A remarkable report has emerged claiming Liverpool were forced to call upon one of Andoni Iraola’s own coaching staff during the club’s pre-season tour of the United States.
According to Indykaila News, Iraola’s assistant Tommy Elphick joined in with training sessions simply to make up the numbers.
If accurate, it paints a concerning picture of Liverpool’s current squad depth.
A Surprising Situation
Pre-season tours are designed to prepare players for the demands of a new campaign.
Training sessions are usually intense, with coaches relying on enough senior players to run tactical drills, pressing exercises and small-sided games.
The suggestion that Liverpool needed a member of the coaching staff to participate is certainly unusual.
If the report is correct, it highlights just how stretched the squad became during the US tour.
Injuries Have Taken Their Toll
Liverpool travelled to America without several key players, while others picked up injuries during the trip.
Joe Gomez’s muscle injury further reduced Andoni Iraola’s defensive options, while a number of World Cup participants had yet to report back for pre-season.
That left the coaching staff working with a smaller group than they would have ideally wanted.
If Tommy Elphick really did step in to help complete sessions, it underlines how thin Liverpool’s numbers were.
Squad Depth Still Needs Addressing
Whether or not the report is entirely accurate, one thing is clear.
Liverpool’s squad still needs strengthening.
The Leeds United friendly exposed concerns over depth, particularly in defence, where the lack of experienced options became obvious after the interval.
Several supporters have already argued that Liverpool require:
● Another centre-back
● Greater physicality
● More experienced squad depth
If coaches are genuinely being asked to help make up training numbers, those concerns only become louder.
Elphick Knows Iraola’s Methods
There is one positive if the story is true.
Tommy Elphick worked closely with Iraola at Bournemouth and understands exactly how the Spaniard wants his teams to play.
As a former professional defender, he would have been more than capable of helping maintain the intensity of training sessions.
Still, coaches are there to coach—not to fill in because the squad is short.
A Reminder of the Work Still to Do
Liverpool have made encouraging progress under Iraola, and the first half against Leeds showed glimpses of what this team could become.
However, the US tour also highlighted areas that still need attention.
If Liverpool are serious about challenging for major honours, the recruitment team will need to provide Iraola with a deeper, stronger squad before the transfer window closes.
Report or Reality?
As always with transfer-window reporting, supporters should treat claims like this with a degree of caution until independently confirmed.
However, if Liverpool really did have to call on a member of the coaching staff simply to complete training sessions, it would be another reminder that reinforcements are needed sooner rather than later.
With the Premier League season fast approaching, Liverpool cannot afford to rely on coaches to make up the numbers.
Source: Indykaila News
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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