Mainz supporters sent a defiant message to former manager Jurgen Klopp during Saturday afternoon's Bundesliga clash against RB Leipzig.
Earlier this month, it was announced that Klopp would become the Head of Global Soccer at energy drink company Red Bull.
From January 1 onwards, the 57-year-old will oversee Red Bull’s international network of football clubs, which include RB Leipzig, New York Red Bulls and Red Bull Salzburg.
Klopp, who left Liverpool at the end of the 2023/24 season, will also support the organisation’s global scouting operation and contribute to the training and development of coaches.
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After the news emerged, the German said he "could not be more excited" to get involved in the project but his decision to take a role at Red Bull has caused controversy.
In fact, it appears his reputation among supporters in Germany has taken a hit based on Saturday's game at former club Mainz, whose supporters unveiled banners to question Klopp's latest move.
As you can see from the pictures below, one of the banners read: “Have you forgotten everything we made you become?" while another said: "Are you crazy?"
A third is believed to point towards an old quote from Klopp. “I like people up to the point where they disappoint me,” it read, which appears to reference the supporters' betrayal over Klopp’s association with the Red Bull brand.
If you're not already aware, Red Bull made a not-so-welcome statement when they took over fifth-division club SSV Markranstadt and turned it into RB Leipzig.
In the past, Klopp has been critical of the multi-club model.
Back in 2017, he said: "I'm a football romantic and I like tradition in football and all that stuff. In Germany, only two clubs sing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' before the game - and that is Mainz and Dortmund."
Klopp's decision to take the job at Red Bull has left former Borussia Dortmund full-back Kevin Großkreutz “shocked" and "sad.”
He said on the Viertelstunde Fußball podcast: "I woke up, I had 30 messages on my phone and I thought: what happened? I thought I was dreaming, then I hoped it was fake news."
Großkreutz added: "Two hours later it was official. It was pretty shocking and sad. Somehow it hasn’t really sunk in yet.
“I don’t think anyone was expecting it. It’s very, very strange and I can’t really comprehend it yet. It’s like shock. Nevertheless, he’s a friend of mine and I owe him a lot. And I will always be grateful to him.
“As a football fan, I think it sucks, to put it bluntly! But as a friend, you have to accept decisions being made. When we meet, I’ll still tell him personally that I think it’s s*** that he does something like that."
Topics: Jurgen Klopp, Mainz, Germany
Jack Kenmare