Jurgen Klopp claims there was a "big misunderstanding" surrounding Liverpool’s players bowing to the Kop after salvaging a point from a 2-2 draw with West Brom in 2015 .
The Baggies had looked to be taking three points from Anfield after goals from Craig Dawson and Jonas Olsson cancelled out an earlier Jordan Henderson effort.
But Divock Origi’s deflected strike from distance spared their blushes in the 96th minute.
However, after the game the Reds and their manager were widely mocked after being seen to ‘celebrate’ the point by linking arms and bowing to the Kop.
Klopp – who has just celebrated his three-year anniversary at Anfield – had only been in the job for a couple of months back then, and says he was bemused by the reaction to the gesture, which he says was purely aimed at showing the fans how crucial they were.
“I really wanted from the first day that the people know about their importance,” Klopp said in an exclusive interview with Joe.co.uk .
“In football, people always say it – that supporters are important – but then you don’t treat them like that so you have to make sure it’s really a healthy relationship.
“We know without them we wouldn’t play on our highest level, no chance. You have to appreciate that and it’s very easy for me, but it’s still very different routines in England and in Germany.
“There was a big misunderstanding against West Brom. I wanted to say thank you to the supporters after that game so I took my team towards the Kop to do it and there was a discussion everywhere about it. For me, it was ‘why should we even discuss that?’
“But I had to learn that English people are not used to that kind of thing.
“I wanted to show that we really we are one unit, 100 per cent one unit. That means I know I am responsible for the performance, but the people are responsible for the atmosphere.
“So it should be a win-win situation. When we play well, it’s easy to get the crowd going and when we don’t play well, we need you to encourage us – get on your feet, tell us ‘come on’ – you have to be the stars then.
“I want us to have the best atmosphere in world football and there is no limit to what we can do actually."
Read the full Klopp interview at Joe.co.uk
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