Liverpool Players Reach Switzerland

Liverpool have arrived at their pre-season training camp in Switzerland - with a squad with an average age of just 21.

With all 13 of the Reds' World Cup stars given extra time off to rest and recuperate after their exploits in South Africa, it was a youthful Liverpool party which made the journey from Anfield to the Alps on Wednesday afternoon.
First team players not involved in the World Cup - including Alberto Aquilani, Lucas, Albert Riera and Emiliano Insua - were joined by many of the club's reserve team to board the flight direct to Altenrhein and then a coach to Bad Ragaz, their base for the next ten days of pre-season training.
New signing Milan Jovanovic will be travelling directly to the training complex from Serbia later this evening, while Sotorios Kyrgiakos will arrive before the end of the week.
Interrupted only by a serving of a light lunch, the squad passed their time on the two-hour flight either sleeping, settling back to listen to music or playing with their latest iPad purchases.
It wasn't just in the players' section of the aircraft where there were some unfamiliar faces, however.
Sat at the ftont was Dr Peter Brukner, the club's new Head of Sports Science and Sports Medicine, who, along with his newly assembled medical team at Melwood, is looking forward to continuing the work of building the players up to peak physical condition in time for the big kick-off.
"We've been back training for thirteen days now so our plans are well underway," he said. "But there's no doubt that going away with the squad for ten days gives us a chance to work with them closely and it's something we're looking forward to.
"We're also looking forward to having our World Cup players back, but first of all it is important they are all given three weeks off. In three weeks they won't lose too much fitness, but they'll get a chance to get refreshed mentally, and that's important.
"Milan Jovanovic and Sotirios Kyrgiakos will be joining us in Switzerland and then during the middle of next week the England lads Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Glen Johnson along with Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel will come back. They won't be coming to Switzerland, though. Instead they'll be given preliminary work to get them started at Melwood with a view to them joining in with us when we get back.
"On July 26 Javier Mascherano and Maxi Rodridguez will be back with us and then the following week the four players who were involved in the World Cup final will be returning to Melwood.
"Obviously it's difficult from a conditioning point of view to have different players coming back at different times but it is something we are ready for. Some of the players haven't had a break for two or three seasons so they will benefit from this rest and then be ready to go again.
Liverpool's slightly later than expected arrival at their luxury hotel meant the planned training session on Monday evening was instead replaced by a brisk walk, but starting from Tuesday morning the players will be put through their paces with twice daily training sessions in the scorching Swiss sunshine.
Roy Hodgson's men will face three friendly matches as part of their Swiss trip, with Al-Hilal providing the opposition on Saturday, Grasshoppers next Wednesday and Kaiserslautern a week on Saturday.
All three games can be watched live and exclusive on Liverpoolfc.tv via the e-Season Ticket service, while this weekend's clash with Al-Hilal in Austria will also be screened live on LFC TV.