Lewis Koumas has revealed he knew he had a chance of making a first-team breakthrough for Liverpool this season after researching Andoni Iraola. The Wales international striker has also lifted the lid on how the new Reds head coach is plotting a new approach for the squad.
Koumas' season so far
Academy graduate Koumas has made 14 appearances for Liverpool this term, including a first Premier League start against Manchester City last month, while scoring in the Champions League at LASK. The 21-year-old forward's previous only Reds outing came when netting on his debut in the FA Cup against Southampton in February 2024, after which he had spells on loan in the Championship with Stoke City, Birmingham City and Hull City.
Iraola explained earlier this campaign it took less than a week into pre-season before determining Koumas would be part of the first-team squad, with the youngster having been encouraged by the change in the dugout.
Belief in a new opportunity
“I felt like it could be a massive opportunity for me,” he said. “I started looking into the sort of manager that he is and I feel like loads of my game is what he looks for in a player. The type of player he looks for to help his team is sort of my identity as a player, so I saw it as a real opportunity to come in and try to grab it.”
“I think the last two years were massive for my development and they are all reasons why trust is being put in me now,” he added. “In the summer I definitely felt like this was going to be the chance to see if I can do it, to see if I can break through here. So, the fact that it happened is a really nice touch and I’ve just got to keep working hard now.”
Pre-season determination and new approach
Koumas featured in all five friendlies during the summer and scored in the 4-2 win over Sunderland. He said: “I just made sure that there was no-one else out there (on the US tour) working harder than me. There was going be no-one out-training me and there was ultimately going to be no-one showing that they want to play for him more than I was.”
Iraola has been brought to Liverpool with the brief of introducing a front-footed, urgent and aggressive style of play, with the Reds through to the League Cup quarter-finals, inside the top eight in the Champions League table and standing in fourth in the Premier League. Koumas has explained how the Basque and his fellow coaches are overseeing the change.
“I think him and his staff are really good at getting how they want to play across and the details they give before games are really, really good,” he said. “They are good at communicating what they want to do and what they think because every game changes. The running is one part, being physically good enough to do what he wants, but then it’s the tactical side as well, which is really, really important. He focuses a lot on detail and certain things so I’m always looking to implement it when I can.”
Privilege to play for Iraola
Speaking to liverpool.com, Koumas added: “Playing for him is really special – really, really special. You want to be out there on the pitch fighting for him because he fights for you. You want to play for him. Personally, I feel like it’s an unbelievable privilege to be playing for him because he could pick whoever he wants but he’s trusted me to go in there at certain times and go and do the job for him, which again I’m really grateful for.”
