Adam Bogdan has recalled a “class” gesture from Jurgen Klopp which softened the blow of being made third-choice keeper.
The Hungarian joined Liverpool from Bolton Wanderers in 2015, just before Klopp took over at Anfield. Prior to the German’s arrival, Bogdan had a memorable performance, saving three penalties in a Carabao Cup shootout win against Carlisle.
Following Klopp’s appointment, he was disappointingly dropped down keepers’ pecking order. But Bogdan holds no grudges and fondly recalls a kind gesture from Klopp that he will never forget.
“Danny Ward came back to the club in January 2016, a couple of months after Klopp arrived,” Bogdan exclusively told Ladbrokes Fanzone (via The Mirror). “I had no complaints about that decision, because I wasn’t doing well.
“The way that I found out about that decision was not very nice, though, and that, coupled with the fact I knew I wasn’t doing as well as I knew I could, it brought a lot of emotion out of me.
“You start self-blaming, and your head is down, and you just can’t afford to do those kind of things at top clubs like Liverpool. The one thing Jurgen Klopp did do, though, was put me on the bench for the Carabao Cup final.
“Even though I was third-choice at the time, he put me back on the bench, which was a touch that I will never forget. That’s a class act from him, even when I put aside everything that happened with Danny coming back to the club, or whatever he thought of me. He realised that I was a big part of that cup run and he put me back into the squad at Wembley to recognise that.”
The Reds went on to lose the 2016 Carabao Cup final to Manchester City after a penalty shootout. Bogdan, now 36, had loans spells at Wigan and Hibs before leaving Anfield permanently for the latter in 2019.
