Iraola's Intense Pre-Season Demands Transform Liverpool After Fifth-Place Finish
New coach's rigorous training methods, including 'consequences' for losing teams, aim to revitalise squad following key player departures.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Sarah Connor
Liverpool's pre-season under new head coach Andoni Iraola has begun with an intense training regimen, reminiscent of his previous work with Milos Kerkez at Bournemouth.
Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League in 2023.
Iraola's pre-season training methods are notoriously intense, featuring punitive running drills for losing teams in practice games.
Kerkez confirmed the rigorous nature of these sessions, stating, "For example, when we play some games with three or four teams he calls it ‘consequences’ and the losing team and the team that finishes second has to run."
He further elaborated on the coach's exacting standards, noting, "How much you have to run depends on what he decides in that moment, but there is always running for the team that loses."
Iraola maintains an intense focus on details, driving the squad through grueling workouts designed to push every player to their absolute limit. Kerkez observed, "He’s intense and he likes details."
If you see footage of how we all are after training, all lying down, then you can see what he is preparing us for.
Liverpool players already feel the benefits of these exhausting sessions, Kerkez confirmed, despite visible fatigue etched across their faces after each drill.
Kerkez observed the physical toll on the squad, stating, "If you see footage of how we all are after training, all lying down, then you can see what he is preparing us for."
The squad has undergone significant shifts, with key players Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, and Ibrahima Konate departing the club.
Senior players Virgil van Dijk and Alisson are not participating in the current pre-season tour, which includes training at the Chicago Fire HQ in Illinois.
Despite the intensity, Kerkez believes the new approach perfectly suits the team's ambition and style. He stated, "Everyone knows what type of football he plays so I think he is the perfect fit for us."
He added, "The guys like how he works. I like it, they like it. It is going to suit the team perfectly."
Beyond the pitch, Kerkez was photographed escorting a bride into a church in his hometown of Vrbas, leading to some public confusion regarding his marital status.
Kerkez maintains a philosophical view on the pressures of professional football, asserting, "It’s a normal thing that comes with the job. You play good. You play bad. It’s process, it’s all about growing."
If you play bad, in three days you have another game. Everyone is going to forget how you played three days ago. There is always a new game coming and then you have to do good stuff. That’s it. I don’t like that pressure stuff. It’s just your job. Do your own damn job.
He dismisses the weight of individual game outcomes, stating, "If you play bad, in three days you have another game. Everyone is going to forget how you played three days ago."
Kerkez concluded, "There is always a new game coming and then you have to do good stuff. That’s it. I don’t like that pressure stuff. It’s just your job. Do your own damn job."
During this demanding pre-season tour, Kerkez has taken it upon himself to step up as a leader within the squad, embodying the relentless spirit Iraola demands.