Few players at Liverpool would say a single bad word about former manager Jurgen Klopp, but one ex-academy talent endured a particularly tough period under the German at Anfield
Not every Liverpool player had a positive experience of playing under Jurgen Klopp(Image: PA)
Jurgen Klopp brought Liverpool huge success, but not all of his players had a positive experience of working with him. Throughout his time at Anfield, Klopp was not afraid of giving the club’s academy stars a chance.
The likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones became first team players under the German. However, academy graduate Connor Randall did not enjoy the same confidence as his two fellow home-grown stars.
In 2017, Randall was given an opportunity to shine against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup fourth round. It proved to be a miserable afternoon for the Merseysiders as Wolves, who were still in the Championship at the time, beat them 2-1.
After the Reds went into half time trailing 2-0, Klopp hauled off Randall, cutting his afternoon short. It would prove to be his final appearance for the club.
Looking back on that disappointing day at Anfield while speaking to the Football Journey’s podcast, the now-29-year-old said: “I can remember it clear as day, going into the changing room and getting taken off. I just stood in the shower, I think the game was on in the changing room on the telly and I felt ashamed.
“I felt embarrassed, I felt like [I was] letting everyone down and things like that. All my mates who’d come to watch me, a few of my mates, my family, they were upstairs and obviously you [usually] go and speak to them and whatever.
“I remember just going straight to the car. I was sat in the back of the car, putting my hood up and hiding. Not that that makes any difference, but at the time that’s the way I felt.
Connor Randall made eight appearances for Liverpool while playing under Jurgen Klopp(Image: 2017 AMA Sports Photo Agency)
“I just wanted to go home, get in the house and stay in the house. I can remember it clear that night. My sister, my little nephew and that came round and when they left I just went up to bed and tried to go to sleep, sort of just shut off from everything.
“If I’m being honest I did find it tough. Not just football, I probably took it with me outside of football as well. The biggest emotion is being half-ashamed, even going out, you don’t want to go places and for people to see you and go, ‘That s*** player’ or whatever.”
Randall only made eight senior appearances for Liverpool, all coming under Klopp. After the defeat to Wolves, the path for Randall’s Anfield exit was laid.
Randall is now the captain of Ross County(Image: Russell Cheyne/Shutterstock)
Randall was loaned to Scottish side Hearts for the 2017/18 campaign. He returned to Liverpool, only to be loaned out again, this time to Rochdale, before being released by the club in the summer of 2019.
Randall spent just over two months as a free agent, before Bulgarian side Arda Kardzhali signed him. His stint in Eastern Europe was only brief, as he would go on to move to Ross County in July 2020 on a free transfer.
He made the Global Energy Stadium his home and continues to play a huge role for the Scottish Championship side today. The club named him as captain at the start of last season, highlighting the positive contributions he has made to the Staggies.
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