Milos Kerkez has set the record straight: he did not get married this summer. The Liverpool left-back was pictured in an all-white suit alongside an unknown bride, sparking speculation the 22-year-old had tied the knot. In fact, it was his eldest brother Rade's wedding, and Kerkez fulfilled the Serbian tradition of escorting the bride to the church.
"No [I never got married]! This is wrong," Kerkez said. "Everyone gets this wrong! It was my oldest brother. In Serbia it is normal for the younger brothers to take the bride to the church. That's what I did and now everyone thinks I got married."
Family support and last season's struggles
Kerkez spoke about the importance of his family, particularly his parents Sebastijan and Tijana, who remain close. "My family are very important," he said. "My brothers have their own lives now but my parents are with me and I am much happier they are with me. My mum, my dad, he is here to smack me sometimes on the top of the head to remind me."
Reflecting on last season's fifth-placed finish and the sacking of Arne Slot, Kerkez admitted it was tough. "Obviously [last season] was tough for everyone," he said. "When you are here, you need to play to win things. We had tough moments... It wasn't good for our standards but we need to improve this year."
Reunited with Andoni Iraola
Kerkez is delighted to work again with Andoni Iraola, the head coach who signed him for Bournemouth and earned him a £40m move to Liverpool. "I was delighted, honestly," he said. "I worked for him before and he helped me and improved me a lot... I think he is the perfect fit for us."
Describing Iraola's methods, Kerkez highlighted intensity: "He's not scared to play one-on-one all over the pitch, to press high and to be on the front foot always." The defender added that Iraola stresses defending first, with attacking as a bonus.
Replacing Andy Robertson
With Andy Robertson leaving for Tottenham, Kerkez aims to make his own mark. "We all know what Andy did for the club, I'm not running away from that," he said. "I want to make my own way. I'm going to work hard."
Kerkez acknowledged Robertson's help: "He's someone I look up to. Obviously, I'm here. I want to make my own thing... I always like to compete."
No pressure, just hard work
Kerkez dismissed talk of pressure: "Honestly, I don't care about pressure. It's a normal thing that comes with the job... I grew up a bit different in Serbia. We grew up differently. It's just your job. Do your own damn job."
As for the wedding rumours, he remains single: "I keep having to explain to a lot of people that I never got married."
