Klopp keen to avoid Christmas presents

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp wants his team to avoid giving away Christmas presents during the busy festive period after cancelling his skiing holiday.

The former Borussia Dortmund coach is used to a winter break over the holiday period, but instead is preparing for five games in 14 days starting Boxing Day.

Ahead of a trip to Watford on Sunday, Klopp said his team needed to approach the busy schedule as normal.

“For me, Christmas is more a feeling than a date. Around Christmas, everyone is cooling down, all the family come together, you have to think about presents and things like this,” the German said.

“This year, I have no presents. And I don’t want to give some out in the Premier League. We can’t calm down and relax and watch Christmas films. We work as normal.”

Klopp said he had booked a skiing holiday in Switzerland before he was appointed Liverpool manager in October, with that trip cancelled.

The 48-year-old has already called a training session on Christmas Day, but said he understood the English tradition.

“We work as normal but also try to respect the English way,” Klopp said.

“We will train in the morning, and go to the hotel really late so the players can have the full day with their family. This is a compromise we can do.

“But I understand it is an important day for everybody in England, not only Christmas Day but Boxing Day as well. It is like it is, I am not here to change it or discuss about it. I knew it before, so we will play.

“I came to England a couple of times to watch football on Boxing Day. It was cool to have a holiday and watch other people working.”