Klopp’s Intensive Pre-Season Evian Training Camp Still Likely

The confetti has barely settled from Liverpool’s title celebrations, but manager Jurgen Klopp must already turn his attention to attacking the next title.

The players still have a few days left in their two-week holiday, but then it’s back to training. Klopp repeatedly talks about the value of training, and how matches—and titles—are won and lost on the training ground.

However, sometimes the safe confines of Melwood are not enough. During his tenure, Klopp has routinely taken the team for intensive, warm-weather training, both during pre-season and in the middle of the season.

Last year, Liverpool self-isolated before it was cool, secluding themselves for a week-long training camp in Evian, France, away from the normal pressures and intense media scrutiny that comes from training on Merseyside. There is also the psychological edge that comes from getting away from the normal, day-to-day grind.

According to The Echo, Klopp will attempt to repeat the trick before Premier League action resumes on September 12th.

On one hand, Klopp’s pre-season schedule obviously helped prepare the squad for the start of the season. You know, considering they started the season with 26 wins from their first 27 matches.

On the other hand, traveling abroad during this pandemic—when everyone else has been encouraged to stay at home and “staycation”—might not be the best look.

Although Europe has largely contained the pandemic over the summer months, infection rates can only remain low if travel and other potentially risky behavior are minimized.

The club would undoubtedly do the best that they could to ensure that the camp would be safe for players and staff, but it would likely also raise some eyebrows from certain corners of the media and fanbase.

Perhaps a better, UK-based training camp, would be a better option, under the circumstances. Minus the warm weather, of course.