Written by Priya Kaur
With the Reds’ first game of the 24/25 season only days away, you can taste the excitement amongst us Liverpool fans who look onto our first opponent with the utmost belief.
To add to the anticipation, it was only fitting that we interviewed Ipswich Town legend Matt Holland, who expressed the honour he felt playing against big teams in the Premier League.
Discuss his own playing days, scoring at Anfield and captaining a side to a historic double over The Reds, Matt touched admiration for the Anfield allure as he touched upon seeing the ‘This Is Anfield’ sign, walking out of the tunnel, and hearing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ being sung across the Kop, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
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A big talking point was manager Kieran McKenna who was vital to keep at Portman Road after speculation surrounding his future.
Described as “a breath of fresh air”, Matt believes that McKenna is a harmonious force within the Ipswich side, displaying a genius-level football acumen and a classy approach to management, making him destined for the top.
On Ipswich’s transition from the Championship to the Premier League, Matt stressed the importance of strategic recruitment to enhance the team’s chances of success.
However, key players like Leif Davis and Omari Hutchinson were highlighted for their pivotal roles last season, with Davis’ exceptional delivery, and Hutchinson’s improved decision-making in the final third, being crucial to the team’s success.
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Matt noted that significant investments have been made to upgrade the Tractor Boys’ home to Premier League standards, including improvements to facilities, floodlights and seating capacity for away fans.
Furthermore, he praised the club’s new American ownership and Chairman Mark Ashton, crediting them for the significant on and off-pitch investments one promise that the former midfielder made was that the atmosphere is going to be electric, with players eager to prove themselves against top-tier competition.
And it wouldn’t feel real if we didn’t get Matt’s prediction! It reflected cautious optimism, while his heart leans toward an Ipswich win, his head says the Reds could prevail given the respective strength of both squads.
