'Bring the Harlem Globetrotters'- Jurgen Klopp rips into Todd Boehly for suggesting an NBA-esque All-Star Game
Jurgen Klopp expresses disinterest in setting up an All-Star game in the Premier League.
Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp recently offered his candid take on Chelsea FC's babyfaced co-owner Todd Boehly's plans of potentially setting up an All-Star game in the Premier League inspired by a system of matches that are conducted in the United States-based leagues.
Todd Boehly, who is also the co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, recently took up part-ownership of the renowned London-based Chelsea FC. After a brief stint as the club's frontman, Boehly has suggested the Premier League to take a page out of the notebook of American Sports and participate in All-Star games, which is the norm in the NBA and the MLB.
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Klopp, however, is not too impressed by the idea, admitting that matters function much differently in football compared to the way it does in NBA or MLB. He offered fans some insight into the same while in conversation with the media in the aftermath of Liverpool's recent 2-1 Champions League victory against Ajax.
"When he finds a date for that, he can call me. He forgets that in the big sports in America, these players have four-month breaks. It is completely different in football. What can I say? Does he want to bring the Harlem Globetrotters as well and let them play against a football team? I am surprised by the question so please don't judge my answer too much. But maybe he can explain it to me at some point and find a proper date.
"Not sure people want to see that. Imagine that:[Manchester] Unitedplayers, Liverpool players,Evertonplayers altogether in one team. It is not a national team. North against south. That means north east [too],Newcastle... interesting game. And all the London guys together,Arsenal,Tottenham, great. Did he really say it? Interesting."
The Premier League, in it's longstanding history, has never experimented with anything like an All-Star game. Whether Todd Boehly could be the one to spearhead the charge to kickstart this practice is something that remains to be seen.