Riding The Bull: What To Expect From Jürgen Klopp In His New Role With Red Bull Football

The news of Jürgen Klopp’s impending return to football was met with mixed reactions, as it was unveiled that he’s set to take on a new role as Head of Global Soccer with Red Bull.

Since first entering the football world when they bought SV Austria Salzburg in 2005, Red Bull have been a polarising entity in the sport.

On the one hand, they’ve spearheaded innovative recruitment strategies, providing players from around the globe with a pathway to the very top of the beautiful game.

On the other hand, especially in Germany, where the 50+1 rule protects fan ownership, they are viewed as a threat to the sports values.

In any event, as has been the case in other sports where they’ve become involved, such as Formula One, it’s hard to argue that Red Bull has not succeeded in making itself a notable presence in the global football landscape.

One key element of their success is the clear Red Bull tactical identity, which is evident in their teams’ style of play on the pitch.

Ralf Rangnick, a coach whose preferred style of play has been compared and contrasted with that of Jürgen Klopp over the years, played a pivotal role in founding the Red Bull playing principles with his hands-on role during the early years of Red Bull’s football involvement, especially with Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig, where he had a hands-on role in building what has become known as the Red Bull identity.

Despite both coaches’ similarities in on-the-field performance in certain ways, Jürgen Klopp’s upcoming job with Red Bull is unlikely to be very similar to Rangnicks from his days at Red Bull.

So, what will Jürgen Klopp’s new job entail?

This analysis aims to provide some answers and insight into what to expect of Red Bull’s soon-to-be new Head of Global Soccer as he embarks on a new journey overseeing their set of clubs.

Red Bull’s Past Meets Red Bull’s Future

Firstly, it’s worth discussing how Red Bull’s involvement in football has grown and evolved over the past two decades.

Initially purchasing a club in Austria, which has become known as Red Bull Salzburg, Red Bull have since become a multi-club ownership group, providing a bit of a blueprint for those that have followed them into that niche in the sport — a growing trend.

Klopp will oversee operations at Red Bull Salzburg, RB Leipzig, New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Bragantino and Omiya Ardija.

In addition to their extensive stable of clubs, Red Bull’s evolution in football can be visualised through their impact on their clubs — especially the two in Europe, Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig.

Figure 1 displays Red Bull Salzburg’s league placement from 2000/01-2023/24.

As mentioned, Red Bull took over in 2005, which marks a significant upturn in Salzburg’s league performance in the Austrian top flight.

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