In a very interesting Ragnar Klavan documentary on Estonian TV, the Liverpool defender has spoken about just how careful players have to be with regard to personal security.
Ragnar Klavan is a national treasure in Estonia. So much so that when Balls.ie published an article featuring criticisms of Klavan by Brian Kerr, the Estonian FA emailed us to refute claims Kerr had made about the centre-back.
So it's no real surprise that an Estonian TV company have made a documentary about Klavan. Klavan gives them rare access to his home and openly gives his thoughts on various topics, which makes the piece very interesting viewing.
One of the most interesting snippets is when Klavan is discussing the security measures Liverpool players are instructed to undertake in order to keep themselves away from undesirables.
We've gone with the subtitles provided, just in case you're wondering why the words might seem weirdly ordered in some parts.
Narrator: According to the club's tips, the Estonian chose a home in a prestigious region of a dead end street. And behind a locked fence to keep out criminals and paparazzi.
Klavan: They are trying to keep it (the address) as a secret as far as possible, for example if we order something from the Internet we have to order them to the Melwood training centre, not to our home.
And the chief of police said to check your mirror when you drive away from Melwood and if you are a few hundred metres away from your home and the same car is still following you, drive around and go to the police station for a moment.
The documentary is really insightful, and it shows Klavan to be quite a humble figure who seems to be genuinely living the dream at Liverpool. Here are a few other notable quotes from the video:
Klavan on buying a relatively modest house rather than a great big dirty footballer's mansion
There were offers for 6-7 bedroom houses, that fundamentally you don't use half of your house at all. That did not seem reasonable.
Klavan on how surprised he was that Jurgen Klopp was interested in him
Klavan was asked if it was true that he asked Jurgen Klopp to send him a picture of himself when he called Klavan the first time, so surprised was he that the German was interested in signing him. He replied:
It was like this joke format. This whole situation, to be a 30 year old Estonian and one moment the agent is calling (and saying) that Liverpool is very interested in you and head coach Klopp is a big fan of yours, then you might think, 'Is someone doing some kind of an interesting television programme, or what's going on?'
Klavan on how he celebrated signing his (reportedly 250,000 euro p/month) contract with Liverpool
That day, when I signed the contract, I went back to the hotel and then I sat down for about two hours on top of the couch, and I thought: 'What have I done?'
If you are working on it so hard and that moment has finally arrived, then it takes some time before it gets to you.
Klavan on weird fan encounters
The soccer talk for 20 minutes to half an hour, you will tolerate. But one time there was an Indian guy (taxi driver) who in the middle of the ride started to do a Youtube video, that he is driving with Ragnar Klavan in a taxi and they are going to here and there. I was thinking that this is already too much. First, it is very dangerous and secondly obnoxious.
Another time, at a hotel:
An older Asian guy came up to me after breakfast and asked nicely can he take a picture. I agreed. But he wasn't very good with the smart phone. He pressed on the last picture he had made and it was a picture of me eating breakfast. That was the last picture he made and he got caught.
He was very awkward and excused (himself) for taking that picture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RAERnrmUE8
