'Teach Outside the Robot' with Karl C. Pupé FRSA.

The award-winning author, teacher and consultant explains classroom management and student psychology in the Information Age.

I’m an Arsenal Fan — Yet Here are 3 Leadership Lessons from Jurgen Klopp that Made Him a Premier League GOAT

(Here’s what you can learn, regardless of your team.)

Karl C. Pupé FRSA

#30 Thursday 13th November 2025

Hello friend.

There are sportspeople.

Then there are icons.

We all know them. Let me reel off a couple of names to lubricate your mind.

· Kobe Bryant

· Usain Bolt

· Muhammad Ali

· Maradona

· Serena Williams

· Billie Jean King

It's not only that they are good at what they do – they wouldn't be in the conversation if they weren't masters of their craft. What separates these folks from the rest of the pack is that they have the real 'X-Factor,' that je-ne-sais-quoi, that touch of genius that lifts them out of their field and puts them at the centre of our culture.

Jürgen Norbert Klopp (born 1967) is one of the greatest football managers of all time. He was Liverpool’s most successful modern manager, running the club for nine years between 2015 and 2024.

He has won everything there is to win in club football, including the Champions League and Liverpool’s first Premier League trophy.

The 6-foot-4 German is known for his gregarious smile, blunt yet hilarious press conferences, and explosive passion on the touchlines, which ignites the players and crowd alike.

But I shouldn’t like him at all.

Klopp’s Liverpool, as well as Guardiola’s Man City, have been thorns in the side of my beloved Arsenal.

We have been on the receiving end of many pastings from ‘The Red Army.’

But who can be mad at the million-dollar smile ‘Kloppo’ has?

And there are so many leadership lessons that you and I can learn from Jurgen.

Thus, I put my club allegiances to one side (just for this newsletter.) 😎

Here are three powerful leadership lessons from the extraordinary coach known as ‘The Normal One.’

#1: Create a Vision and Rally Everyone Around It

When Klopp came to Liverpool, it was a club in transition. While a very astute and professional coach, Klopp's predecessor, Brendan Rodgers, was perceived as a mismatch for the direction Liverpool wanted to take. Due to hierarchical tensions, questionable signings, and an abysmal start to the season, Rodgers was dismissed.

Enter Jurgen.

The boisterous Black Forest native strolled into Anfield as cool as a cucumber. In his ebony John Wick blazer, midnight black shirt, and fitted denim-blue jeans, Klopp arrived at his first press conference like a man who would take your mum to the O2 Arena to watch an ABBA reunion concert. Snazzy.

Klopp was already a respected football manager, having shepherded Borussia Dortmund's youthful squad to two back-to-back Bundesliga titles (the German Premier League). But expectations were at fever pitch – could Klopp take them back to the top? So naturally, the reporters peppered him with a thousand variations of this question.

Klopp pondered and replied coolly, "If I sit here in four years, I am pretty confident we will have one title." Klopp initially signed a three-year deal with an option for a one-year extension.' A little later, when asked how he would manage the expectations of the Liverpool fans, who wanted Liverpool to relive the glories of the past, he stated, "Twenty-five years ago (since the last league title) is a long time. History is only the base for us, (we shouldn't) keep the history in our backpack all day1."

And bang on his prediction, he won the Champions League in 2019 within four years of his tenure and did so much more.

As teachers, you must create a culture of aspiration in your classrooms. You're not merely there to help them pass exams and read texts from people who lived 400 years ago, but you're there to help your students rewrite their own personal histories. You're there to help a child break a generational cycle of poverty, substance abuse, and misery through the power of education.

You're there to help a student develop the self-confidence to embrace what makes them different and be able to stand up proudly in society. I know this sounds very fluffy, but it's true. Human beings have always been drawn to people who have exciting visions: whether for good, like Martin Luther King, or evil, like Attila the Hun.

But the key takeaway you must learn is that you can't do it alone. In the Information Age, we must move from being lecturers to coaches, teaching our students what they need to learn and why they need to know it.

Especially when you're in a new class, you must enter the classroom and create a culture where you work together for the common good. Discover your students' dreams and connect your lessons to them. If you succeed, your students will be more responsive and willing to hear what you say. Remember, if you show interest in them, they will show interest in you.

#2: Have a Clear Structure and Make Sure Everyone Understands Their Role

Klopp is lauded not only for his charisma but also for his ability to boil down complex game strategies into very simple philosophies and get his players to 'buy-in' to them. Klopp was surrounded by a galaxy of stars with insane talent, but he also recognised that each member must play their part so that the whole team can win.

His most significant change was implementing what he called 'heavy metal football.' This style of play pressured Liverpool's opponents into making a mistake high up the pitch, and then, in the blink of an eye, 'The Reds' would regain possession and score a goal without even giving the rival player the time to blink2.'

Klopp didn't accept any passengers on his team. Liverpool hunted, harassed and dominated their opponents. If their opponents tried their strategy, Liverpool would win the ball and hit them on the counter. Few teams can match Liverpool's intensity due to this aggressive football philosophy.

Look, I'm not suggesting you participate in 'heavy metal teaching.' I don't want you to hunt, harass and dominate your students – you will lose your job. But what is critically important is that you ensure everyone explicitly understands their roles in the classroom and create an atmosphere where everyone can succeed.

There needs to be clear lines for rewards and clear lines for sanctions. Ambiguity is the father of poor behaviour management. You must create consistent structures and expectations, including how your students enter the room, classroom routines, and the quality of homework submissions. Hone these practices until your classes know them like the back of their hands, and you will have a much smoother lesson.

#3: Enforce Discipline and Demand High Standards

But don't get it twisted. Behind the charisma, the smiles, and the amusing press conferences is a steely tactician who demands the highest standards from his players. The players knew who the Boss was, and they knew not to cross Klopp.

When it is time to work, the players must be 100% switched on and ready to go. In a Guardian report that chronicled Liverpool's first modern Premier League title, reporter Andy Hunter highlighted Klopp's fastidious and sometimes relentless nature. Hunter stated, "To Klopp the training ground is sacred. Respecting Melwood as a place of work is his absolute rule. There is no leeway on that instruction, a point he enforced by banning impromptu visits from wives and partners, agents and hangers-on as soon as he arrived." The Croatia international Dejan Lovren, who worked with Klopp in 2015, once quipped "He's your friend but he's not your best friend3."

Being kind yet demanding is not a contradiction. Our students are human and will cross the lines no matter how empathetic you are. Tempers will flare, words will be spoken, and standards will be compromised; you must be prepared and willing to uphold your high-performance culture.

Most teachers hate sanctioning their students. But I believe most approach it from the wrong mindset. Most teachers confuse 'punishment' with discipline.' Punishment and discipline are poles apart.

Punishing people is about retribution, and it comes from a darker place. When we punish people, we want to inflict pain on them, and in the moment, we do not care about whether it is for their betterment. 'Discipline' is a different animal. It's less emotional and more surgical. This is about correcting the poor behaviour, so they can have a better future outcome and grow more mature.

When you sanction your students for infractions, ensure that the sanctions are just, proportionate and effective. Sanctions that drag on are just as bad as no sanctions at all. Once it is done and your student has learned their lesson, give them grace and swiftly move on from the incident. If you can do that well, that will demonstrate practical and decisive leadership.

TL:DR

1) Create a compelling vision and give people the tools to get there

2) Have clear ‘success’ structures and roles that everyone understands

3) Create an environment of excellence: demand high standards, but make sure you show care.

OK, enough of liking Liverpool. 😂

That’s all for today.

The next TOTR newsletter comes out on Thursday 27^th November 2025.

Until then, take care.

Karl