Andoni Iraola has told Liverpool fans he wants to give them a team to be proud of again – and insists his first mission is to connect with the Anfield crowd.
Supporters felt disjointed at times last season as the team’s Premier League title defence fell apart and ultimately led to the dismissal of Arne Slot.
But new boss Iraola, who joined from Bournemouth on a two-year deal, said on Monday morning: ‘I would like to give them a team that they can feel proud of. I think football and especially Liverpool is about connecting.
‘Connecting with the people, connecting with our supporters. I've been on the other side at Anfield. I’ve experienced the goal that (Federico) Chiesa scored on the first day of the season (against Bournemouth).
Asked if he understands the size of the job he is walking into, Iraola added: ‘I want to think, understand, and until I go through certain experiences I will not fully know but I'm here to experience those situations, I'm ready for it.
‘I understand this is a massive club.
‘Everything that I'm going to say now, it's going to have the biggest scrutiny. You have to be very aware of the mistakes but I wouldn't like to be too careful. I would like to act quite normal. I'm not going to live in my bubble – just training ground then home.
‘I would also like to go to the city, experience the city: I know some places, I would have to take some pictures. But it's also part of the magic of being the Liverpool manager and I would like not to change too much.’
Several first-team players have started reporting for pre-season, which officially begins this week though some were in the building last week as Iraola patrolled Under 21s training sessions with youth-team bosses Rob Page and Alex Inglethorpe.
Iraola will lead his team to the United States a week today with Liverpool jetting out to Chicago for a three-leg tour with three friendlies also in New York City and Nashville. They take on Sunderland, Leeds and Wrexham.