'It wasn't always easy' - Liverpool star opens up on fiery relationship with Jurgen Klopp | OneFootball

Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones was full of praise for his former manager Jurgen Klopp, but also revealed the numerous disagreements in a relationship which "wasn't always easy".

Jones was handed his senior debut as a 17-year-old by Klopp back in January 2019. The Liverpool academy graduate went on to make 132 senior appearances for the Reds during the German's legendary tenure, collecting winners' medals in the Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

However, it wasn't an entirely happy union.

The first hints of tension were exposed during pre-season, when Jones hailed Klopp's successor Arne Slot as "amazing". "It's probably the happiest I've been in terms of a style of play that suits me," he added.

Arne Slot (left) has used Curtis Jones in 36 of Liverpool's matches this season / Catherine Ivill - AMA/GettyImages

While doubling down on his praise for the Dutch coach and his footballing methods, Jones sought to clarify his relationship with Klopp. "I owe him so much," the England international told The Athletic this week. "Jurgen changed me from a boy to a man. There were times when I thought I'd need a loan spell to get more game time but he kept me around the team.

"It wasn't always as easy I would have wanted it to be because I'm a lad who wants to play. Jurgen made me understand the game a lot more from being a kid at the academy who was scoring and assisting all the time and didn’t really have to run. I could do whatever I wanted.

"The next step was to keep that ability but change stuff like passing the ball even more and the work off the ball. I wasn't always the best kid, but I wasn't arrogant or cocky. I just wanted the best for myself. He was the man who made me understand so much."

Liverpool are preparing for a meeting with Newcastle United at Wembley on Sunday. Jones was forced to miss last year's Carabao Cup final victory through injury but was pointedly overlooked for the 2022 showpiece against Chelsea. "I had to watch with a protective boot on last year and then a couple of years before that, I was left out of the squad for whatever reason," Jones recalled. "I wasn't happy but I had to respect Jurgen's choices."

The 24-year-old, who credits his continued improvement with newfound fatherhood, was also keen to hail Slot's impact. "This season, I've done it, playing well game after game," Jones beamed. "It comes with the trust of the staff who came in. They see how well I train every day. I'm happy that I've gained their trust."