Klopp joins Cox family by Zoom on Today FM broadcast

Liverpool boss launches ‘With Hope in Your Heart: The Seán Cox Story’

To mark the launch of her book, ‘With Hope in Your Heart:, The Seán Cox Story’, Seán’s wife Martina joined Matt Cooper on The Last Word on Today FM this week to discuss the unprovoked attack on the Dunboyne man in 2018 and how their lives were changed forever.

The book, written by broadcaster Susan Keogh with Martina Cox, features a foreword by Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp. Klopp was due to attend the launch event in Ireland as special guest but COVID restrictions meant that was not possible. Instead, in an Irish media first, Jürgen Klopp spoke to Today FM exclusively, in a lengthy Zoom interview recorded earlier this week and broadcast on Today FM this evening.

Joined on zoom by the Cox family, Jürgen spoke to Matt Cooper about his admiration for Martina Cox, the life and love lessons Liverpool FC has taught him and how he can’t wait to see fans back in the stadium, post COVID. Jürgen Klopp also revealed he will visit Ireland once guidelines allow to fulfil his commitment to the launch of this special book: “I wanted to come over for the book launch and that’s not possible but when COVID is gone I will come over (to Ireland) and all the people who buy the book will then get a signing but they have to come back then or buy a new one – I only sign new ones!”

ON HEARING OF THE UNPROVOKED ATTACK ON SEÁN COX IN APRIL 2018

“I don’t have the right words for it. I felt immediately how little importance football has in life in these moments. This day I don’t remember very well but I remember the first time I heard Seán was doing well, better and better and when I heard he was coming to Liverpool, to Anfield I was really excited to meet him and about all the progress. That is a day I have much better memories of”

ON LIVERPOOL FC’S SUPPORT OF THE COX FAMILY IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE ATTACK:

“To Seán and Martina, it’s still like this, I hope you know that, whatever you need, whatever you need when no authority can help, I think we always can find a way where we can make things easier. We still feel this, it’s like friendship, it’s like family – we really have to do these things because you want to do these things because it’s not about who’s responsible it’s about who helps after. As long as this club exists, these things have to happen.

It’s easy for me to be the face of that because everybody in this club breathes that, eats that and is exactly like that. I knew before I came here that it’s the right decision, meanwhile I know it’s the perfect decision. Not for the success we had just for the things I learned about relationships, for the things I learned about life and love I’m really happy to be here today with family Cox.

I’d like to think each club would have done it. I’m here since 5 years now and I learn every day a little bit more how special this club is but I think every club would have reacted… but all the people around Liverpool, I think that’s really special, the history of this club…with a lot of highs and some downs showed always when times are really difficult, then we all stick even closer together and that’s one of the parts I love most about the club and the city. We all, maybe not responsible for what happened, but feel responsible for what will happen from now on, that we all try and help as much as we can…”

ON HIS MEMORY OF THE SEÁN COX CHARITY MATCH IN DUBLIN IN APRIL 2019

“It was a sensational moment, seeing Martina standing opposite smiling like hell. I like having people but usually I don’t have people I don’t know but, in this moment, nobody could hold me back, it felt absolutely great. I hope it felt great for Seán and Martina as well. The smile on your face, it gave me a lot of belief back in how you can approach life. It’s one of the laws in my life, we have no influence really on what happens to us but always we can decide how we react and your reaction on what happened is second to none I have to say, it’s just incredible and that’s what life is all about. And I was so happy to see you that night”.

ON THE LEADERSHIP SHOWN BY MARTINA COX:

“I’m 53 years old I know since I can think that my mother was the best leader ever. It was always clear that women are the much better leaders than men ever can be. Yes, you don’t get the big trophies maybe but that’s not too important with these kind of leaders. Family is most important, and I love that part of life. Martina knows 100% that the family is really proud of her and what she is doing there and she is a proper role model for me and I’m really that we met and that I could be a little part of that story and I hope you know what an incredible job you are doing”

ON THE SPECIAL CONNNECTION BETWEEN LIVERPOOL FC AND IRELAND

“The first thing I heard when I came to Liverpool is that a scouser is an Irish man (or woman) who can swim! So we are probably closer to Ireland than each other city in England ever was”.

I never thought where the majority of Liverpool supporters are coming from. I had no idea but I’m really happy to experience it now. Two of my favourite games for Liverpool were the friendlies at Dublin, it was just great to play there. “Thank You Ireland” I said after one press conference, I think…

We were so welcomed in that city, but I heard meanwhile some of the Irish people are Man United fans as well so no place in the world is perfect obviously!!”

MARTINA COX ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FOOTBALL TO SEÁN’S RECOVERY

“Absolutely key to his recovery but having the support of the club has been fantastic, it’s ongoing, we know that they’re going to be there for Seán and that’s very reassuring”

ON LOOKING FORWARD TO LIFE AFTER COVID:

“I miss probably fans more than anybody on this planet misses fan, I only love this game so much because it’s so important to some many people. There are 90 minutes a week where we can at least act like nothing else is important

I will not forget for one second what happened when we became champions in 2020 with Liverpool and that makes it really really special. I wanted to have my family around, we were together and that makes it special as well because you just realise in a moment like this how much they all mean to you, how much you want them to be here.

But I can’t wait until life changes back to kind of normal. I will probably, if any vaccine is out, I will be probably the first who takes it (“OK, not the Russian version”) I’m really desperate. It’s long enough now, I’m ready to go back to normal and bring all the people back into the stadium and let them go out into pubs and restaurants”