Andoni Iraola makes decision on Academy players and explains Liverpool coaching change
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New Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola will wait before determining the futures of Academy and loan playersAndoni Iraola has revealed he will delay any major decision on the futures of fringe and Academy players until after the tour to the United States next month.And the new Liverpool boss admits he will have to adapt his coaching methods to his new squad but is confident his approach can bear fruit.Iraola was confirmed as Reds head coach on Thursday evening having been chosen to replace Arne Slot, who was sacked last weekend after two years in charge.The Spaniard will be introduced to the squad when they reconvene for pre-season training early next month before jetting out for a US tour during which they face games against Sunderland, Wrexham and Leeds United.With the World Cup beginning in the States next Thursday, Liverpool have eight representatives from Iraola's squad who will then be given an extended break after participation with their country has ended.It means the early weeks of pre-season training will offer an opportunity for Academy and previously loaned players to impress the new boss sufficiently to be included on the tour."We will have a chance to work especially with some of the young players," said Iraola when discussing his summer plans."Because a lot of senior players are arriving later because of the World Cup, I think it gives us the chance to know better the players from the Academy, some of the players that have been on loan."They will be an important part of the first part of pre-season, the American tour. And I think in that way it works very well for us because it will give us a lot of information before we really take decisions before we start the season."The senior players that have played in the World Cup, they've been feeling the pressure, they've been playing for their countries, I think they need and deserve a rest."And also this allows us to give also important minutes to train more closely with the young players that probably we don't know as well."Because we've been here already three seasons, playing a lot of times against Liverpool, there are players that we already know."But there are other players probably that haven't had the minutes, have played for the development squad, have been on loan somewhere, and I think those trainings, those minutes will be very valuable for us to take decisions."Iraola has been appointed due to him best fitting the profile of introducing a front-foot, aggressive and urgent style of play to the team.And the former Bournemouth boss accepts there will have to be tweaks to his usual approach to get the best from his new squad."I think I have the advantage that I've been here already three years in the Premier League and people for sure have seen Bournemouth play," he said to liverpoolfc.com."There are some things that obviously we need to change coaching Liverpool.
But I wouldn't like to lose our identity, the intensity, the aggressiveness, the organisation, certain things that I would like always to have in my team."Obviously you have to adapt to the players you have and it's not the same, one club or the other, but there are fundamentals that I also think match quite well (with) what Liverpool has been during a lot of years that I think we can make it work."FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE! All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page