Jurgen Klopp left former Liverpool academy star Connor Randall feeling ’embarrassed’ and ‘ashamed’ following a brutal decision.
While the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harvey Elliott succeeded under the former boss’ leadership, many other youngsters struggled. Ex-Liverpool academy prospect Randall is one of those, as he was on the end of a ruthless decision from Klopp during a 2017 FA Cup fourth-round defeat to Wolves.
Liverpool were losing 2-0 at half-time and while Divock Origi did net a late consolation to make the score 2-1, they were still knocked out of the FA Cup by the then-Championship team. The loss was tough for all Liverpool fans and for Klopp, who was on the end of a huge amount of criticism for the exit.
But the result was especially painful for Randall as he was ruthlessly hooked at half-time by the German. It was a moment that would haunt him throughout his career.
While reflecting on what happened during an appearance on the Football Journeys Podcast, the now 28-year-old said: “I can remember it clear as day, going into the changing room and getting taken off. I just stood in the shower, I think the game was on in the changing room on the telly and I felt ashamed.
“I felt embarrassed, I felt like [I was] letting everyone down and things like that. All my mates who’d come to watch me, a few of my mates, my family, they were upstairs and obviously you [usually] go and speak to them and whatever.
“I remember just going straight to the car. I was sat in the back of the car, putting my hood up and hiding. Not that that makes any difference, but at the time that’s the way I felt.
“I just wanted to go home, get in the house and stay in the house. I can remember it clear that night. My sister, my little nephew and that came round and when they left I just went up to bed and tried to go to sleep, sort of just shut off from everything.
“If I’m being honest I did find it tough. Not just football, I probably took it with me outside of football as well. The biggest emotion is being half-ashamed, even going out, you don’t want to go places and for people to see you and go ‘that s*** player’ or whatever.”
Randall was not able to break back into the starting eleven after that match, reports the Liverpool Echo. He was sent on loan at Hearts for a season before a following six-month spell at Rochdale.
After leaving the Reds in July 2019, he endured three months without a club until he signed with Bulgarian outfit Arda Kardzhali. His stint in Eastern Europe did not last long as he was on his way to Ross County on a free transfer the following year, where he has been playing since.
While he is enjoying his football now, the right-back admitted the sting of his early exit from the game lingered for a long time. He added: “I definitely kept it with me for a lot longer than I probably should have and I did dwell on it and let it get to me in a way that I would never do now.
“When you step up and you do get that opportunity it’s brilliant, but it is tough on the mental side of things. It’s just a completely new sort of pressure that you’ve never experienced before.”