Manager Brendan Rodgers has boldly admitted that the decision to sack his assistant Colin Pascoe and former first-team coach Mike Marsh was entirely his own.
Both had been with Rodgers since he arrived at the Anfield helm in summer 2012, but following our poor sixth placed finish in 2014/15, the Northern Irishman decided to cull his former wingmen.
It wasn’t the choice of the club’s owners, as was previously suggested.
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“I decided to make a change in the staff,” Rodgers said while on pre-season press conference duty in Thailand, reported by the Echo.
“Colin and Mike are two fantastic guys who worked very well.
“They are both great professionals and were very supportive during the time they worked with the club.
“I just felt that we needed to move in a different direction. That was a decision that was purely made by himself.”
In their place, Liverpool have appointed Sean O’Driscoll as assistant, and Gary McAllister, our former veteran midfield legend, as a first-team coach – and Rodgers has been delighted by their early impact.
“The guys have come in, started well and integrated very well into the group. Hopefully we can continue with that ambience in our work,” he continued.
“I have known Sean a long time and played against his teams. He’s someone I respect and admire.
“The work that Colin and Mike did in the three years at the club was very good.
“But I felt that coming into my fourth season at the club I wanted to take the team in a different direction.
“Sean, Pep and Gary McAllister will assist me in doing that. I’m looking forward to working with them, along with the other staff.”
Liverpool have also promoted Pep Ljinders from his academy role to a player development position with the first-team squad.
Rodgers, McAllister, Ljinders and O’Driscoll are all in Thailand now as we gear up for our first friendly of the season against a Thai All-Star XI on Tuesday.
Many of the first-teamers haven’t travelled for various reasons, so it’ll be a good chance to see some of the younger, untested players get a chance to impress.