Liverpool Banter

14 Jul 2026 16:55:22
Away from transfers for a minute, how impressed are people by Iraola's interview?

I think I really like what this guy is about and I’m all aboard. Let’s hope the players take to his ideas and implement his style ASAP as I can see this being a step in the right direction for all parties involved (fans, owners and team).



I loved the way he’s fully invested in soaking up all of what being the Liverpool manager is. Representing the city, the team and fans.

Hugely impressed.

Can’t wait for the new season.

14 Jul 2026 17:08:44
Came across as an extremely humble and down-to-earth character who's eager to prove his worth. I'm very much looking forward to seeing a manager who recognises the importance of adopting the culture.

14 Jul 2026 17:20:32
Yep, agree.

He also has that way about him that looks to get relationships with players - doesn't seem anywhere near as cold as Arne was towards them.

14 Jul 2026 17:20:36
He came across very well. But 99% of Liverpool fans craved for the same thing last season, so all he needed to say really was "My football won't bore the arse off the fans, and I'm gonna integrate with the City."

For as well as he did, he couldn't lose in all honesty with that interview.

14 Jul 2026 17:35:06
Iraola is not box office conferences/interviews. But what he does do is speak very well, and he comes across to me, at least, as extremely passionate guy (without bravado of major animation), intelligent, eager to immerse himself in the club, eager to improve the players he has, and eager to play high octane effective football the fans enjoy. Rarely ever talks about titles. Game to game I feel with the hope the work there all racks up to titles. He seems very focused on the performance.

He said all the things we want to hear really.

I think the real proof will be in the football and ultimately the results.



I'm glad he mentioned that he will likely make mistakes and that he may need to adapt certain things to a schedule that almost always has midweek games. I liked that from him because I also expect a small learning curve for him to adjust to this level.

But I'm pretty convinced by his personality and his coaching ability, that he will adapt. I think he is one of the best managers around to be honest. But let's see.

I understand the caution of others too. Let's see how it all shakes out.

14 Jul 2026 18:39:15
I actually enjoyed Slot's pressers his first season. Not listened to Iraola's yet, but have it downloaded, ready to go eventually.

On a separate note, the ticket ballots are now open for members. Great opportunity to get a ticket.

14 Jul 2026 18:48:39
I actually thought Iraola came across really well in his first press conference.

You could tell he was excited to be there, but he wasn't trying too hard or making loads of big boy promises. I liked that he just seemed focused on getting to work and being with the lads rather than saying things that would grab headlines.

The bit that caught my attention was when he spoke about intensity and how he wants the team to play. If he can get us pressing the way his Bournemouth side did, but with better players, it could be a really exciting watch over the next season.

At the same time, he didn't sound like he was going to rip everything up and start again. He seemed to appreciate what's already been built and just wants to add his own ideas.

Obviously, talking in a press conference is one thing and delivering on the pitch is another, so we'll have to wait and see. But as first impressions go, I thought he handled himself well. He came across as genuine, level-headed, and confident without sounding arrogant.

I'm looking forward to seeing what he does now with the squad and spotting patterns of play in the preseason games.

YNWA.

14 Jul 2026 18:52:14
Andoni's whole LFC demeanour was similar to a "child in charge of a sweet shop". How many longed for that scenario growing up?

"Integrate into the City" was a dig at Mr and Mrs Slot, him for selecting a home a stone's throw from Manchester Airport and direct flights home to Holland (JLA does not do 24/7 flights to Holland), he even landed at Manchester Airport when he first arrived as LFC coach, and visited his new home before the AXA Centre and now Anfield.

Mrs Slot, for not supporting her husband, the "bread-winner", by maintaining her children's education was far more important than the LFC manager's job, and therefore never stayed in the UK, let alone Liverpool, to support her husband. Circa 50 thousand LFC season ticket holders would totally disagree with that, Mrs Slot.

Mrs Itziar Iraola and their two children stayed loyal to her husband by living in Bournemouth when he had the manager's job at the Cherries.

One would expect similar loving support by moving home with Andoni to the City of Liverpool. Andoni and his family will find out that it is the people of Liverpool who make the city (Blues included), just like Liverpool Football Club is actually our Liverpool Family Club.
I am fairly certain that "integrate into the city" actually means, for future reference, "I am going to dis-integrate City"?

Alonso had a similar Chelsea press conference yesterday. He is in the papers this morning holding a Chelsea shirt with the name Alonso on the back. Andoni already shows him the way; his picture in the papers this morning shows Andoni with his arms aloft holding a Liverpool FC scarf with directly underneath "You'll Never Walk Alone". Andoni actually has put Chelsea out of Europe this year by finishing in one of the Euro qualifying spots, advantage Iraola!

{Ed025's Note - i like that post Bond..

14 Jul 2026 20:34:06
I liked Andoni's press conference, but I would suspect it was heavily curated by the club's press team. I was struck by how many talking points were brought up that were negative talk last year, such as low blocks, manager/coach being integrated into the city, intensity of play, using the full squad and youth more...

This isn't a criticism of Andoni, as he delivered the message well, but for me, this was a clear case of club messaging.

14 Jul 2026 20:55:06
I get Rafa vibes. He just seems a very intelligent coach, in the sense of Rafa vibes. He seems a little shy, so I doubt we will see theatrics on the touchline, but I'm ok with that. Don Carlo isn't theatrical and he's won almost everything.

Roll on August.

14 Jul 2026 21:08:55
Seemed that way, Dow-ney.

14 Jul 2026 21:40:36
Very good.
Very prepared.
:)

14 Jul 2026 14:12:33
Reds,

Just revisiting what I posted back in June.

At the time, I said Liverpool had walked away from the Yan Diomande deal after feeling they’d been played by Roc Nation and wouldn’t be going back in. I also said Liverpool were in the race for Bradley Barcola and that they would make their move after the World Cup.



Today’s report from David Ornstein backs that up. He says Liverpool really like Barcola. Ornstein also expects the situation to develop once the tournament is finished.

That matches what I was hearing weeks ago. Liverpool’s plan has always been to wait until after the World Cup before making their move for Barcola.

Grizz.

14 Jul 2026 16:04:00
Ornstien isn't saying anything that we didn't already know re: Barcola or even Diomande.

Sounds like him regurgitating the same stuff from a few weeks back rather than him breaking any news, I.

14 Jul 2026 16:02:17
So is this a new post, or a re-post, or a post that proves you're ITK or just some sort of ego thing? I'm confused

14 Jul 2026 16:30:46
Has Robbo or maybe TheFields said we want both Barcola and Diomande. I am not saying you are not itk Grizz but just seems like you're repeating what has been said on here already

14 Jul 2026 18:02:51
Ah, yes, the ITK who really needs people to know they're ITK...

14 Jul 2026 19:08:47
Any man who must say, "I am the King", is no true king.

14 Jul 2026 09:19:25
Any update on Szob's contract, word was it was all agreed before the season ended and just waiting to be signed? I have not read anywhere that it's been signed or did I miss the announcement?

14 Jul 2026 10:55:50
Honestly think he's another one who isn't going to sign. I think he should be moved on.

14 Jul 2026 11:11:01
How are we supposed to 'move him on' if he is happy to stay until the end of his contract?

14 Jul 2026 11:13:40
Don't think he is signing this year, mate. He is waiting to see out how it goes with the new manager.

14 Jul 2026 11:38:35
Future Real, Bosman bench-warmer.

14 Jul 2026 12:06:18
Bring his replacement in now, make it clear to Szoboszlai he's no longer an automatic first choice and that he is a squad rotation option and that the club will listen to offers.



He can either accept a reduced role in the side and leave on a free, or take the hint and move on. A little bit of ruthlessness is needed as he's another one who wants Madrid.

14 Jul 2026 12:40:17
I agree with your sentiment to an extent, VV. I'd like to think we're in a position to do that, but he's actually one of our good ones. We have other priorities for outs and replacements.

14 Jul 2026 12:49:15
Crazy how people get their knickers in a twist and demand we move a player on (our best player by far last season I might add) because he hasn't signed a new contract yet - when they know absolutely zero about the situation!
You're just guessing and it's quite embarrassing to read actually. All very negative

14 Jul 2026 13:37:42
Easier said than done, Vik, that's a DOF type of decision, but the manager's going to play his best 11 regardless.

14 Jul 2026 13:54:03
Victor, don't you we can move players on, it's not morally correct, well according to the posters on here.

14 Jul 2026 14:46:01
If we benched Trent since he didn't sign a contract, I don't think we would've won the league. Fell off a cliff when he got injured that season.

14 Jul 2026 15:22:25
There is not a midfielder at the club who can't be improved upon. What the club should do is have each player on a 2 month window when doing contracts, it has to be sorted in that time or it's a no deal (obviously some mitigating circumstances). Let's not mess each other around, grow some balls and come clean, easy.

14 Jul 2026 14:47:19
Things don't (and never had) happened in an insta way, so unfortunately, despite the fact we all want news NOW THIS MINUTE, it might take a bit longer.

Szob was our best player last season and he deserves a bit of respect.

I feel like I've said this so often, but to echo the words of the late, great Ed002, players are transient employees. Most of them these days will play for multiple clubs, and that's fine. They don't all need to join us in their early 20s and stay for the rest of their careers.

As long as they give their all whilst they wear the liver bird, then they should rightfully be sung about and supported. Crouch only stayed a few seasons, so did Alonso, and yet they are still regarded fondly for their contributions. Given Szobs performances, especially last season, he deserves the same.

Let's wait and see what happens and not jump to conclusions.

Peace and love ✌️

14 Jul 2026 15:47:08
"I don't think we would've won the league. Fell off a cliff when he got injured that season"

Not entirely true, mate.

Trent had an ankle injury for 3 league games.

We won 2 and lost 1.

Form fell off a cliff after clinching the league at home to Spurs but that was because the manager was still in Ibiza mode and the players were still p##sed.

14 Jul 2026 16:05:39
And what do you propose we do after the 2 month window ends, Scouse John?

And whatever you plan on doing, do you think fully grown men are going to be spooked into making a decision? And even if they are, do you think it's going to be the decision we want? Will they view the deadline positively, or will they see it as a complete lack of respect?

14 Jul 2026 16:06:45
Jk23, Exactly, the title season wasn't Trent's best seasons. He is still walking after the United defence.

14 Jul 2026 16:16:47
I think Real Madrid gave Sboz a ring long time ago.

Like Trent, there is not much the club can do when a player's intent is to run down his contract.

14 Jul 2026 16:33:15
Didn't Szob just get back to training today?

Put yourself in his shoes.

Why would he sign a contract last season when the head coach's position looked in doubt and he'd been played out of position for half the season?

Then he's been on holiday with his family, so probably didn't want to think about it.



Now we've got a new manager, he'll obviously want to see what the plans are for him before committing.

That's just common sense.

14 Jul 2026 17:22:50
Szob might want to see things are under the new head coach and/or new bosses.

There's some naivety on here. If Szob is determined to see his contact and leave on a free to go to Madrid, with the money that bring him, why on earth would he forsake that and agree to be transferred to a club and country, maybe, that he doesn't fancy?
And putting someone on the bench because they won't sign a new contract or agree to be transferred is cutting your nose off to spite your face.


If you sign a player for five years, you should be prepared to play and pay them for five years.

14 Jul 2026 18:25:17
@ chewy: It's not a lack of respect, is it? Any player who wants to leave for free is showing no respect. Show commitment; if they are not prepared to do that, bench them. Put them up for sale,
And blood a new player. How can you build a team or have a strong mentality when your players are counting down the days til they leave? Alls they doing is giving other players ideas.

Let the club be strong: "You're not doing that to us with no consequences." Not arsed if they don't agree to leave. Maybe the clubs should structure the wages differently, and, as I said earlier, maybe limit clubs to signing one Bosman every 5 years.

14 Jul 2026 19:28:05
As the rules stand, there is nothing we can do to prevent it. Iraola is not going to bench him because he won't sign a new contract.
Even if he did, that would only hurt the team, the dressing room, and the manager.
Plus, some players would shrug their shoulders, keep fit and take a year on the bench for huge wages and not get injured.



It's like some think the club has a right to hold players to ransom. It doesn't, but only for the duration of their contract.

13 Jul 2026 23:49:11
First time poster here and a huge fan of this site.
Played a bit of fantasy sporting director and would like to hear your thoughts.

We are maxed out with 17 non-homegrown as of now for UEFA squad registration (non-HG including Rio and Leoni) - Alisson, VVD, Jacquet, Kerkez, Macca, Szobo, Grav, Wirtz, Isak, Gakpo, Munoz, Mama, Endo, Chiesa and Tsimikas (Rio and Leoni would be HG next year)

8 HG players (club trained+association trained) - Woodman, Frimpong, Owen Beck, Bradley, Gomez, Jones, Elliott and Mcconnell (when Rio and Leoni comes in this list next year, they would take Gomez and Woodman's slots as their contracts expire by 2027)

List B - Nyoni

If let's say we sign Joao Gomes and Diomande (as per ITKs), Chiesa and Tsimikas would have to be left out to make space.

This is with the assumption that Ekitike won't be fit until next year and doesn't need to be registered until January and if he needs to be included by then, another one has to be left out which could be Endo. I guess there won't be any takers for Endo in this window as he has just come back from an injury.

If Jones leaves, Bajcetic fills in (unlikely as he might be sold too) If both are sold, we can only register 17+7=24 list A players

I don't think Mama can be that ball playing GK replacing Alisson, so if we get a good offer, sell him and promote Jaros to fill the final homegrown slot. (I know it's risky to rely on Alisson as he is injury prone but no good GK would come to LFC to play second fiddle to him)

This would leave us with 1 more non-HG slot that we can use to sign a defender or midfielder this window (Zabarnyi or Manu Kone as per ITKs)

Next year, if we don't renew contracts of Alisson and VVD, we need a new GK (Bart Verbruggen maybe as his contract expires in 2028 and could be cheaper) and CB (Schlotterbeck as he has a release clause and hopefully he recovers from his injury and is back to his best during the season)

PS: I didn't forget Ramsay but didn't mention him as I don't think he has a future at Liverpool.

If players are happy to remain without playing champions league, we still have 2 non-HG slots in Premier League (used by Rio and Leoni for Champions league), so not all sales need to happen. But once Ekitike returns, someone has to be left out even from the EPL squad.

TLDR:
Sell: Chiesa, Tsimikas, Endo and Mama
Buy: Diomande, Joao Gomes, Zabarnyi/Manu Kone if Mama gets sold
Buy in 2027: Verbruggen, Schlotterbeck

I am excited for the new season under Iraola!

14 Jul 2026 05:57:58
That's a lot of assumptions.

14 Jul 2026 06:04:42
Hi Antony, welcome to the boards. Rio and Giovanni were both classed as U21 in the updated squad lists for the 2025-26 season when the winter window closed. Check it out on the official EPL website.

So, even without sales, we have 2 non-HG places available.

Rio and Giovanni won't need to be on the HG list, as they will remain U21 for some time yet - in the 26-27 season you are U21 if you are born on/after 1/1/05. Leoni is born in Dec 06, so he will remain U21 for 26-27 and 27-28.



Rio is born Aug 08, so he still has 4 more seasons as an U21.

Also, looking at linked players, Diomande is born in Nov 06, so still has 2 seasons as an U21. Bouaddi is born in 07, so he will have 3 seasons as an U21 if he joins.

Not debating that we need to sell some players, but we have more non-HG places than you think and there is no HG Quota, so we could run with 0 HG players and just have a squad of 17 plus U21s.

14 Jul 2026 08:17:25
Great response there Zed, thought the same myself remember one of the Eds talking about HG quota and how a lot of posters on here go on about it when it isn't a big a deal as some make it out to be, thought the same as yourself when it came to not really being a major issue and also to be fair the club will know what the can and can't do when it comes to it so also full trust in the ones in power to make the right calls etc

14 Jul 2026 09:40:55
I think that may be true for the PL, @Zed, but not for the CL. From memory, you need to have been at a club for 2 years before you can be on the U21 list for CL, so Rio and Leoni would require non-HG spots in the squad. It was the reason that Chiesa only got registered when Leoni got injured.

14 Jul 2026 11:03:10
Hi Zeddicus, I was talking about Rio and Leoni taking up UEFA non-HG spots for Champions League squad registration.

In the Premier League, it's fine, as they are both U-21, as I have mentioned here:
'If players are happy to remain without playing Champions League, we still have 2 non-HG slots in Premier League (used by Rio and Leoni for Champions League), so not all sales need to happen. But once Ekitike returns, someone has to be left out even from the EPL squad.'

Excuse me if I am wrong, but my understanding is that Diomande and Bouaddi would be in the same situation as that of Rio and Leoni if they sign for us, as they need to complete two years to be counted as homegrown and, until then, would have to be part of List A non-HG for UEFA squad.



Yes, we can just play with 17+U21 but I was looking at it with utilizing the maximum squad possible i.e. 17+8+U-21 as Iraola prefers to work with a bigger squad.

14 Jul 2026 12:34:02
Fair enough, Antony and Shipley, you're right. I was concentrating on the EPL, and they do need to have played for us for 2 years to qualify for List B.

Interestingly, Rio joined from Chelsea in summer 2024, so may actually be eligible for List B for 26-27. Although he hardly played in the 24-25 season (unsurprisingly given he was 16!) he was "eligible" to play for us, which is the requirement from UEFA.



Leoni isn't until the 27-28 season and Bouaddi and Diomande won't be for 2 years as you say (Diomande will then be overage anyway).

14 Jul 2026 17:34:17
Good catch, Zeddicus

Rio can be part of List-B as he has completed 2 years while he was U-21, so that leaves us with 1 extra non-HG slot for a new signing.

Updated list:
16 non-HG - Alisson, VVD, Jacquet, Leoni, Kerkez, Macca, Szobo, Grav, Wirtz, Isak, Gakpo, Munoz, Mama, Endo, Chiesa and Tsimikas.
8 HG players - Woodman, Frimpong, Owen Beck, Bradley, Gomez, Jones, Elliott and McConnell (If Jones leaves, it would reduce squad strength as 17 non-HG + 7 HG + List-B).
List-B - Rio, Nyoni, Danns and whoever that's good enough from the academy.



Sell - Chiesa & Tsimikas (Endo would be unlikely as he is just back from an injury).
Buy - Joao Gomes, Barcola (As per ITKs in the rumours page, he is more likely than Diomande).
Squad registration for 2027 knockouts - Add Ekitike for the remaining non-HG slot.

P.S. Mama remains at least for 1 more season as backup to Alisson, and we can revisit GK position in 2027 summer if we don't renew contracts for Alisson and Woodman.