Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes state-of-the-art neuroscience helped his team win the Carabao Cup and will continue to play a part as they chase an unprecedented quadruple.
A record ninth League Cup was secured at Wembley after a goalless 120 minutes was resolved with an 11-10 penalty shoot-out victory.
Klopp engaged the services of German company neuro11 a couple of years ago to implement its mental-strength training methods within his squad.
#trainyourbrain 🧠🎯⚽️ https://t.co/zgjGkLaJgS— neuro11_official (@neuro11official) February 28, 2022
The Reds boss famously called his squad “mentality monsters” during their epic title tussle with Manchester City in 2018-19, when they missed out on the crown by a point despite a record-breaking 97-point tally for second place.
But he has used science to back up his assertion, with neuro11 now regularly working with the squad to improve their mindset at all set-pieces, not just penalties.
“Incredible impact,” said Klopp when asked what effect they had had.
“They are a fixed part of our coaching staff. They are not here all the time, they are in Germany obviously but they come over quite frequently.
“They were here for the last week, before that they were here for five days.
“All the players are really excited about it and it’s about bringing specific players before a set-piece in the right mindset by doing the stuff we do on the pitch.
“Everything gets measured, they are neuroscientists and it’s incredibly interesting and incredibly important to us.
“It’s a very interesting new chapter for us because it’s not only penalties, although in the last week it was a lot about penalties because of the upcoming final. It’s about free-kicks, all kind of set-pieces as well.
“It’s about the confidence they gave the boys that they really can do it and I’m really happy about it.”
Jürgen Klopp: “The neuro11 team has developed a highly innovative and fact-based mental strength training method … Since mental strength plays such an important role at the highest level, we‘re excited about working together with these guys.“#trainyourbrain@LFCpic.twitter.com/oor0B1oveo— neuro11_official (@neuro11official) October 2, 2021
Second-choice goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher was the hero at Wembley as he scored the winning penalty.
He will be taken out of the limelight for the FA Cup fifth-round visit of Norwich after a gruelling 120 minutes against Chelsea, with first-choice Alisson Becker coming in.
However, the longer-term plan is to keep hold of the 23-year-old Republic of Ireland international so he can continue to learn from his team-mate.
“There’s absolutely no intention to sell him or something like that or give him a loan. Not at all,” added Klopp.
“We need a strong number two. Winning a trophy, will that help? You’ll have to ask Caoimh that.
“But he has here a long-term contract and we have a long-term plan with him, but of course we want to help the boy as well become the best version of himself.
“Maybe there is a year he will have to go on loan, I’m not sure it will be next year or maybe a year later.
“But you need the quality we have here and we get weaker if he wants to go somewhere.”
