Q&ACody Gakpo interview: Confidence, attacking role and season opener at Ipswich

The forward shared the tournament's top scorer prize after his three goals helped the Netherlands reach the semi-finals.

His nation's progress in Germany meant Gakpo only featured once for the Reds in pre-season – last weekend's goalless draw with Las Palmas – but the No.18 is counting down the minutes for the Premier League opener at Ipswich Town on Saturday.

Liverpoolfc.com caught up with him ahead of the trip to Portman Road – read on for the interview about his excitement, conversations with new head coach Arne Slot and the need to start 2024-25 on the right note…

Cody, is that first day of a season still exciting and special even for someone as experienced as you?

Yes, every first day of the season is like the first day of school! It's always a very exciting time. We want to start the season very well, obviously, we want to win and that's what we train so hard for in the pre-season, even though some – including myself – joined later. We are there and we try to play the best football we can and go for the win.

You mentioned joining a little later – how are you feeling ahead of the start of the campaign?

Yeah, I'm feeling good, to be honest. I feel good after the summer break. I'm really happy to get back to work.

You enjoyed a really good Euros, sharing the top scorer award – congratulations, by the way. Does that mean you're heading into the season full of confidence?

I'm very confident. It was a good Euros for me [but] unfortunately we lost to England. It was a good one for us as a country as well, even though we could do better maybe. I'm very happy to be back, full of confidence and I need to keep performing like that here as well.

Obviously there's a new gaffer in place here, and he's a fellow Dutchman. What have been your first impressions of him?

Very good. I think he's coming in with a new style of play – more based on ball possession. I think it's good for the team. Obviously we learned a lot from the previous gaffer as well. I think if you can combine both those qualities they had and tried to give us, we can be an exciting team to watch.

Have you had any conversations with him about what type of role you're going to play in the forward line this season?

Yeah, I spoke to him and obviously he sees me as a left winger. That's how I think he sees me. We have a lot of players in the front line and you know the season is long and there can be some injuries in every position. So he said, 'You're playing there but maybe I need you in another position, you can play there as well. Just be ready.' For me, I'm here and I try to play the best football I can and help the club as much as I can with my qualities.

Just looking ahead to the Ipswich game, they're back in the Premier League after a really, really long time. They're obviously going to be up for it, so you'll have to match or exceed their intensity to get the result you want...

Obviously they want to show that they are ready for it, and I think we understand that. We have to be aware of that in the game as well and be ready from the first minute until the last one. Exactly like you said, we have to match or even exceed their intensity and then with our qualities everywhere on the pitch we [can] win the game.

And finally, how important is it to start a new season with three points on the board?

I think it's very important to just take a little bit of the pressure off when you get the three points. Hopefully we play a very good game [and] get the three points, and everybody in the club feels good and from that moment on you can really work to your goals for the season.

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