InterviewKostas Tsimikas on return to Liverpool, what Iraola wants and squad mood
The defender, now back with the Reds after spending the past campaign on loan at AS Roma, spoke to Liverpoolfc.com in Chicago on Tuesday.
He did so immediately after the squad’s first on-pitch session since they arrived in the States on Monday for a two-week stay.
Tsimikas explained his happiness to be with the club again, detailed the principles new head coach Andoni Iraola is implementing, and looked ahead to a first match of the summer – against Sunderland in Nashville this Saturday.
Read the chat below…
Kostas, back with the Reds. Welcome back. How have your first few weeks been?
Yeah, it has been tough, as always. I’m really glad I’m back. We are so happy, we trained really hard. Thank God, we have no injuries in the first week. Everything goes really well, as we expect, with the new manager, new ideas, and we’re very happy.
Double sessions coming up this week. It’s intense, it’s warm as well. Are you someone who enjoys pre-season or endures it?
The pre-season is the foundation of the whole year. I think all the players want and try to give absolutely everything to be ready for the first games of the league. I think we improve in some parts, even with the young kids that came – the older players, we try to help them. It’s a start with the new manager. I really enjoy it, I really try to work very hard and to be healthy. And always I want to improve.
Can you tell us a bit about what Andoni’s key things are that he’s trying to drill into you over these first few weeks?
We did some throw-ins, some build-ups and all these kinds of things; he likes the intensity in the training, everything is with the ball. I think he wants us to keep the ball, don’t lose the ball, and try to play good football. As I say, it’s very early, it is new for us, but I think all the players try to give absolutely everything to try to understand what exactly he wants and to do the right things inside the pitch.
There’s been a lot of change in the squad and, as you said, it’s quite a young squad at the moment. How is the vibe and is there anyone you’re connecting with that wasn’t here before you went on loan?
For me, it’s like I never left the club. It has a very big sense in my heart always. I’m very happy even now I came back, I just feel like I never left. The mood is in the best levels, even the young kids are very positive and try to give everything. All together, we try to achieve our goals.
And being back, you get the chance to put that shirt on again possibly in a couple of days’ time when we play the first game. Are you looking forward to that?
I couldn’t wait, to be honest. I had a very tough and strange season last year, but I’m fully here, I trained so hard alone in the off-season. And during the last season, even if I didn’t have so much game time for some reasons, I’m really here, I’m really happy to be back, really glad and I can’t wait to wear the jersey.