Sounders FC assistant coach Djimi Traore is still an avid supporter of Liverpool FC, even as he pursues the second phase of his soccer career in the United States.
Traore, who won the UEFA Champions League with the Reds back in 2005, chatted with LiverpoolFC.com about his journey into the coaching ranks, and how his philosophy on teaching the game has been shaped by copiously studying the tactical identity of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side.
"I watch all the details, I watch all the ideas and the way his team plays, the interaction between players, the movement,” Traore told LiverpoolFC.com. “Of course everybody has their own philosophy, their own style but you can take some stuff from different coaches, and what Klopp is doing is fantastic.”
Famed for their relentless pressing scheme, Traore constantly pours over Liverpool match footage to glean the nuances of their defensive shape, visual cues and individual roles so he can take those lessons and share them with the Sounders FC coaching staff.
Added Traore: "When we see Liverpool, the way they press and some of the triggers, when they start to press, that's what we can maybe copy and maybe apply. I think it's good.”
You can read the full feature HERE.
