Milos Kerkez reveals why Andoni Iraola is the ‘perfect fit’ for Liverpool, how he’s stepped up as a leader during pre-season and driving trucks with his dad – aged 10!
When Milos Kerkez signed for Liverpool last summer, an old colleague from his days in Hungary told Daily Mail Sport he was ‘like a young horse’.
Kicking everybody, a hive of energy unable to sit still, a relentless running – but, as former Hungary No 1 Adam Bogdan added at the time, it was always obvious this eccentric individual would make it to the top.
After spending time with Kerkez in a swanky rooftop bar in Chicago, it was hard not to let that verdict pop back to mind.
In an engaging and at times hilarious chat with the Liverpool left back, Kerkez is here to discuss all things from driving Serbian trucks at age 10, getting a ‘smack’ from his dad when he does not play well and his friendship with UFC fighter Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett.
But first, Kerkez is the best-placed player to offer insight on the new regime. Having signed from Bournemouth for £40m last summer, the Serbian-born Hungary international knows Andoni Iraola and his backroom staff better than any player at Anfield.
‘I was delighted, honestly,’ says the 22-year-old when asked how he reacted to Iraola’s appointment. ‘I worked for him before and he helped me and improved me a lot in the two years that I spent with him.
Kerkez signed for Liverpool from Bournemouth for £40m last summer – and knows Andoni Iraola and his backroom staff better than any player at Anfield
‘If you see footage of how we all are after training – all lying down! – then you can see what he is preparing us for,’ Kerkez says of Iraola
‘It’s the 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. If you see footage of how we all are after training – all lying down! – then you can see what he is preparing us for.
‘He is very professional. He likes to talk sometimes but not a lot. Maybe he doesn’t want to get too close to some players and wants to show that everyone is the same in the team and doesn’t want to get too close to anyone in particular. He keeps it professional with a lot of hard work.’
At this point, Kerkez puffs out his cheeks and wipes a bead of sweat from his brow. He has just returned from a training session at the HQ of MLS side, Chicago Fire, where the squad have been put through their paces in the searing Illinois heat.
It is understood the left-back has taken it upon himself to step up as a leader on this pre-season tour noting that senior stars such as Virgil van Dijk and Alisson will not partake in the trip. Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate have all departed the club.
But at heart, Kerkez feels like a kid with the innocence of youth, loving every day living out his dream as a top-level footballer.
It was a journey that started on the streets of Serbia, which he believed left him in good stead to make it, following a similar journey to one of the biggest names in the NBA, Denver Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic, nicknamed ‘The Joker’.
‘I grew up a bit different in Serbia,’ says Kerkez, who says he was bored of the summer holidays after 10 days that he spent in Serbia, Spain and Montenegro. ‘We grew up different. It’s just your job, do your own damn job.
‘For example, I started to drive a truck when I was 10 years old. I don’t know if it’s legal or not! It’s just a bit different. We’re more on the street. I don’t know. I can say 10 other things that I did when I was younger… I won’t. I gave you this example!’
It is worth pointing out that Kerkez’s father, Sebastijan, was also present – ‘he was doing the pedals, I was quite small so couldn’t catch them – and the youngster was merely sitting on his lap while steering the big-wheeler down the dirt tracks.
When Kerkez signed for Liverpool last summer, an old colleague from his days in Hungary told Daily Mail Sport he was ‘like a young horse’, a hive of energy unable to sit still
Kerkez Snr lives with his son now alongside mother Tijana and gives him lifts to training most days.
The Kerkezes are a tight-knit family. Brother Marko, 26, plays for Aris in the Greek league, while the eldest of the trio is Rade, who worked in a chemical factory. Rade got married this year, which led to some confusion when Milos posted a picture on Instagram with the bride.
‘Everyone gets this wrong!’ beams the left back when asked if he got married. ‘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.
‘I keep having to explain to a lot of people that I never got married. It was my oldest brother, not me. I was going around the club and people started to congratulate me. I’m like, “No, I’m not ready for this yet!” It was not me, it was Rade.’
As for his father, Kerkez adds: ‘Paddy the Baddie! My dad met a friend, who is close with Paddy. Then my Dad met Paddy and I came and I met him. I follow UFC a lot. Nice guy… A Scouser. Crazy!
‘My family are very important. My brothers have their own lives now but my parents are with me and I am much happier they are with me, my mum and dad.
‘He is here to smack me sometimes on the top of the head to remind me! Sometimes you play a few good games and you maybe start to get a bit carried away. But my dad is here to smack me, I come straight back down and I switch straight back on. They are very important.’
Kerkez, as is becoming clear, is different to most footballers and his turn of phrase could set him up for a post-playing career as a stand-up comedian.
There is quite a Hungarian community building in Liverpool. Dominik Szoboszlai captained the Reds in their first pre-season friendly, while a back-up goalkeeper Armin Pecsi is impressing team-mates with his calmness on the ball, though he will be loaned out this term.
Academy sources also rave about teenager Erik Farkas, born in Hungary but is eligible to play for England if he makes it. He has trained with the first team.
At one point last season, Slot joked that he thought Mohamed Salah was Hungarian as he spent so much time with Szoboszlai and Kerkez. The trio were good pals and Kerkez says: ‘We speak often. I don’t know who he is signing for! We just talk about vacations.’
Kerkez has learned a lot from him and Robertson and adds: ‘Andy helped me a lot. Like I said many times, he’s a legend. He did a lot of big things, won everything. He’s someone I look up to. Obviously, I’m here. I want to make my own thing.
‘We all know what Andy (Robertson) did for the club, I’m not running away from that. I want to make my own way. I’m going to work hard. I know what it means to play for Liverpool. I showed it a bit last year and I am going to show it more this year.
‘As for Mo, I saw on the TV before we left the AXA (training centre), how many goals and assists Mo had, it was 300 and something. I just walked out! What is this?!
‘Time flies, a new generation comes with new players and hopefully everything will be good.’
Credit: Daily Mail
