Carlo Ancelotti Denies Rumours of Liverpool Contact Prior to Jurgen Klopp Hire

Former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed there was no contact between himself and Liverpool over the previously vacant manager’s position at the club.  

The Reds appointed Jurgen Klopp as the man to replace the departed Brendan Rodgers, but ex-Premier League manager Harry Redknapp stated the Italian was offered the job first, per talkSPORT (h/t Hamish Mackay of the Daily Mirror). Ancelotti has suggested those claims are unfounded.

“With Liverpool, there was no contact," Ancelotti said to Goal.com (h/t Neil Jones of the Liverpool Echo). “When a job becomes available, they always use the names of the coaches currently without a team, so, my name was thrown out there. But I never had any direct contact with the directors of Liverpool.”

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Although there were plenty of eyebrows raised at Redknapp’s suggestion, Ancelotti’s claim there was no contact whatsoever with the club is at odds with various reports. Neil Ashton of the MailOnline wrote the former Milan chief was “sounded out” before Rodgers was given the chop, while Sky Sports also suggested there was contact between the Reds and his representatives when the job became available.

Ancelotti would have been a major coup for Liverpool. This is a man who has won the Champions League title three times in his distinguished managerial career, and there’s little denying he possesses the gravitas to attract top players to a football club, too.

However, as noted by David Amoyal of ESPN FC, Klopp seems like he’s a much more natural fit for Liverpool than the Italian:

Indeed, during his previous role as Borussia Dortmund manager, Klopp galvanised a club that was on its knees to two Bundesliga titles and the Champions League final. While the Reds aren’t in anywhere near as drastic a plight, they’re a club in a precarious position, which is not something Ancelotti has a great deal of experience with.

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The Italian, while he has earned his reputation as one of the most reputable, studious coaches in world football, has made his name by pushing good teams into become great ones. Awakening a sleeping giant has never really seemed to be akin to his style of management.

Peter Hall of Sky Sports thought Ancelotti would have been a better bet for Liverpool, though:

After appointing Klopp, there are few Liverpool fans who would swap him for anyone. The German has waltzed into Anfield and immediately conjured a feel-good factor at the club. His amicable nature, laid-back aura and sharp humour has immediately won the Reds over, and he seems desperate to restore the club to former glories.

Ancelotti could have provided a steady hand and better prospects of short-term stability, but it seems as though Klopp may have been the sole candidate for the position after all. Still, that’s unlikely to deter the Italian who, given his stellar reputation, will not escape the clutches of a top European club for too much longer.