‘Lazar Markovic was a genius!’ – Former Liverpool keeper picks surprise training ground stars

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Adam Bogdan has lifted the lid on training ground stars at Anfield, with the Hungarian claiming that “Lazar Markovic was a genius”.

A Serbia international winger was a considerable flop on Merseyside, with just one full season spent in the Reds’ first team plans before being released on a free to link up with Fulham in January 2019.

The 25-year-old never looked like justifying a £20 million ($25m) price tag, with just 34 appearances and three goals recorded.

Bogdan, though, has suggested that Markovic boasted enough ability to make more of an impact on Merseyside.

The ex-Reds shot-stopper got a good look at a number of hits and misses across four years with Liverpool and has picked out a few of those who caught his eye.

Bogdan told the Liverpool Echo: “There were a lot. [Daniel] Sturridge, his finishing is amazing. From one step, he could find any corner.

“[Philippe] Coutinho was amazing as well. I don’t know what words I should say as I’ll say amazing for other players as well.

“Lazar Markovic was a genius in five-a-side games. It’s really, really hard to pick one.

“You play against [James] Milner who will run for two hours, he will graft and score goals in training. [Jordan] Henderson is very similar.

“It’s impossible to pick one out. I’m glad and grateful to have been able to play with these players.”

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Another of those to have impressed Bogdan was Roberto Firmino, with the Brazil international having established himself as a key component in Jurgen Klopp’s plans after arriving under Brendan Rodgers with questions being asked of his strike rate and potential value to the cause.

“I’m in love with the game of Firmino. He’s such a key player for Liverpool,” Bogdan said.

“You could tell (he was special).

“He got injured when I made my debut with his back so it took him a few weeks to come back.

“For him, Jurgen Klopp came in and knew him from Germany and that was a really key factor. He was aware of his abilities, what he could get out of him and it fitted perfectly with the system that Klopp wanted to play.

“You can see it in training. The touch, the passes, the turns, you can’t take the ball away from him, the attitude - everything.

“It takes a bit of time for the games to adjust to the system the manager wants you to play but in training, yeah, you could see it.”