Manager explains how he tries to get the best from “free” Dominik Szoboszlai

Dominik Szoboszlai‘s national team manager, Marco Rossi, has explained how he tries to get the best out of the Liverpool’s Hungarian in his side.

At just 22 years old, Szoboszlai was named captain of his country in November 2022 following the retirement of Adam Szalai and long-term injury of Peter Gulacsi.

He has since helped Hungary finish top of their qualifying group to reach Euro 2024, where he will take on Switzerland, Scotland and hosts Germany in the group stage.

His coach, Rossi, has seen Szoboszlai excel for the team and explained the role he allows for the midfielder.

?? Marco Rossi here explains Dominik Szoboszlai’s role in Hungary’s system.

I’ve seen so many claim he plays on the wing or higher up for Hungary.

It’s simply not true. He’s got a free role. In some Games you will see him playing a lot deeper than he does for #LFC.

?:… pic.twitter.com/12upjOF145

— Bence Bocsák (@BenBocsak) May 28, 2024

The manager told press, including Nemzeti Sport: “I think that in our squad Dominik is recognised as the leader of the team, not only because of the captain but because of his skills especially, because of his position in the pitch.

“We are playing a kind of Football we can say less positional and more relational and Dominik is a player who, along with many of the others, is free to go where he feels that he can go.

“He is much more free to move all over the pitch and this is giving to him more responsibility, but he’s able to hold this kind of responsibility.

“He’s not obliged to play on the right side on the left side, he can move all over the pitch. And I think that in our squad, this is a huge advantage.”

For Liverpool this season, Szoboszlai has played as a box-to-box midfielder, usually on the right. This has involved him getting beyond Mo Salah as well as tracking back to help Trent Alexander-Arnold.

After signing from RB Leipzig last summer, the Hungarian hit the ground running in red. As the season went on, though, he ran out of steam.

It is something Arne Slot will have to ensure isn’t an issue come the start of the campaign, especially with Szoboszlai taking on big responsibility while at the Euros.

He will be hoping to make an impact on the international stage this summer, having missed Euro 2020 through injury and not qualified for the 2022 World Cup.

If Hungary were to be knocked out in the first stage, Szoboszlai would return for pre-season in time for Liverpool’s three friendlies in the United States.