Brazilian “role model” at Liverpool is key as Alisson ‘adapts’ to new goalkeeping coach

With Fabian Otte replacing John Achterberg as Liverpool’s goalkeeping coach, Alisson has spoken about how he has adapted while emphasising the importance of Claudio Taffarel.

Brazilian goalkeeping legend Taffarel came to Liverpool in 2021 and has worked closely with the ‘keepers, particularly Alisson, ever since.

Even now, with new coach Otte in charge of the goalkeeping department, Alisson is still relying on the 58-year-old “role model” for advice and guidance.

“We are working together since 10 years I think in the national team,” Alisson told BBC Sport.

“I think it is really natural from the beginning. Sometimes when you have good friends you don’t need to speak to push each other, you just have to act. I like to work hard, he knows that. And he likes to work hard, I know that.

“I think our problem is [making sure] that we don’t push too much – sometimes we have to control a little bit the sessions.

“But we have a really good relationship as friends and it doesn’t make us more soft to each other, it makes us more hard to each other.

“And he’s not the kind of guy that is gonna come to me and say, ‘Look to this game, you didn’t make what I said to you to make’.

“No, he’s a really cool guy.”

While Alisson is the best goalkeeper in the world, for Liverpool supporters anyway, he is always trying to improve and often takes advice from his compatriot.

Liverpool’s No. 1 continued: “He (Taffarel) will say maybe sometimes, ‘Maybe that goal you concede, maybe your positioning could be different. Maybe you could way a bit more to act towards the ball towards the striker, you moved too early’ – those small things.

“But we understand each other just in the way we look to each other and we know. So he’s a guy who helps me a lot, not only talking but the way he acts.

“He is a role model as a person and having him working on my side, I am so lucky. I am so lucky for that.”

 

Working under Fabian Otte

With Liverpool’s goalkeeping department now led by Otte, Alisson has had to adapt a new way of working after former coaches John Achterberg and Jack Robinson left in the summer.

The 32-year-old added: “Now Fabian (Otte) came in, we are still managing, adapting to each other, but he is a guy who brings a lot of energy, a lot of good things on my game as well.

“And yeah, I think the best is still to come.”

While his relationship with Otte is good, Alisson was disappointed to see his predecessor, Achterberg leave.

After his departure, Achterberg himself revealed to The Football Historian Podcast that Liverpool “were smart to at least keep Taffarel, because if they would also change Taffarel, they probably would have told Ali to find a new club basically.”

Alisson‘s insistence on keeping his fellow Brazilian is a sign of the pair’s close relationship and demonstrates how the club’s successful culture has been taken on and nurtured by Arne Slot so far.