Andoni Iraola has taken charge of his first week as Liverpool head coach after replacing Arne Slot in June, delivering his opening press conference at the AXA Training Centre on Monday — a day before the bulk of the first-team squad returned to pre-season training.
Dominik Szoboszlai has emerged as the standout captaincy candidate following the departures of Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson. The Hungarian international, who already captains his national side, made clear he is ready for the responsibility. “I’m 25. Mo left, Robbo left, so our vice-captain left and a club legend as well. Both of them are club legends. We’re going to miss them for sure and now someone else has to step up and if it’s me, I’m ready to do it,” he said. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker was considered an option by seniority, though his contract also expires next summer.
Players spent the opening days at the Kirkby training base undergoing individual tests before getting on the pitch on Thursday and Friday. Medical staff have been impressed, with the squad returning in good shape overall. Iraola’s fitness test differs from those used under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot — players move across a pitch using diagonals and cones to replicate high-intensity changes of direction. “It’s deceptive as your legs just go,” defender Joe Gomez was heard telling Curtis Jones.
Harvey Elliott returned a week earlier than expected, Jones looks like “he has had a great summer” according to one source, and new arrival Jeremy Jacquet — handed the number five shirt — is settling in and has recovered from a shoulder injury. Iraola has told players he is viewing them as new signings, with his coaching staff spending most of their time at the training ground assessing the current squad. Eight players away on World Cup duty have yet to join, giving a youthful feel to the group. “This really is a chance for a new group to emerge before more of the seniors return,” one source said.
Iraola acknowledged that significant change is coming. “Definitely there are going to be changes. A lot of senior players, players who have won everything here have left and we need other players to not replace them but assume more responsibility in terms of inside and outside the pitch,” he told Stan Sports. An upcoming trip will give Iraola his first opportunity to work with a larger group, with most of the remaining first-team squad expected to join alongside academy players, including 15-year-old Josh Abe.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
