Liverpool players must really embrace the 'break' part of an international break, judging by Jurgen Klopp's training methods, and how absurdly exacting his sessions are.
Critical to Klopp's style of play is his side's ability to outrun their opponents, and to prime his Liverpool side to achieve exactly this, the demands made in training are fairly serious.
Exactly how brutal Klopp's training methods are have been borne out in an article by Jonathan Northcroft in today's Sunday Times. The whole piece is an interesting look at how the amount of running demanded of Liverpool, Spurs, Man City and Arsenal is bearing fruit at the top of the Premier League.
The piece then delves into what is expected of Liverpool's players, citing the example of pre-season training:
Klopp presided over treble sessions. A witness described "strewn bodies and players panting and choking back vomit" but also learning to take masochistic pleasure in Klopp's methods. The squad would sit after dinner speculating with grim smiles about what horrors he had next in store for them.
They bought into something Klopp told them: we can't control other clubs spending more than us, but we can control fitness, and if we're not the richest team in the league, we can be the fittest.
"Give Jurgen training over a transfer any day", said a source. It was usually 30 degrees when Liverpool's squad was working out, sessions lasting 90 minutes. In five weeks, Liverpool also played nine pre-season games.
There has been little let-up since the season began. The players had just two days off in September. Even tactical sessions are tough: the team is drilled at match pace, at keeping compact, and at group pressing. A favourite drill involves mannequins wearing different coloured bibs.
Klopp shouts a colour and players sprint to the right mannequin as if they've just lost the ball.
You'd almost be tired just reading that.
The Klopp insight is just one part of an interesting analysis by Northcroft, which you can read in full here.
[The Sunday Times]
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