Andoni Iraola cites infamous Liverpool opponent as biggest influence as Rodri example made

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"I had him when I was in the academy and he was the one who gave me the chance to play in the first team. "I think it was his common sense," he says during a sit-down chat with a handful of media outlets on the club's pre-season tour of the United States."He never made problems bigger than they were.

Team first was always integrated in how we're raised."Iraola will be hoping that his style of play will go some way towards tightening the frayed connection between the team and the fans after a difficult campaign last time out, when so much was questioned and a handful of final whistles were greeted by the rare sound of boos at Anfield.That, the 44-year-old insists, is one of the first tasks he has in his new role, revealing: "I think the first thing is try to play well. I think football is what helps you more, but it’s not just only about playing well."This helps a lot but I think the supporters have to feel identified with what they see on the pitch.

Sometimes it's not just about putting one ball in the top corner."A lot of times the ones watching the game are...OK, they cannot do it, but they can run, they can fight for the balls, they can press, they can fight until the last line for every situation and when they see this from the players of their team it’s easier to get behind that team. The team that I envision now, that I see and think of, if we become that team, I think we are going to be successful."FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE!