Andy Robertson: Pre-season brings out the competitive nature in all of us
Liverpool’s pre-season training camp in Germany has had an important competitive edge, according to Andy Robertson.
The Reds' preparations in the Baden-Württemberg region are in full flow with the hard work being put in by the players ahead of 2023-24.
Jürgen Klopp’s squad have enjoyed a mix of sessions since their arrival last weekend, though will return to full on-pitch action during a friendly with Karlsruher SC on Wednesday evening.
Robertson has been among those in the 32-man squad in Germany, playing a role first-hand in the sessions that are readying the players for the forthcoming campaign.
“It's always competitive, especially in pre-season,” Robertson told Liverpoolfc.com. “You have more chance to play small-sided games and against each other. Probably during the season, especially when you get three games a week, it's a bit more tactical and a bit more trying to prepare the next game.
“Pre-season is always competitive; it always brings out the competitive nature in all of us and if we didn't have that competitive nature we wouldn't be where we are. That's what gets you to clubs like this.
“It's that competitiveness – it's that not wanting to lose. We've all had that since a very early age. It always comes out pre-season, no matter what age we are. It always brings out a bit of fun as well.
“Of course, we get competitive and you want to be on the winning side, and thankfully last night I was. There's no problem with getting beaten and being angry about it. It's about being angry and trying to make sure it doesn't happen the next time.”
Read on for the rest of the interview with the No.26 below…
On how he has found the training camp so far...
Incredibly tough, it's early morning rises, tough sessions during the day and then obviously when the sun comes out and we train a lot harder with that heat – everything makes it a lot harder. The three days have been incredibly tough. There's been no kind of easing our way into it. It's been pretty full on but the lads have reacted to it and it's important that in these moments we all stick together and we try to enjoy the hard work and push each other through it.
On the hard work being put in laying important foundations...
It gives you a basis, that's all it can give you. You work hard here so the games, when we start, become easier, because your fitness is pretty much where you left it last season. That's what we're obviously trying to do. But whether it lays foundations or anything like that, I've been in the game long enough I'm not so sure about that, it all comes down to when the real fun starts. Then we have to be 100 per cent ready and we have to go with everything we've got. These training sessions and everything we're doing off the pitch and stuff is mentally preparing us for that. Then when it comes to the first game of the season, we need to be ready to attack the season.
On the squad activities and bonding between sessions...
We've had triple session then triple session. I think all of us have been sleeping, to be honest with you! We've had no chance to really socialise [yet], but we always try our best and we've gathered a couple of fines so far this trip. We've got a little court case coming up to see if some of the lads get away with it or not. Obviously that brings a bit of fun questioning people on the stand and things like that.
You just try to make these trips as fun as possible. On the pitch it's very competitive but off it it's all about team bonding and it's all about trying to get togetherness, and it's also about being fun. We're away from our families, away from our kids and it's difficult the more days it goes [on]. You start missing back home and things like that and all of us are feeling the same. So, it's important we all try to fill our time properly.