Liverpool FC manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed how the haka has played a special role in his career.
The 51-year-old explained on Tuesday that he used recordings of the traditional Māori war dance to inspire his team during his first three seasons as a coach.
Klopp is one of the most highly regarded coaches in world football, after high profile success in Germany and England.
He made his name at Borussia Dortmund, winning two league titles, a German Cup and finishing runner up to Bayern Munich in the 2013 Champions League final.
Klopp took charge at Anfield three years ago, and has taken the Reds to the final of both the Europa League and the Champions League, and they currently sit equal top of the Premier League table after 10 matches.
But Klopp's coaching career started in humble circumstances, after he took over at German second division club Mainz in February 2001. Klopp was only 33 — and still playing — but was given the job to try and stop the club from being relegated to the third tier, and used some unique methods from the start.
"I love [the haka]," said Klopp. "My career started with the haka, when I was a manager at Mainz. I was a player on Sunday and on Monday I became a manager.
"With my team I loved the intensity [of the haka] and everything. It helped us a lot [at Mainz]. When we drove in the bus to the stadium, the last two minutes was always the haka [playing] in the bus.
"When we opened the door and left the bus going into the stadium you could hear the last few seconds of it. So it helped us a lot ... it brought us into a pretty special mood and we used it for two or three years.
"So I am always happy when I can hear it and especially live, it is a very interesting experience and I can only recommend it to everyone. If you have never seen it before, you have to."
Klopp was speaking after watching the Kiwis perform the haka for the Liverpool players and staff on Wednesday, after the New Zealand side trained at Liverpool's Melwood headquarters, then enjoyed lunch with many of their millionaire players.
Klopp joked that the league team particularly enjoyed the bountiful buffet lunch supplied at the Premier League club.
"It's great to have them here," said Klopp. "A real pleasure. And the kitchen enjoys it a lot. At least then they really know why they do it because these boys are good eaters. They can have whatever they want."
Klopp, who has hosted three Kiwis teams at Melwood since his tenure began in 2015, said they always enjoy the exchange of ideas.
"We are a very open minded club," said Klopp. "We are always open to learn from different sports. We are interested in that actually. Obviously the sport is quite different so we cannot use too much tactically but no problem with that, it is still really interesting to talk and have a little chat."
Melwood, which was opened in 1950 and was then transformed by legendary manager Bill Shankly in the 1970s, is typical of the lavish facilities enjoyed throughout the Premier League. There are three full-size fields, one with the same dimensions as Anfield and others wider or narrower, to replicate the different pitches across the league, as well as rehabilitation rooms, a gymnasium, swimming pool, restaurant and recreational facilities.
The Kiwis had a heavy training session on Wednesday, focussed on defence, but Klopp had no concerns about his state of his usually pristine fields, despite seeing the damage done to the Wembley surface following an NFL match last weekend.
"They had a good session I hope," said Klopp. "I spoke already with our groundsman and it's all good with the pitch — I hope. Especially when you saw the game [on Tuesday], when Tottenham played City at Wembley and the day before that [was] the NFL game ... that was crazy. But it's all good, they are all fine."