Klopp congratulates Schalke on Wagner

Team manager Jürgen Klopp (51) of Champions League finalist FC Liverpool has praised Schalke 04 for hiring coach David Wagner. “I can only congratulate Schalke, even if my Dortmund friends don’t like to hear that,” said the former BVB coach in an interview with Sport1.

On Thursday, the “Königsblauen” had announced that Wagner would take over the coaching position in Gelsenkirchen for the new season.

The 47-year-old, who last coached Huddersfield Town in the English Premier League, will receive a contract until 2022 to succeed interim coach Huub Stevens.

Wagner and Klopp have a close friendship, both already played together in the 90s at FSV Mainz 05. Wagner was the best man at Klopp’s wedding in 2005.

Wagner led Huddersfield into the Premier League in 2017 with a 4-3 win over FC Reading, but the Englishmen parted company with the 48-year-old at the beginning of the year after finishing at the bottom of the table in the second Premier League season.