Rose on being reunified with Klopp: "Looking forward to conversations with a great guy!"

The shock move of legendary German footballer and coach Jürgen Klopp to the Red Bull Global Football System over the international break continues to necessitate comments from those associated with Klopp's first club, FSV Mainz 05. The former Dortmund and Liverpool trainer shall forever be associated with the more humble Palatinate club at which he spent his entire playing career and the first seven years of his post-playing coaching life.

Klopp's close friend, neighbor, and former FSV colleague Christian Heidel has already had his turn at speaking on the surprise decisive to serve as the RB Head of Global Football. At a Friday pre-match Bundesliga presser, it was current RB Leipzig trainer Marco Rose's turn. Rose spent the bulk of his playing career working under Klopp at the Rheinhessen, playing under Klopp for six seasons between 2002 and 2008.

"We had a very special time together," Rose remarked at the Friday press conference, "We all remain proud [of what we accomplished there at Mainz] and have kept in touch and supported each other over the years."

"Oliver [Mintzlaff] informed me personally and, yes, I was both surprised and very happy about it," Rose continued, "I believe Oliver has been working on this coup for years and is very pleased to have finally succeeded."

"Most people are - for their own reasons - either disappointed or very happy," Rose went on, "Just let him get started in January. I myself and many others are personally very happy for him."

"I'm looking forward to the [professional] conversations," Rose said of his forthcoming working relationship with his old coach, "I now have a professional partner who has experienced everything as a player and as a coach and who is also a great guy.”