Liverpool boss full of praise for youthful stars on US pre-season tour

Liverpool boss full of praise for youthful stars on US pre-season tour Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool USA Tour Verdict: Evolution, Young Players and Backroom Impact Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has had a straightforward assessment of the club’s pre-season work in the United States. So far, he likes what he has seen, and more importantly, he likes what it is starting to become. There have been wins over Sunderland, 4-2, and Wrexham, 1-0, with one more fixture against Leeds United in Chicago to close the trip. Results in pre-season only matter up to a point. What matters more is whether the coach is getting through to the group, whether the group can absorb the ideas quickly, and whether the younger players can be trusted when the serious football starts. On that front, Iraola’s verdict was clear. The USA camp has been, in his words, “really, really useful.” That is the key line because it gets to the point of pre-season. This is not about box-ticking, nor is it about pretending friendlies tell you everything. It is about time, repetition, habits and understanding. As Iraola explained, “Obviously, you spend a lot of time with the players, with the staff, you get all the information you can.” That has value for a new head coach walking into a club that needs clarity, structure and a fresh football identity before the 2026-27 campaign begins. Photo: IMAGO Liverpool pre-season shows signs of evolution Iraola used one word that matters more than any other at this stage, “evolution”. He said, “I think there is also an evolution, it has to be. We start to understand each other better, what we need to do. Every game, I hope we can get closer and closer and put ourselves in a position where the few players that still are not here start to train also, they are helped by the others.” That is practical management talk. He is describing the early phase of installing a system. The shape, pressing triggers, distances between units and reactions in transition do not become automatic overnight. They need drilling, they need repetition and they need buy-in from players who understand what is being asked of them. That is why this Liverpool USA tour matters. It gives Iraola long training days, meetings, recovery sessions and game situations. It also gives him a look at who processes information quickly and who still needs guidance. By the time the Premier League season opens, the expectation will be that Liverpool are already far sharper than they were at the start of this process. Young players give Iraola a real selection problem If there has been one major positive from the trip, Iraola did not hesitate. “Probably the performance of the young players,” he said. That matters because managers often praise Academy talent in broad terms. Iraola went further and made it specific. His judgment was that Liverpool’s youngsters “have performed really well against Premier League opposition, very good players – winning duels, helping us also in the collective idea.” That is the important bit. This is not praise based on enthusiasm or energy alone. He is talking about output in competitive moments, physical competitiveness and tactical discipline within the team structure. He then added, “I think it probably has been the best, I wouldn’t say surprise but at least the confirmation.” Again, blunt and useful. He expected something, and what he has seen has confirmed the level is real. That now leaves Liverpool with decisions to make. Some players will drop back to the U21s. Some will leave on loan. Some, according to Iraola, are already pushing for a genuine role in the senior squad. “They’ve shown me that they have the level, they can give us quality minutes, a good level in training and I’m sure some of them will stay with us, yes.” There is no need to overcomplicate it. If a young player can help you in training, hold the level tactically and physically, and contribute proper minutes across a season, he stays in the picture. Liverpool have clearly had several do exactly that on this trip. Backroom staff already shaping the new Liverpool setup Iraola also made a point of highlighting the coaching staff around him, and he did so in practical terms. Shaun Cooper and Tommy Elphick are familiar faces from his previous work, and he values them because they understand both the game and the environment. “Yes, for me, Tommy and Shaun are very valuable because they have been English players, they’ve played in the Premier League, the Championship, League One; they understand the culture, they understand what the players are thinking.” There is no mystery there. Coaches with dressing-room credibility and knowledge of the domestic game can save time for a head coach. He also made clear why continuity matters. “They have seen all the process during these three years where we’ve been evolving, we’ve been adding different things.” That means they know the methods, the demands and the language of the coaching model. In a new environment, that matters. Iraola was equally candid about the role assistants play behind the scenes. “I think they are sometimes in more touch with the players than me because always with the manager there is a little bit of more distance, I think the players are more comfortable sometimes with the assistants.” That is honest, and it is true in most dressing rooms. A good assistant does more than deliver drills. He reads mood, filters problems and keeps communication moving. On Elphick’s personal connection to the club, Iraola offered a line that tells you plenty, “Tommy, I tell him, he is living his dream.” He added that Elphick had opportunities elsewhere but “he couldn’t miss this because he’s been a big Liverpool fan.” Alejandro Rosalen adds experience and energy There was also praise for new goalkeeping coach Alejandro Rosalen, whose appointment came through a club-led process. Iraola was direct about that too. “I didn’t know him personally, we’ve gone through a process led from the club, from the goalkeeping department, and we’ve decided he was the right guy.” Rosalen arrives with a serious background, including years in Italy and top-level experience. Iraola pointed to that immediately, saying, “He has loads of experience, a lot of years at Fiorentina, a lot years in Napoli with some of the best coaches. He’s won the [Serie A title].” Experience counts, but so does personality. Iraola stressed that side as well, “I’ve loved the personality once I could meet him and interview him. I liked a lot of the things. He brings good energy. I think he’s going to be a good help for our ’keepers. He’s doing really well, yes.” That is where Liverpool stand after this phase of pre-season. Iraola sees progress. He sees young players who can contribute. He sees assistants who understand the job, and a goalkeeping coach who brings pedigree and energy. It is still July work for an August target, but there is a shape forming now. For Liverpool, that is the point of the tour, and for Iraola, it has already delivered something useful, a clearer picture of what his team can become.