Jurgen Klopp started his reign as Germany’s head coach by threatening to quit if the media invades his family’s privacy.

The former Liverpool manager was appointed on a four-year deal on Friday to replace Julian Nagelsmann, who resigned this month after Germany’s shock World Cup defeat by Paraguay in the last 32.

But the 59-year-old issued a warning to the media as he held his first news conference as Germany’s head coach.

“If you behave badly and don’t leave my family in peace then I’ll be gone, I’ll just turn away,” Klopp said.

“I know there are other countries where national team coaches are treated even worse.

“I’m not doing this job for myself, I’m doing it for you. I’m taking this job even though I’ve seen how you’ve treated Julian Nagelsmann and Thomas Tuchel.

“I love this job but I am always ready to call it quits if need be.”

Both Nagelsmann and England boss Tuchel came under media scrutiny after their exits from the World Cup, with Tuchel criticised for his defensive tactics and substitutions as the Three Lions let slip a 1-0 lead in their semi-final defeat by Argentina.

Klopp’s appointment was widely expected for weeks and his contract will see him through to the 2030 World Cup, co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

“Jurgen Klopp is not going to have any career after the national team,” he added.

“This is the pinnacle, the absolutely high point of my footballing career as coach. I will give everything I have got.”

It is Klopp’s first coaching job since ending his nine-year tenure at Liverpool in the summer of 2024 after “running out of energy”.

He said he feels the time is right for his return to coaching and to take up his first role in international football.

“Over the last few days it was almost like a movie happening to myself,” he said.

“I have always surmised the job of Germany head coach is really big but now it is really dawning on me what being the national team head coach is all about.

“For many, many years it was unimaginable for me to assume this position. As the years went by, it became more or less evident that sooner or later I would be asked to do this job.

“Now I think the time is right.”

His first game in charge will be against the Netherlands in a Nations League group-stage match on 24 September.

IOC Declines To Investigate FIFA President (1)

The International Olympic Committee has said it will not investigate Gianni Infantino as a complaint about the Fifa president is outside its scope.

Human rights campaign group FairSquare complained to the IOC that Infantino had breached its charter by failing to adhere to rules on political neutrality “through statements or other clear expressions of support for the US president”.

US President Donald Trump admitted during the World Cup that he had called Infantino to ask him to review a red card given to US striker Folarin Balogun.

The forward was expected to miss his side’s last-16 tie against Belgium after being sent off during their 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina.

But, after the intervention from Trump the one-match ban was suspended for 12 months. No reason was given, beyond citing a rule that allows punishments to be suspended.

Balogun started the match, which Belgium won 4-1.

Infantino has been a member of the IOC since 2020.

Section two of the Olympic charter states: “Members of the IOC will not accept from governments, organisations, or other parties, any mandate or instructions liable to interfere with the freedom of their action and vote.”

The IOC said the complaint against Infantino fell outside the jurisdiction of its ethics commission.

“The current complaint, with regard to the Fifa president, refers only to the international federation’s decisions on its governance and its management, including its relations with government, and to the international federation’s implementation of the rules of its sport, which are both outside the scope of application of the IOC code of ethics,” it said.

The IOC statement came a day after it emerged the Norwegian Football Federation was considering filing a formal complaint to Fifa’s ethics committee about the decision to suspend Balogun’s automatic one-match ban.

In a statement provided to Tidesports source, NFF president Lise Klaveness said the federation had reacted with strong concern and a decision on whether or not to make a complaint would be made at its next board meeting.

The federation has already filed a complaint about Fifa’s first Peace Prize being awarded to Trump.

Chelsea In Search Of New Set-Piece Coach (2)

Chelsea are in talks to sign highly regarded set-piece coach Austin MacPhee from Aston Villa but face competition from other Premier League clubs as well as Saudi Pro League teams.

Villa would be due compensation for MacPhee with his contract understood to have a specified release clause.

The Scottish coach, 46, has combined his role at Villa Park with a similar position with the Portugal national team for the past five years under Roberto Martinez, who resigned after the World Cup.

Villa scored more goals from set-pieces than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues during the 2023-24 season.

They followed that by ranking among the top five a season later and finished joint-top with Arsenal in the Premier League last season.

MacPhee would be one of a number of staff members to leave Villa Park this summer after helping the club win the Europa League and qualify for the Champions League under manager Unai Emery.

New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has space in his current backroom staff as previous set-piece coach Bernardo Cueva, who joined from Brentford for £750,000 in 2024, is moving away from a touchline role and into a more behind-the-scenes position.

Chelsea signed Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for £117m this week, with Alejandro Garnacho moving in the other direction on an initial loan that will likely become permanent through an option to buy.

Boxing: Joshua Survives For Date With Fury (4)

Anthony Joshua suffered two knockdowns, the first happening after just 20 seconds, before recovering to dramatically stop Kristian Prenga in the second round of his comeback fight in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The British heavyweight was fighting for the first time since surviving the December car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of his close friends Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele.

He was sensationally rocked by a huge uppercut from underdog Prenga in the opening round, and then hit the canvas again later in the round.

At that point he looked on the verge of one of the biggest shock defeats in heavyweight history, with the long-awaited Tyson Fury fight hanging by a thread.

But Joshua produced one of the greatest escapes of his career, and now that fight is on.

He unleashed his right hand in the second round, with the final shot sending Albanian Prenga crashing down and forcing the referee to halt the contest.

“It’s more than punch power. That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina, that was the families. It hurts to even talk about it. It has been tough,” Joshua, 36, said.

He choked up and stepped away from the microphone, before adding: “It’s my brothers. I don’t want to talk about it.”

There had been speculation fellow Briton Fury might make a appearance despite insisting he would not attend.

But the master of mind games stayed true to his word, with Fury nowhere to be seen barely 24 hours on from his own warm-up win over Mariusz Wach in Thailand.

“I respect everything he has done and everything that he has achieved, but as a fighting person, we’re here now. I hope the fans will be in for a lovely treat,” Joshua said about the prospect of fighting Fury.

Contracts have been signed, but the venue and date for a fight more than a decade in the making are still unknown.

This chaotic night, however, belonged to Joshua in a victory forged through adversity during the most difficult months of his life.

Given the circumstances, this was never going to be a straightforward return for Joshua. Few, however, could have predicted the drama that unfolded inside six minutes.

Joshua carried the names of Ghami and Ayodele on his chest and walked to the ring alongside his entire team in a quiet show of unity. The canvas carried their names too, alongside the words ‘My Brother’s Keeper’.

His comeback could scarcely have begun in any worse fashion. Just 20 seconds in, a right uppercut from Prenga sent Joshua crashing to the canvas and stunned the arena.

Joshua smiled as he climbed to his feet. Prenga, who arrived with 20 knockouts from his 20 victories but little profile even with boxing’s hardcore followers, sensed an opportunity.

Promoter Eddie Hearn barked instructions from ringside, while Joshua stablemate Oleksandr Usyk watched on with a look of concern.

A left uppercut later in the round dumped Joshua on the canvas again. He was still unsteady at the start of the second round and appeared to be there for the taking, but Prenga surprisingly began to box off the back foot and let the Watford fighter off the hook.

Joshua capitalised and using his years of experience, and perhaps the emotion, he drew Prenga on to a jab before uncorking a crushing right hand. More rights followed as Prenga collapsed to the canvas and the referee had seen enough.

This was 35-year-old Prenga’s second loss in his career.

It was Joshua’s first test against a recognised professional opponent since Daniel Dubois stopped him in September 2024.

His only fight since had come against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in December, 10 days before the fatal crash that left him injured.

Joshua passed the Prenga test, but not in the manner anyone expected. It was not the destructive, free-flowing champion who once swept opponents aside.