Fans predict a return to intense pressing and aggressive counter-pressing reminiscent of former manager Jürgen Klopp after the appointment of Iraola who replaced Arne Slot this summer.
Iraola demands huge work-rate from every player and his football is often called organised chaos which worked at Bournemouth as he led the side to their highest-ever Premier League finish (6th) and to Europe for the first time.
Kerkez proud to have Iraola as his manager
Liverpool picked up a 4-2 win over Sunderland in the first game under Iraola in preseason as confidence grows in the side. Kerkez spoke this week about the Spaniard, who he is over the moon to work under.
“I was delighted, honestly. He helped me and improved me a lot in the two years I spent with him. I was really happy, obviously for myself but also for the team. Everyone knows what type of football he plays so I think he is the perfect fit for us.
“It’s the intensity. He’s not scared to play one-on-one all over the pitch, to press high and to be on the front foot always. If you see footage of how we all are after training, all lying down, then you can see what he is preparing us for.
“You definitely need legs and good condition for what he wants us to do, but we will be all right. When we play games with three or four teams he calls it ‘consequences’ and the losing team and the team that finishes second has to run. How much you have to run depends on what he decides in that moment, but there is always running for the team that loses.
“He’s intense and he likes details. He’s very professional. He likes to talk sometimes but not a lot. I think maybe he doesn’t want to get too close to some players and wants to show that everyone is the same in the team, so he doesn’t want to get too close to anyone in particular. He keeps it professional, with a lot of hard work.”
The next test for Kerkez and Liverpool will come Wednesday, when they face Championship side Wrexham at Yankee Stadium in New York, another chance for Iraola to show what he can produce.