Jurgen Klopp has challenged critics of Liverpool’s coaches to ‘go for’ him instead.
Several members of Klopp’s backroom staff found themselves singled out this season, notably assistant Pep Lijnders and fitness coach Andreas Kornmayer.
Dietmar Hamann previously blamed Lijnders for the Reds’ demise, claiming that the Dutch coach’s newly-published book had been a contributing factor.
Accusations of Kornmayer’s perceived influence within the ranks, meanwhile, saw Klopp bristle with journalists following last weekend’s defeat to Wolves.
But the Liverpool manager insists that he retains total faith in his lieutenants.
“We could go now through the seven-and-a-half years: a lot of people left, a lot of people came in. It always worked out,” said Klopp.
“We never spoke about it because, ‘Oh, he’s coming in – that helps’ and now we play bad football, you tell me (it’s their fault) – it makes no sense.
“If they would not be helpful, or inspirational or whatever you want to call it, they would not be here.
“I’m 100% clear that nobody’s here because they’re my friend. It will never happen. It was never the case and will never be the case.
“They are here because they are best in class in what they are doing. But if you don’t praise them in the good times then don’t criticise them in the less than good times.
“Don’t do that – have the balls and go for me, then the confrontation can happen of course but I get an awful lot of money to face this situations.
“They all have a career after that and we talk about them like ‘they did this and they did that.
“By the way, if I would listen to people who give me the wrong advice, it’s my fault and not theirs. I will not change in that department to be honest so just as a little warning.
“I didn’t even read it – that’s the fun part. But it was so much spoken about that in the end I got aware of it and that means then it’s subject and it’s a subject that everybody’s talking about then I have to react.”