Soccer

Jurgen Klopp on warpath over Rossiter’s England injury

Liverpool manager angry with FA for treating 18-year-old like, in his words, ‘a horse’

Liverpool’s German manager Jurgen Klopp. “These young players are our future. If we handle them like horses we get horses,” he said. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images
Liverpool’s German manager Jurgen Klopp. “These young players are our future. If we handle them like horses we get horses,” he said. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images
Wed Oct 21 2015 - 23:30

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has launched himself into a club-versus-country row less than two weeks into his reign after likening England's handling of Jordan Rossiter to that of a horse.

The 18-year-old returned from under-19 international duty with a hamstring injury after playing three matches of 90 minutes in five days. Klopp, whose side face Rubin Kazan at Anfield in the Europa League tonight, said the situation was not normal and he would be speaking to someone at the Football Association.

Liverpool have recent history with the FA over treatment of players as just over a year ago Klopp's predecessor Brendan Rodgers expressed his displeasure after Daniel Sturridge sustained a thigh injury during an England training session the day after an international match.

“Rossiter is a special story. I never heard of an 18-year-old playing three games in five days,” he said.

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“That is the problem why he is injured and I don’t think he will be ready until the next international break. I don’t know who I have to talk about this but I will find a way because it is not okay.

“On my first day I didn’t want to have a call with someone with the FA but for sure this is not okay. These young players are our future. If we handle them like horses we get horses.”