For Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, 12:30pm is something of a bogey kick-off time (if such a phrase can reasonably be accepted by the football fanbase).
Whereas other clubs have "bogey teams" - mention Crystal Palace in front of a Manchester City fan or Wolves in front of a United fan and they may well flinch - Liverpool seem to struggle whenever they are fixed for the early Saturday Premier League kick-off.
Klopp's side were chosen for the 12:30 kick-off on six occasions last year, with three draws and three defeats to show for their efforts in those games.
The Liverpool manager has not kept his disdain for the kick-off time quiet, with his public qualms about such an early kick-off after mid-week games going as far back as 2020.
However, ahead of yet another 12:30 kick-off for Liverpool on Saturday afternoon, Klopp seemed somewhat taken aback when James Pearce of the Athletic pressed him for further comment on the issue, with the German coach appearing to take offence with Pearce's line of questioning, in a tense press conference moment.
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Liverpool: 12:30 kick-offs question draws cold response from Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp has previously criticised the existence of a 12:30 kick-off time in the Premier League and, in particular, the decision by broadcasters to place clubs who have played important midweek games in said slot.
With Liverpool playing Europa League football on Thursday nights this year, they will be ineligible for selection for the slot on those weekends.
They have, however, been chosen for this week's game on TNT Sports immediately after an international break, and will be in the same position after October's international break.
Given Jurgen Klopp's past comments on this policy, you would imagine it would be a fair line of questioning to press the Liverpool boss on his thoughts on the latest in a line of instances of this happening.
Jurgen Klopp really doesn't like James Pearce does he 😂pic.twitter.com/LT3AxfNT12
— Anything Liverpool (@AnythingLFC_) September 15, 2023
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However, in Friday's pre-match press conference, a question from the Athletic's James Pearce on the matter drew a terse response from Klopp.
Pearce pushed Klopp on what the exact nature of his issue with the kick-off time was, before Klopp pushed back with a sarcastic opening comment and threw a jab at Pearce in his closing remarks, either side of a detailed breakdown of his frustrations:
Are you serious with that question? What do you mean by, 'what is the difference when you play'...what do you think is the reason?
I don't understand - is it something about the time, or the lack of time between?
It's not a problem if you have a normal week, we always said that. A normal week with 12:30 is no problem, that's easy to adapt. The only problem is the lack of recovery time.
We have now four international breaks until March - two of them we have already the 12:30 kick-off [directly after]. If I say a word about it, then the whole world goes again, 'he starts moaning again.'
This is a joke. We have players in South America, I didn't see them yet. In 24 hours, we play.
They [the TV] just don't give a...about that.
In a moment, then, someone like you now gives me this feeling that he's sitting there, 'and what's exactly the problem? Is it 12:30 because it's lunchtime? Or could it be the lack of time between the games and intensity of the travel...'
Make your own opinion about it. Maybe this time without a source.
It's hard to argue with Klopp's reasoning for disliking the kick-off time, but also hard to see what had earned Pearce such not-so-thinly-veiled hostility from the Liverpool manager, after what seemed to be a perfectly reasonable question.
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