Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp tells Joe Gomez to stop pumping iron to earn first-team spot saying 'the only place you need muscles is on the beach'
- Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp revealed he told Joe Gomez to stop pumping iron
- Klopp believes the defender put on too much muscle during his time out injured
- Charismatic Kop supremo added: 'He lost weight, he's really fit, he looks sharp'
- Reds kicked-off German leg of pre-season tour with a 3-0 win over Hertha Berlin
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed what he said to starlet Joe Gomez in order for him to increase his chances of playing for the first eleven - stop pumping iron.
The charismatic Klopp told his young charge in no uncertain terms that in order to inflate his chances of first-team action he first had to deflate his bulk.
The highly-rated 20-year-old suffered a season-ending cruciate ligament injury in October 2015. The former Charlton defender worked hard to come back from what could have been a career-ending blow to resume full training exactly 12 months later.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed what he told starlet Joe Gomez: Stop pumping iron
Charismatic Kop boss Klopp told Gomez 'the only place you need muscles is the beach'
But despite his single-minded dedication during the long-road back to full fitness in the gym, Klopp believes the versatile Catford-born defender - who can play left or right-back as well as in central defence - put on too much muscle during his time out injured.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo Klopp explained: 'I had a long talk with him. When he came back he got injured and then when he came back again he was heavy.
'He had a lot of muscle and you only need muscles like that if you're only going to the beach.
Klopp had a heart-to-heart with Gomez advising him to work on certain aspects of his game
'We had to work on this and now he's back. He lost weight, he's really fit, he looks sharp. There are still things to improve.
'Everybody told me what a wonderful player he is. His heading was really good, but he can improve - he needs to be a little more aggressive.'
Liverpool's loyal fans supporting their team in large numbers in Berlin on Saturday evening
The Reds kicked-off the German leg of their pre-season tour with a 3-0 win over Hertha Berlin at the Olympiastadion on Saturday.
Goals from 19-year-old Dominic Solanke, signed from Chelsea earlier in the summer, Georginio Wijnaldum and record signing Mo Salah clinched the victory as Sadio Mane played 45 minutes after returning from surgery to his knee.
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