Liverpool’s Klopp sends Hong Kong boss Andersen Asian Cup ‘good luck’ message, Norwegian creating his own mentality monsters

Jorn Andersen says the penny is dropping with his Hong Kong players, who are developing the mentality to compete with Asia’s top teams

Head coach says Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp made contact ahead of first game against the United Arab Emirates

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Sun Ming-him is one of the ‘mentality players’ in Hong Kong’s Asian Cup finals squad. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 5:30pm, 12 Jan 2024Updated: 5:35pm, 12 Jan 2024

Jorn Andersen says fast-improving Hong Kong are on course to “beat a big team”, and the head coach revealed Jurgen Klopp sent him a personal good luck message in advance of the AFC Asian Cup finals.

Andersen succeeded the Liverpool manager as boss of German side Mainz 05 back in 2008, and the pair have remained friends ever since.

The Norwegian revealed he had been invited to visit the Premier League coach many times but had “never had time to go”.

“I sent him a message after their game against Arsenal on Sunday [Liverpool won 2-0 in the FA Cup], and he wrote back to say, ‘Good luck for the Asian Cup’.”

Klopp famously described his team as mentality monsters, and over a two-year reign Andersen has created a side in a similar image.

Jorn Andersen is seeing tangible progress in his effort to create a mentally robust Hong Kong side. Photo: Dickson Lee

“I told the players from the start I needed more from them, that they needed a stronger mentality,” Andersen said. “Maybe, I ask more from them than they can give. But that is the only way I can develop them to compete at this level.