- Liverpool recruited highly-rated goalkeeping coach Fabian Otte, aged just 33
- Otte deployed unusual techniques during a drill designed to improve passing
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Liverpool‘s goalkeepers deployed some unusual equipment during a pre-season training drill with their new coaches already stamping their mark on sessions.
The new era at Anfield is officially underway with Arne Slot and his backroom staff putting a host of players through their paces after they returned from their holidays.
Slot is currently prioritising improving fitness levels, a method also adopted by legendary former boss Jurgen Klopp as he looked to make his charges match ready.
Shortly after putting pen to paper on a three-year deal, Slot completed the make-up of his deputies. Aaron Briggs was hired as an elite development coach while No 2 Sipke Hulshoff and lead physical performance coach Ruben Peeters also arrived.
But the most eye-catching addition looks to be Fabian Otte, head of first-team goalkeeper coaching. Aged just 33, Otte joined Liverpool from the United States national side shortly after his spell coaching at the Copa America.
Otte cut short his holiday after just a week in a bid to hit the ground running and he appears to have wasted little time in introducing groundbreaking new methods.
Indeed, the Reds’ stoppers were spotted using noise cancelling headphones and glasses that limit their field of vision, the intention being to improve their confidence with the ball at their feet – a key hallmark of Slot’s preferred style of play.
In a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, academy goalkeeper Fabian Mrozek was handed a pair of the glasses by Otte before taking part in the drill.
On the other side of the pitch, one of his team-mates wore the large headphones.
Each of the players took it in turns to complete a pass while being pressured by their coaches – with large blow-up mannequins representing the opposition.
Otte has previously worked with goalkeepers at Borussia Monchengladbach and Hoffenheim in Germany as well as the New Zealand women’s national team.
Head coach Slot shared his delight with Otte’s early return to work.
‘He also had a tournament, he was with the USA team,’ he said. ‘Unfortunately for him, they went out of the tournament. I gave him a few weeks off but he said, “No, I want to come as soon as I can”. He’s already in now after a one-week holiday.
‘I think that is what you like to see. Although having a holiday is important, you like to see staff members and players want to come in as early as they can to join the team and help us for, hopefully, a very good season.’