Liverpool will face Ipswich on the road in the first round of the new English Premier League season, which will kick off at 19:30 Beijing time on Saturday night. Before the match, Liverpool player Kelleher accepted the club's official interview, sharing his expectations and feelings about the upcoming season.
Reflecting on his preseason performance, Kelleher said, "I think the most important thing was to get playing time and stay healthy, and we managed to do that. The head coach emphasized several times in preseason that we needed to win games, and we had good results against strong teams, which definitely set us up for the first games of the new season. These wins not only boost our morale, but also give us confidence for the upcoming challenges."
Speaking about what it's like to work under Head Coach Slaughter, Kelleher raved, "It's really been a great experience. Coach Slaughter's game philosophy is very clear and his message is very clear. He expects a lot from us, but it's that high standard that pushes us forward. There are a lot of great players on the team and he always encourages us to push our limits and strive for better results. This positive atmosphere benefits each of us and as we practice hard in every game, I'm sure things will get better."
Looking ahead to the upcoming games, Kelleher is confident: "Things are rapidly improving for the new season. We had a great pre-season and have come back from the USA with even more confidence. Seeing other players progressing in international matches and returning to the team has definitely boosted our confidence. The whole squad was assembled last week and we have put in a lot of hard work for the tournaments and now everyone is ready to go."
He singled out last season's regrets: "We came very close to winning the title last season, but small gaps in the Premier League often have a huge impact. Therefore, we need to work harder in the new season and try to win every game. Although we may concede the occasional goal, there are some games where we need to fight hard for the result. The manager has high demands on us and we have to play our best in every game because the gap between the teams is really small."
Finally, Kelleher also mentioned last season's title race: "We saw Arsenal and Manchester City drop almost no points last season, which set an example for us. If we want to do well in the new season, we must maintain the same high standards in every game. I believe that if we are united and work hard, we will be able to achieve satisfactory results in the new season."
