No sooner had the words left his mouth, Jurgen Klopp wished he could take them back.
Asked about his future by ITV Sport ahead of Liverpool ’s FA Cup clash with Norwich City, the German had been asked about his Reds future and if he could stay at Anfield beyond his contract expiring in 2024.
His answer before moving on to discussing the club’s owners was brief, just seven words in fact, but he knew the headlines it would create.
"I don't know, I really don't know."
Klopp was again asked about his future on Friday as the Liverpool boss sought to clarify his previous comments, realising the interpretation of his midweek faux pas.
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"The plan is still the same," he told reporters. "I realised when I gave the answer, I thought, "Oh god!" but I couldn't get it back. I was just not in the situation.
"The plan is still the same. Nothing changed really and when I decide, or if I decide to leave, maybe I get the sack in '23, who knows?
"But if I decide in '24 that I will stop, it has nothing to do with the quality of the squad.
"It's not "My god, I have to manage them," or "My god, better to stop than be managing them." It's not like this, nothing to do with that.
"All the things we do are for the long term. All the things we do are for the long term. This club must be even better, especially when I am not here anymore. That’s the plan.
"That's what we are working on so it's not important how long I will stay, it's much more important how we do until then."
Klopp’s stance is to be expected. It was exactly the same when handing over the reins at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund. And considering he still has over two years left on his contract, it is not the time for him to publicly commit to a decision one way or the other.
Reading between the lines, it would appear that ‘the plan’ is to leave when his contract expires in 2024. But that was believed to be the case regarding his initial deal too, which would have expired in this upcoming summer, only for the German to agree an extension in December 2019.
Whether Klopp’s mind is made up or if he is still deliberating, it ultimately matters not. His Liverpool goals remain the same regardless.
In the short term to win the next match. In the medium term, to win every trophy possible. And in the long term, to leave the Reds in the best state possible for his successor when the day does come for him to leave Anfield.
The rest of Klopp’s midweek answer, following his ‘I don’t know’ declaration, reiterates as much too, with the German saying: “Things will take time. We need the time, obviously. They're (the club's hierarchy) are interested in development, as well, not just in delivering immediately.”
FSG want Liverpool to be as successful as possible now under Klopp, as well as in the future following his departure with the Reds’ reign at the elite table of European football hopefully long outlasting the German’s tenure.
But it’s not just their manager Liverpool have to plan for life without, it’s the Reds’ current key players too.
After all, while one day there will be a Liverpool without Klopp, there will also be one without Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and co.
To be fair to FSG, such forward-thinking is taking place in plain sight with it no secret just how much time the Reds put into scouting players and drawing up transfer shortlists behind the scenes before making eventual moves.
And a throwaway comment from Klopp about Jarrod Bowen in his latest press conference, a player known to be of interest to Liverpool, would also confirm as much.
“Bowen, what a player he became,” the German said. “Unbelievable. We saw him as well at Hull and he was really good that time.
“I don't think a lot of people expected this jump. Unbelievable player.”
Considering the West Ham winger was scoring goals for fun for Hull City as the Reds reached back-to-back Champions League finals in 2018 and 2019 before leaving for the Hammers midway through the 2019/20 season demonstrates just how long they have been following his progress.
At a time when Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were at the very peak of their powers, it shows that no matter what is happening on the pitch at present, Liverpool bosses always have one eye on the future.
The fact that Klopp happily offered up such praise for Bowen off his own back rather being pressed for it by the journalists present, read out of that what you will.
But if this is how FSG approach signing players, rest assured they will be equally thorough when it comes to choosing their next manager with the German's succession plan already in place.
And every time you listen to Klopp talk about the Reds’ long-term plans, it’s clear Liverpool are in good hands both now and in the future.
When you consider the contract extensions handed out and the new players recently brought in, given the fact that the Reds are now in this slow handover period from his first great side, they are as well-prepared as can be for these future transitions and life after the German.
Last summer, Alisson agreed new terms until 2027, Fabinho and Andy Robertson signed up until 2026, along with Harvey Elliott, while Jordan Henderson, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s extensions all take them up until 2025.
Meanwhile, they have been complimented by the signings of Ibrahima Konate, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota, highlighting it’s not just in the dugout where Liverpool need a successor, it’s on the pitch as well.
The Reds’ current practice is to have these players for the future working alongside the present, with this trio, on paper at least, replacements for the ageing Joel Matip, Mane and Firmino and set to be key men for Klopp’s would-be replacement.
If the German’s own would-be successor is currently following a similar pattern and working alongside him in Pep Lijnders, or will be an outside candidate like Steven Gerrard remains to be seen.
And whether Bowen will be the next man to link up and fulfil such a role ahead of Klopp’s future departure, only time will tell, with it intriguing just how much Liverpool’s interest in the 25-year-old is linked to Salah’s own contract negotiations ahead of his deal expiring in little over 12 months time.
Regardless, the Reds’ changing of the guard will continue across the board sooner or later.
Premier League and European champions will leave Anfield amid their ongoing modern glory, and not for the first time either with the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Emre Can, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren and Gini Wijnaldum all seeking pastures new under the German’s watch.
Meanwhile, James Milner and Divock Origi are expected to follow in the summer.
Life goes on at Anfield.
And while all the speculation regarding Klopp’s future at Liverpool is inevitably unsettling, the Reds have been planning for this future day for years with their next managerial change simply a new beginning rather than an end.
After all, the German is just a custodian waiting to pass on the baton with the finish-line for this relay race not yet in sight.
