Milos Kerkez, the Hungary international left-back, has expressed his delight at being reunited with former Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola at Liverpool, describing him as the perfect fit for the club. Speaking during Liverpool's pre-season tour in the United States, Kerkez addressed his difficult debut season under Arne Slot, the shock of Slot's sacking, and his ambitions to step out of Andy Robertson's shadow.
Kerkez on Iraola's Appointment
Kerkez, who joined Liverpool for £40m in 2024 after two seasons under Iraola at Bournemouth, said: '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.'
The 22-year-old highlighted Iraola's emphasis on intensity and high pressing: '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.'
Slot's Sacking Came as a Shock
Kerkez revealed he learned of Arne Slot's sacking through a frantic knock on his bedroom door while at home in Serbia. 'I was surprised. I really didn't know. I was back in Serbia, I was sleeping and my brother woke me up. He knocks on my door and it was a big surprise. Nobody knew. I couldn't believe it, I was like: 'Wow.' I have been in touch with him since, we have exchanged a few messages.'
Slot had led Liverpool to the Premier League title in his first season but was dismissed after just one year in charge. Kerkez admitted last season was 'tough for everyone' at Liverpool, with the team struggling for consistency despite heavy investment.
Playing Style and Freedom Under Iraola
Under Slot, Kerkez often appeared inhibited by instructions to build from the back and come inside. Iraola's system, in contrast, encourages full-backs to attack down the flanks. 'The gaffer likes to play more with the full-backs down the line, underlapping, overlapping. It worked well for me at Bournemouth, so I think it will also work well for me here,' Kerkez said.
'He always told me that defending is really important, for him that is first of all, and because you are a full-back you need to defend really hard. Everything you can do in front of you is like a bonus. He showed me that when you do your job then you are free to do what you want, so I felt really free with him.'
Pressure? Kerkez Drove a Truck at Age 10
When asked about the pressure of playing for Liverpool, Kerkez dismissed it, citing his upbringing in Serbia. 'Honestly, I don't care about pressure. I don't like 'pressure' and that stuff. I grew up a bit different in Serbia. We grew up different. You could say maybe we are built a bit different. For example, I started to drive a truck when I was 10 years old.' He clarified that his father operated the pedals while he steered.
Kerkez's parents, Sebastijan and Tijana, moved to England to support him. His father still drives him to training occasionally. 'My dad is here to smack me sometimes on the top of the head and to remind me. Sometimes you play a few good games and maybe you start to get a bit carried away. But my dad is here to smack me. I come straight back down and I switch straight back on,' Kerkez said.
Stepping Out of Robertson's Shadow
Kerkez was signed to replace Andy Robertson, now at Tottenham. Robertson regularly offered advice last season. 'We all know what Andy did for the club. I'm not running away from that. I want to make my own way. I'm going to work hard. I know what it means to play for Liverpool. I showed it a bit last year and I am going to show it more this year,' Kerkez said.
He also recalled a moment at Liverpool's training ground: 'Before we left the Axa to come to Chicago I saw on TV a show about how many goals and assists Mo had, it was something like 380. I just walked out! 'What is this?' I was thinking. Time flies. A new generation comes and hopefully everything will be good.'
Wedding Confusion
During the interview, Kerkez also cleared up a misunderstanding: a photo of him escorting a bride into a church in his hometown of Vrbas led many to believe he had married. 'No! This is wrong, everyone gets this wrong! It was my oldest brother. In Serbia it is normal for the younger brothers to take the bride to the church. That's what I did and now everyone thinks I got married. It was Rade, not me. I keep having to explain to people that I never got married. I was going around the club when we started back and people were congratulating me. I'm like: 'No, I'm not ready for this yet!''
