Full injury updates, return to pre-season plans & MORE — Andoni Iraola Press Conference

[0:00] James? Hi, Andoni. You've flown out here with a youthful squad. At what point in the trip are [0:05] you expecting Isak, Wurtz and Gravenberg to join up? Yes, as you said, the three players that are [0:12] going to join us will be like second week fully with us. I think I've decided now with the ones [0:23] that have been left out or have been disqualified from the World Cup, they all have like, because [0:29] of different reasons, like individual days for their arrivals. And I think the sooner we can start [0:37] working with them and they can understand what what we want from them, the better. I individually [0:43] talk to the three of them. They know the main things, but I'm looking forward to have them here [0:52] with the group and to go slowly, slowly recovering bodies. Yes. And just with Virgil, Cody and Alison, [0:59] is that right? They won't be involved on this tour? And if that's the case, what's the thinking [1:03] behind that? Yes, they will, in terms of days of training, will be very similar, but they will [1:10] start training just at the AXA in Liverpool. We thought because of different reasons, especially [1:18] Virgil, because he has been the player with more minutes in Europe, I would say. And I think [1:26] they are going to start and Cody also for other reasons, and they are going to start training [1:32] basically the same week as the others. But instead of making them come here with the team, I consider [1:38] that it was sensible with them to start the first week training in a small group or even with younger [1:47] players there at the AXA and join us when we recover. Hi, Andoni. There's a few players with [1:55] you here that are injured. How far into the season are you expecting the likes of Ekotike, Bradley, [2:02] Leone and these sorts of people? Yes, right now we have different situations in terms of injuries, [2:09] the three that you said that are like big, big injuries that it's taking them months to recover. [2:18] And then apart from those three, we have Stefan and Wataru that are close to getting [2:23] to training with the group. They will start in this, even in this tour, Stefan and Wataru [2:31] training, not fully maybe, but partially with the group. With the others, we'll have to wait more. [2:36] Now in terms of order, I think the closest one to return is Leone after Connor and Hugo, but [2:45] especially the last two is still there. We are talking about months and still a lot of time out. [2:52] Yes. Hello, coach. Adam with LMD Media Group. Just how important are these friendlies during the summer [2:58] just for you to gain a better understanding about your new club and also the players to earn your respect [3:04] for their spot on the pitch? I think the precision is always the foundation of what's going to be a [3:13] long season. But when you arrive to a new club, it's even more important because you don't have a lot [3:18] of training sessions. You don't have a lot of even friendlies. We are playing five friendlies before [3:24] the season starts. So every training session, every precision friendly for us is massive. It's massive [3:31] because sometimes we lack days of training properly, of training with all the group of players. So [3:38] everything that we can get from every friendly we play, we have to use it properly because we want [3:45] to arrive in a good spot with the first day of the season. And at the end, the best training is [3:52] always the friendlies you play. You've obviously had some big name players who've left the club since the [3:58] end of last season and you said last week you know that you need to add numbers to this group. I'm [4:03] just wondering, do you have a number on how many you need and has there been any progress on that since [4:08] we last heard from you last week? No, I think it's difficult to say a number when the market is open [4:13] and you have to be always open to new options to improve the squad. And there are obvious situations [4:21] that we know that we need to sign players, winger for example, we definitely need to sign a winger, [4:32] but there are other situations that we will have to analyze what the market gives you, what's the cost, [4:39] how we also see the players we have. We have some, I said the other day, some tricky positions where we [4:46] have injured players that we trust, but it's still not the ideal situation. So it will depend a little bit [4:56] of a lot of things. [5:00] Hello, Andoni. There was a lot of speculation regarding Alisson's future towards the end of last season. [5:07] And even though you haven't met him face to face, have you spoken to him about his future and are you [5:14] certain that he will be a Liverpool player next year and you're number one? [5:18] I'm very happy with the situation we have right now in the goalkeeping area. I think we have Alisson, [5:26] we have Georgi, and now we are going to send, for example, Armin, keepers that probably are in other [5:35] phase, but have the guarantee of those keepers that already, because of different reasons also, [5:45] the three of them. Even Freddie played some games past season, I think it's a guarantee for us. [5:51] No, Alisson is someone also in a changing room that has lost some references in terms of experience. I [5:58] think it's someone that definitely will help us in this process of adaptation of the new signings, of the [6:06] new players, the young players. We need the references like Virgil, like Alisson, like Joe [6:12] Gomez, players that have been here during a long time, and I'm sure we will have this help, yes. [6:19] Hi, Andoni. We've seen in recent years that a lot of players' form can be affected by long summers, [6:26] tournaments and the World Club Cup last year, for example. Are you confident that all your guys who [6:31] played in the World Cup will be available when the Premier League season starts, and is that something [6:34] you're going to have to deal with carefully to make sure they can get a full Premier League season in? [6:40] Yes, at the end I think the most difficult situations logically will be Alexis and Victor, [6:47] because they played until the end of the tournament, so basically I think they deserve the holidays also, [6:55] some rest, and I hope they have time, at least to train with us a little bit, but it's true that it [7:03] will probably affect a little bit the beginning of the season, but we cannot only think in the short [7:09] term in the first game against Newcastle, we have to also understand, especially in the case of Alexis, [7:16] who has played a lot of minutes during the season, a lot of minutes in the World Cup, that they deserve this rest, [7:22] but I would say all the others should be fine to arrive in perfect conditions to the first game. [7:31] Hi, Andoni. You mentioned Conor and said he's a way off returning. Right back was quite a problematic [7:38] position last season. There were a lot of injuries, a lot of different players playing there. Is it [7:42] something that you want to maybe address in the market, or do you think it's something that you could [7:46] do internally? I think it depends on the Conor situation. At the end, if you have a fully fit, healthy, [7:55] Conor Bradley, we are very happy, ready to go, and we would not be asking ourselves these questions. [8:04] I think it's a situation that is tricky because we trust Conor in the long term. We know we want him [8:14] to be our right back, but right now he's still, I would say, a little bit far from returning. [8:23] So, with the center back, with the right back situations in terms of defensive depth, we are, [8:31] I think, very thin right now. So, I think it's a solution that we are trying to find, yes. [8:36] Paul Banks, the sportsbank.net. I wanted to ask about the significance of Dominic committing his [8:43] future to the club, and if you could see him as potentially being a future captain or serving in a [8:49] leadership role, you know, for a long time coming. I think it's one of the probably greatest news since I [9:06] arrived. His commitment to this club, his contract renewal, also he has come in a great shape. He has [9:13] leading, he has been leading by example, in training, he's pushing a lot. I think young players should be [9:20] looking at him, the way he is training, he competes, and definitely has to be one of our leaders, [9:29] looking forward, and I'm looking forward to have him in my team, to try to use him in the best way, [9:36] try to help him feel comfortable, and try to make him continue the same way he's having, because I [9:45] think he had a very good season past season, and even if we can, even improve what he's already doing. [9:53] And only just a little variation on that. There is a position ready for a vice-captain. Is that [10:02] something you've thought about for Dominic, or is it something you will address later on in pre-season? [10:08] Yeah, I will address because I still haven't met almost half of the squad. You know, I still haven't [10:14] seen them face to face, so I think we will take the decisions when it happens. But I always say, [10:22] you don't need to wear an armband to be a leader, to be a captain. Sometimes I understand here in England [10:30] has a lot of meaning, there is a lot behind, but I've had a lot of captains, leaders without wearing [10:37] an armband. One thing is OK, to be there is nice in the picture and this, but you can lead a team, [10:43] you can be an important player, you can be, not just because one wears has to be like, no, no, [10:52] we need more than one or two vice-captains, we need a lot of captains in the pitch, we need as many as we [10:57] want as we can. And yes, I'm sure that whatever the decisions we take in terms of the armband, [11:08] a lot of players will continue leading. [11:10] Can I just check how real the substance is and the speculation about Alexis McAllister potentially [11:20] want to buy clubs in Spain? I take you he's someone that you will want for the season? [11:29] I think Alexis has been one of the best players of the club last year, he has done a very good World [11:38] Cup and it's normal that other clubs want our best players, our good players, it always happens in [11:46] all the markets now, but I want to also, as other clubs want, I want to keep my good players. Probably [11:54] we are, I'm looking forward more to sign new players than losing the ones we have, yes. [12:00] Hey coach, speaking of Spain, I know that there's going to be five coaches now in the Premier League, [12:08] I think from Spain this season and your friends with Xabi Alonso, how special is it to have him [12:15] as a competitor and I know also to be from the same area of Basque? [12:21] Yes, they are both very good friends, we know each other since we were seven, eight, nine, we've played [12:27] in the same team, so it's a pleasure for me to compete against them. They are also very good coaches and [12:36] the competition will be hard, but I think it's nice for all of us. Obviously, now that we are fighting [12:46] and we are in charge of very good clubs, probably we will not communicate as much, you know, everyone [12:57] will do it their way, their job, but it's for me it's a pleasure to fight against the Manayas that I consider also Frances.