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Alexander Isak’s former youth coach has reflected on the remarkable transformation he witnessed in Liverpool’s new record signing at the age of 14.
Elias Mineirji first met Isak when he was just five or six while serving as academy director at AIK in Sweden, later coaching him between the ages of 12 and 15.
Mineirji admits that Isak’s path to professional football wasn’t always obvious, given the strength and depth of the youth teams he competed in. "I don’t think he was one of the best,” admits Mineirji when asked if Isak's potential was immediately obvious.
“He was really good, but maybe not one of the best because we had other players who were really, really good too.
“But you could see his skills, the technical skills and the knowledge of the game, he was really good in that.
“When he was 12 or 13, we didn’t know if he would be a professional player in the future. Sometimes you can see that directly, but in Isak’s case you couldn’t see that directly."
Mineirji says he noticed a major transformation in Isak at 14 that convinced him the striker was capable of achieving great things.
“I saw a big difference,” said Mineirji in an interview with Hayters TV. “It was a lot about the mentality. “It was like, ‘OK, I want to be a soccer player, I want to work hard, I want this thing, because now I think other players are really good too, and they want it a lot’.
“I think he was like ‘OK, I want to be something’. Because he knew if he didn’t do it, other players would be better and succeed. He was always playing with a smile.
Mineirji added: “He was a really, really great team-mate and good for the coaches. I think, up to 14, he was like a kid, of course. He liked to have fun and play with the guys and friends and so on. But I think when he became 14, 14 and a half, 15, he was the same person but more serious about his football.
“He was always focused when he should be focused, and when he should be happy and relaxed, he is relaxed. I think that’s his biggest strength.
“His family were really great and always helping him in a good way. They always told him, listen to your coach and listen to your teachers and be a good guy and you will succeed. And he really did it.”
Isak was left out of the squad altogether to face the Clarets, along with fellow summer signing Giovanni Leoni, while Curtis Jones' omission was anticipated after Slot confirmed in his pre-match press conference that the midfielder had suffered a knock.
On Isak, Slot said: "Not today. As everybody knew, he didn't have any team training at Newcastle," the Liverpool head coach told Sky Sports ahead of the game.
"He went to the national team and only played for 15, 20 minutes. We think with a week where we play three games in seven days, this is the best lead up for him to be available against Atletico Madrid."
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