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Jurgen Klopp has praised Liverpool backroom staff member Vitor Matos for helping the Reds deal with their injury crisis.
Liverpool have been plagued with injuries during the first months of the season, with center-backs Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez suffering long-term injuries.
A host of other players have succumbed to more minor complaints, while the latest star ready for a spell on the sidelines is Diogo Jota.
Matos’s efforts as an elite development coach have been key to Liverpool navigating the hectic schedule with a depleted squad.
Klopp recalled how Matos recommended promoting 19-year-old defender Rhys Williams, who has played a key role in the Reds’ Champions League campaign, to the first team in his brilliant verdict over the Portuguese.
(Image: Colin Lane / Liverpool Echo)
“We employed Vitor, not because the academy was not performing as well as we wanted, but because we needed a connection point,” Klopp said. Sky sports .
“Energy [Lijnders] I was doing it too, but the first team coach is a great job; we needed someone in that development coach role who knew both sides and Vitor is doing an amazing job.
“When we had our first fight with the middle halves, Rhys suggested.
(Image: REUTERS)
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“It helps to have someone with a good eye in the academy and someone who knows what we need in a crisis. Yes, we need players, but what kind of players?”
“We want to give the boys a broad education. We want to know that they will be able to react later in their careers to different scenarios.
“Vitor is really important for one-on-one relationships. Yeah, in the first team, we think we’re open and quite friendly, but it can take time for someone to really feel like they can show themselves.
“I can’t have those long talks every day with all the guys. There will be a time when it happens, but it’s Vitor’s job to make sure they know what to expect, that they know that we think they’re good.” Enough, that they understand the opportunity without feeling pressure. “
Matos joined Liverpool last year from Porto, where he had worked alongside now Liverpool assistant coach Lijnders.
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