Liverpool FC Forum

Why it's all change for Liverpool FC pre-season training

Visitors to Liverpool’s Melwood training complex are greeted by a series of flowery quotes adorning the walls which praise the virtues of the Reds vocal support.

Pearls of wisdom from big names such as Johan Cruyff, Thierry Henry, Fabio Capello, Frank Rijkaard, John Terry, Fernando Morientes and even Manuel Almunia are all on display hailing the Anfield crowd.

However, when it comes to Liverpool’s players this pre-season, the staff could hang a short, simple message over the door to the changing rooms emblazoned with “No pain, no gain.”

Training resumes on July 1 and with Jurgen Klopp installed for his first full campaign at the club and it’s all change among his coaching staff.

Of course Klopp has already had trusted deputies ‘The Brain’ Zeljko Buvac and Peter Krawietz alongside him since he first arrived but now the Reds boss has drafted in a new taskmaster to whip his charges into shape in the guise of his German compatriot Andreas Kornmayer.

A year ago it was all so different. With Colin Pascoe and Mike Marsh scapegoated for Liverpool’s disappointments in 2014/15, former manager Brendan Rodgers had installed the avuncular lower league stalwart Sean O’Driscoll and Reds favourite Gary McAllister in what looked like cosy set-up.

There will be no such home comforts this time around. Klopp has promised triple training sessions as he looks to condition he players adequately to fully implement his ‘Gegenpressing’ tactics.

And the man he’s secured to do his dirty work is one of his old rivals.

Bavarian native Kornmayer, Liverpool’s new fitness coach, spent over a decade at home city club Bayern Munich, working his way up through the ranks to attain first team duties in 2010.

The Reds previous head of fitness and conditioning, Dr Ryland Morgans, who was brought to the club by Rodgers in 2012 left his post at the end of March but Klopp knows all about his replacement.

In 2013 after his Borussia Dortmund side finished runners-up to Bayern Munich in both the Bundesliga and Champions League with Juup Heynckes’ men completing a treble, Klopp remarked: “Bayern were unbelievably strong and they had all their players fit until the end.”

While their players might not thank him for it at first, the Reds are generally believed to have pulled off a significant coup in persuading Kornmayer to join them.

He could have chosen to stay put and work under Carlo Ancelotti while Pep Guardiola would gladly have taken him to Manchester City but instead it’s Liverpool’s squad who will benefit from his intensive methods.

We’ll leave the final word to the most talented member of Germany’s current golden generation.

Despite pushing his players to the limits, Kornmayer was always a popular figure at Bayern and Thomas Muller declared: “He transformed me from a slow snail into a speedy snail!”

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/fo ... e-11550964

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Wed Jul 06, 2016 6:17 pm wrote:It will be interesting to see if one or two can reinvent themselves under Klopp (i.e Markovic)

ethanr » Sun Jul 10, 2016 1:40 am wrote:I'm going to the Milan game since it's only a few hours north of me.

Be the first time I see the Red's play in person, so I'm very excited.