrote to Klopp as part of a school assignment appealing to him “not to win the league or any other match again”.
Despite receiving thousands of letters from fans around the world, the German took time out to respond personally to the Glenswilly youngster's unusual request.
In his letter, Daragh said: “If you win nine more games then you have the best unbeaten run in English football. Being a United fan that is very sad. So, the next time Liverpool play please make them lose. You should just let the other team score.”
Klopp's response acknowledged the schoolboy's passion for the Red Devils but told him unfortunately he could not grant his wish.
“As much as you want Liverpool to lose it is my job to do everything I can to help Liverpool to win as there are millions of people around the world who want that to happen so I really do not want to let them down.”
At a press conference at Anfield yesterday, the Liverpool manager said he appreciated Daragh’s “cheek”.
“We had time that day so I read the letter and I replied. It’s a private thing. I get a letter, I respond and the next day it’s in a newspaper. I don’t like that too much but it’s fine.”
He added: “I hope Darragh is happy now. He looked like it on the picture I saw, so go. Ten years old is a nice age when you should start being cheeky and it was smart as well.”
Daragh said he was surprised when a registered letter for him arrived at the post office in Glenswilly.
“I thought I don’t know anyone in England so I thought it might be Jurgen Klopp but I wasn’t being serious, but then when I opened the letter it was Jurgen Klopp and I thought it’s Jurgen Klopp with a personalised letter.”
News of Klopp’s sporting gesture has made Daragh an overnight media star. He has been in huge demand for interviews from television companies, including last night’s RTE’s Late Late Show on which his co-star was none other than Man United legend Roy Keane.
