Liverpool star felt 'ashamed' and hid in car after ruthless Jurgen Klopp decision

Former Liverpool academy player Connor Randall has opened up about the moment Jurgen Klopp's decision left him feeling 'embarrassed' and 'ashamed'.

Despite the success of players like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harvey Elliott under Klopp, Randall's experience was less fortunate, particularly during a 2017 FA Cup match against Wolves.

Liverpool were trailing by two goals at the break, and although Divock Origi managed to score later on, the Reds were still eliminated from the competition. The defeat was a bitter pill for supporters and Klopp alike, who faced intense scrutiny after the match.

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For Randall, however, the sting was sharper as he was substituted at half-time in a move that would linger in his memory. Recounting the incident on the Football Journeys Podcast, Randall, now aged 28, shared his distress: "I can remember it clear as day, going into the changing room and getting taken off. I just stood in the shower, I think the game was on in the changing room on the telly and I felt ashamed.

"I felt embarrassed, I felt like [I was] letting everyone down and things like that. All my mates who'd come to watch me, a few of my mates, my family, they were upstairs and obviously you [usually] go and speak to them and whatever.

"I remember just going straight to the car. I was sat in the back of the car, putting my hood up and hiding. Not that that makes any difference, but at the time that's the way I felt.

"I just wanted to go home, get in the house and stay in the house. I can remember it clear that night. My sister, my little nephew and that came round and when they left I just went up to bed and tried to go to sleep, sort of just shut off from everything.

"If I'm being honest I did find it tough. Not just football, I probably took it with me outside of football as well. The biggest emotion is being half-ashamed, even going out, you don't want to go places and for people to see you and go 'that s*** player' or whatever."

Randall failed to break into the first-team picture after that match. He spent a season on loan at Hearts followed by a six-month period at Rochdale.

Post-Liverpool, Randall faced a challenging three months as a free agent until he joined Bulgarian side Arda Kardzhali in October 2019. However, his Eastern European venture was short-lived, leading him to Ross County on a free transfer the next year, where he continues to play.

Now finding joy in his game, the defender acknowledges the lingering impact of his early career struggles, sharing: "I definitely kept it with me for a lot longer than I probably should have and I did dwell on it and let it get to me in a way that I would never do now.

"When you step up and you do get that opportunity it's brilliant, but it is tough on the mental side of things. It's just a completely new sort of pressure that you've never experienced before."

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Daily Star by clicking here .