He was best man at Jurgen Klopp’s wedding, he moved to England only a couple of weeks after his best friend. And he admits, after a friendship stretching back a quarter of a century, to feeling like “brothers in the mind”.
But, tonight, David Wagner insists his only priority will be Huddersfield Town passing “a very serious test” against Klopp’s Liverpool at a sold-out John Smith’s Stadium.
Mark Hudson will feature tonight for Town after recovering from injury, but Nahki Wells will not be risked despite returning to training. Kasey Palmer is also missing along with fellow newcomer Ivan Paurevic.
Huddersfield host the Premier League club in an eagerly-awaited friendly that will act as a good gauge as to how successful Wagner’s extensive summer recruitment has been. It will also pit against each other the very best of friends.
Since the two Germans moved to England, they have kept in close contact. Wagner has been to watch Liverpool at Anfield three times and stayed overnight after one of those games at Klopp’s house. The pair also keep in touch regularly by phone.
“We speak often in the week about his life, my life; his club, my club; his future, my future; his present, my present,” added Huddersfield’s head coach.
Those conversations will, no doubt, have played a part in tonight’s game – which is expected to beat the previous best Town attendance for a friendly of 20,042, set in 1954 against South American side Independiente at the old Leeds Road – being organised along with the recent season-long loan switch of goalkeeper Danny Ward to the Championship club.
As close as Wagner and Klopp are, however, the Terriers’ head coach insists that his only priority for 90 minutes tonight will be how his new-look side perform.
“I can totally split off our friendship and the football,” said the 44-year-old. “This is Liverpool, a big traditional English club, and that is exciting enough.
“The personal relationship is interesting before the game and after the game he (Klopp) will hopefully visit me in my manager’s office.
“But, during the game, this is Huddersfield Town against Liverpool in front of a sold-out John Smith’s Stadium.
“It is not the highest pressure situation because of the result. But it is a very serious test for us and we have to make sure it is not the nicest night for Liverpool. If we do that, we will show we are along the right path.”
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