Top 5? Too much realism from Digger there.
Fowler, McManaman and Jones to coach at LFC
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Ain't that the truth. I wondered where we'd get goals from when Rushie went. Soon found out though. 😀
I seem to remember that Digger started on fire! Amazing first 10 games or so. Beardo was a little slower to start and there was even some rumblings in the press about how he was overpriced.....LOL! 😀
[article=http://www.thesportreview.com/tsr/2013/10/rob-jones-on-brendan-rodgers-his-coaching-role-liverpools-future/?]“It was about April time that he just called me in and asked if I could have a meeting with him,” said Jones.
“I went in there and he just mentioned to me that at his former clubs, there had been a lot of ex-players around the club and around training. But when he came to Liverpool, he noticed there was nothing really like that.
“He just wanted to know if I would get involved.
“He didn’t want me to get into a coaching role as he already has a lot of great coaches already at the academy. He just wanted me to go in and work with the youngsters and see if I could pass any of experience on to them.
“I’ve been in quite a few times, met the lads and had training sessions with them. It’s gone really well. I’m enjoying it and when I’ve been around and the things I’ve been passing on, they’ve been taking it on board.”
Manchester United’s Adnan Januzaj has been one of the week’s big talking points after his brace at Sunderland led to talk of the Belgian-born winger lining up in an England shirt when the 2018 World Cup kicks off in Russia.
The 18-year-old was a rare example of a youngster being handed a chance to shine at one of the Premier League’s big clubs as the likes of Chelsea, and United too, send their promising talents out on loan – Romelu Lukaku’s Everton move being a shining example.
However, Rodgers has been willing to give the club’s products a chance to impress in the first-team with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Andre Wisdom and Jordan Ibe all seeing Premier League action over the past 12 months.
And Jones buys into the current manager’s philosophy.
“If you’re at a club since you’re 18 or 19 and playing really well for the Under-21s but the manager isn’t giving you a go, you can be down,” he said.
“But Brendan now and again will pick two or three of the younger lads and they’ll train with the first-team just to give them a little bit of experience before coming back to train in the academy.
“Brendan is definitely doing it the right way, looking after the future of Liverpool Football Club.”
He added: “Liverpool has asked us to come in and get them into the first-team. Rodgers has given Sterling, Ibe, Martin Kelly and John Flanagan a go. He’s putting them in the team.
“Some of the other clubs, like Chelsea and Manchester City, won’t be looking for that. But Brendan Rodgers is looking at the future and looking at trying to get them up.
“When I mention that to them, you can see their faces light up – they know they’ve got a chance if they work hard.”
While the likes of Ibe and Sterling have been widely tipped as Liverpool stars for the future, Jones has also had the opportunity to evaluate the other up-and-coming prospects who can become the foundation on which the club builds its future.
Jones was a keen observer on Monday night as Liverpool’s Under-21 side ran out comfortable 5-0 winners against Tottenham Hotspur, with plenty of the club’s young prospects on show at Langtree Park.
In particular, Ryan McLaughlin has caught the eye of the Wrexham-born defender – perhaps unsurprising considering the Liverpool Under-21 is also a right-back with a similar playing style to Jones – as well as Jordan Rossiter.
“You’d have put the majority of the lads into the first-team, he said. “I look at Ryan McLaughlin because he’s the next right-back coming up. He played at left midfield and did really well.
“You’ve got Jordan Rossiter, who is only 16, but is playing for the Under-21s. So there’s definitely some good potential there, it’s just nurturing them at the right time.”
Despite being best-known as a Liverpool player in the 1990s, Jones was actually brought to club aged 20 by former Reds boss Graeme Souness after spending his initial years under the tutelage of famed Crewe Alexandra manager Dario Gradi.
Although Jones, who won eight England caps, has taken his first steps into the coaching world, he has no desire to emulate the legendary Crewe manager – with he and his wife owning a successful nursery empire in the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates.
“I’m not really into the coaching,” he said. “I’ve got a successful business in the nursery industry. So the job fitted in perfectly with me. Brendan wants me to give as much time as I can.
“There’s no pressure to come in every day, and at the moment, I’m mixing the work from the nursery schools and coming in and mentoring the academy lads and a bit of five-a-side – which has been great for me!”[/article]
“I went in there and he just mentioned to me that at his former clubs, there had been a lot of ex-players around the club and around training. But when he came to Liverpool, he noticed there was nothing really like that.
“He just wanted to know if I would get involved.
“He didn’t want me to get into a coaching role as he already has a lot of great coaches already at the academy. He just wanted me to go in and work with the youngsters and see if I could pass any of experience on to them.
“I’ve been in quite a few times, met the lads and had training sessions with them. It’s gone really well. I’m enjoying it and when I’ve been around and the things I’ve been passing on, they’ve been taking it on board.”
Manchester United’s Adnan Januzaj has been one of the week’s big talking points after his brace at Sunderland led to talk of the Belgian-born winger lining up in an England shirt when the 2018 World Cup kicks off in Russia.
The 18-year-old was a rare example of a youngster being handed a chance to shine at one of the Premier League’s big clubs as the likes of Chelsea, and United too, send their promising talents out on loan – Romelu Lukaku’s Everton move being a shining example.
However, Rodgers has been willing to give the club’s products a chance to impress in the first-team with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Andre Wisdom and Jordan Ibe all seeing Premier League action over the past 12 months.
And Jones buys into the current manager’s philosophy.
“If you’re at a club since you’re 18 or 19 and playing really well for the Under-21s but the manager isn’t giving you a go, you can be down,” he said.
“But Brendan now and again will pick two or three of the younger lads and they’ll train with the first-team just to give them a little bit of experience before coming back to train in the academy.
“Brendan is definitely doing it the right way, looking after the future of Liverpool Football Club.”
He added: “Liverpool has asked us to come in and get them into the first-team. Rodgers has given Sterling, Ibe, Martin Kelly and John Flanagan a go. He’s putting them in the team.
“Some of the other clubs, like Chelsea and Manchester City, won’t be looking for that. But Brendan Rodgers is looking at the future and looking at trying to get them up.
“When I mention that to them, you can see their faces light up – they know they’ve got a chance if they work hard.”
While the likes of Ibe and Sterling have been widely tipped as Liverpool stars for the future, Jones has also had the opportunity to evaluate the other up-and-coming prospects who can become the foundation on which the club builds its future.
Jones was a keen observer on Monday night as Liverpool’s Under-21 side ran out comfortable 5-0 winners against Tottenham Hotspur, with plenty of the club’s young prospects on show at Langtree Park.
In particular, Ryan McLaughlin has caught the eye of the Wrexham-born defender – perhaps unsurprising considering the Liverpool Under-21 is also a right-back with a similar playing style to Jones – as well as Jordan Rossiter.
“You’d have put the majority of the lads into the first-team, he said. “I look at Ryan McLaughlin because he’s the next right-back coming up. He played at left midfield and did really well.
“You’ve got Jordan Rossiter, who is only 16, but is playing for the Under-21s. So there’s definitely some good potential there, it’s just nurturing them at the right time.”
Despite being best-known as a Liverpool player in the 1990s, Jones was actually brought to club aged 20 by former Reds boss Graeme Souness after spending his initial years under the tutelage of famed Crewe Alexandra manager Dario Gradi.
Although Jones, who won eight England caps, has taken his first steps into the coaching world, he has no desire to emulate the legendary Crewe manager – with he and his wife owning a successful nursery empire in the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates.
“I’m not really into the coaching,” he said. “I’ve got a successful business in the nursery industry. So the job fitted in perfectly with me. Brendan wants me to give as much time as I can.
“There’s no pressure to come in every day, and at the moment, I’m mixing the work from the nursery schools and coming in and mentoring the academy lads and a bit of five-a-side – which has been great for me!”[/article]
Quite, it's too lazy an observation because of his past image, being a bit of lad, where he's from, how he talks. Whenever he's discussed football and done other interviews he seems quite knowledgeable. And besides all that, he's telling kids how to put the ball in the back of the net and giving them a few pointers based on what he used to do, and what he learned from people like Rushie and some of the fantastic players he's worked alongside through his career. He's not teaching them nuclear physics. I'm sure most of the local lads will relate to him, which is half the battle.
[article=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/steve-mcmanaman-delighted-liverpool-fc-6181305]Fourteen years after he left Liverpool FC for Real Madrid, Steve McManaman has the Liver bird back on his chest once again.
The former Reds winger is relishing his new role as a mentor for youngsters at the club’s Kirkby Academy.
McManaman, along with his ex-team-mates Robbie Fowler and Rob Jones, accepted an invitation from manager Brendan Rodgers to work with the under-21 and under-18 squads.
Having signed for the Reds at the age of 14 before going on to make 364 first-team appearances, he knows exactly what it takes to make the sizeable leap from Kirkby to Melwood.
“It’s great to be back involved at Liverpool and it’s going really well,” McManaman told the ECHO.
“Robbie, Rob and myself were all flattered to be asked by Brendan and we’re just there to help in any way we can.
“We’ve all got other commitments as well so it’s a flexible arrangement where we’re able to go down whenever we want.
“Alex Inglethorpe and Neil Critchley are the main men. They are the coaches and they take the sessions. We’re there to contribute if we see anything we think the youngsters could work on to become better players.
“Robbie and myself both joined Liverpool as young kids, we’ve been through that process of working your way up through the system and then making that jump into the first-team squad.
“If any of the kids want to ask questions or bounce ideas off us we’re there. They’ve got our phone numbers.
“There’s some real talent coming through and if we can help in a small way with that extra 2% that can make the difference then it will be worth it.
“Fans love to see youngsters make that breakthrough. You can feel the buzz in the crowd. They all want to see the next Stevie or Carra.”
It’s not only the Academy players who benefit from Rodgers’ mentoring scheme.
“It’s a great opportunity that Brendan has given us as former players,” McManaman said.
“Coaching is something I’m looking at. I went over to Ireland a few years ago to do the B Licence.
“Robbie is further down the road than Rob or I as he’s trying to get his A Licence at the moment.
“I’m just trying to learn as much as possible off the great coaches at the Academy. I’m picking up ideas off Alex and Neil.”
McManaman is back at a club where spirits are high following a flying start to the season.
Rodgers’ side stand second in the Premier League table after taking 16 points out of 21 and the 41-year-old says the manager deserves great credit for the squad he has assembled.
“Brendan’s signings have really strengthened the team,” he said.
“Simon Mignolet has done really well, Mamadou Sakho has slotted in well at the back and to get Victor Moses on loan from Chelsea was a great piece of business.
“I love the way Brendan has got the team playing, and they’ve got the likes of Glen Johnson and Philippe Coutinho to come back into the team over the coming weeks.
“When everyone is back the manager has got real competition for places so it looks very promising.
“Going forward they’re such a threat. They always look like they are going to score goals.
“Having Luis Suarez back in the team has given them another dimension. Attacking players like Suarez, Sturridge, Coutinho, Moses and Sterling can change games.”
Rodgers has recently reaped the rewards of switching to a 3-4-1-2 formation. McManaman was part of the last Liverpool side to regularly operate with three at the back under Roy Evans in the mid-90s.
The Kirkdale-born analyst for BT Sport knows the benefits of the system and believes the Reds have the personnel to make it work over an extended period.
“Brendan has tinkered with the formation and it certainly suits the players he’s got,” McManaman said.
“To play that system you need players with bundles of energy as not only do your wing-backs need to get forward and provide attacking width but they also need to help out defensively.
“It’s a demanding role but in Jose Enrique and Glen Johnson he has got natural wing-backs.
“The system suits Glen to a tee and Coutinho is ideal for that advanced central role in midfield.
“The great thing is that Brendan has got options now. He can always go back to 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3.
“The players have shown they can adapt so he could even change the shape in the middle of a game.”
Positive results inevitably fuel expectation levels. McManaman is optimistic about the months ahead but says it’s too early for any bold predictions of a title challenge.
“The start has whetted our appetite but I don’t think anyone is getting carried away because there’s a long way to go,” he said.
“Liverpool finished seventh, 28 points behind the champions last season. It’s a huge step from there to winning the league.
“Liverpool fans know that. They are intelligent. They know success because they’ve had it in the past.
“They knew last season was a year of transition under a new manager. They just want to see the team continuing to progress.
“What’s clear in mid-October is that they’re going to be a lot closer to the top this time. The likes of Chelsea, Man City and Tottenham went out and spent more in the transfer market but they have looked fallible at times.
“I’d love to see Liverpool fighting for a Champions League spot. It’s an open league this season and they have a great platform to build on.”
Steve McManaman believes the strike partnership between Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge has the potential to be one of the most prolific double acts in Liverpool’s history.
The ex-Anfield star played alongside the lethal combination of Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler during his Reds career.
“The exciting thing about Suarez and Sturridge is that they are still gelling,” McManaman said.
“It’s very early days for them as a partnership. You can’t compare them to Rush or Fowler yet. They were superstars for the club. Their goalscoring records underlines that.
“But hopefully in 10 years time we’ll be talking about Suarez and Sturridge in the same breath as those players.
“For a lot of last season it was Luis up front on his own and sometimes he was isolated. But Brendan Rodgers has worked on that and with the acquisitions he’s made it’s now a very mobile and fluid team.
“Sturridge has made a big impact and the front two compliment each other very well.
“The great thing about him and Suarez is that they seem to instinctively know where the other one is.
“They are not just goal scorers, they create chances for each other. Their movement is excellent as they’re both willing to pull wide to find space and they are a real handful for defenders.”[/article]
The former Reds winger is relishing his new role as a mentor for youngsters at the club’s Kirkby Academy.
McManaman, along with his ex-team-mates Robbie Fowler and Rob Jones, accepted an invitation from manager Brendan Rodgers to work with the under-21 and under-18 squads.
Having signed for the Reds at the age of 14 before going on to make 364 first-team appearances, he knows exactly what it takes to make the sizeable leap from Kirkby to Melwood.
“It’s great to be back involved at Liverpool and it’s going really well,” McManaman told the ECHO.
“Robbie, Rob and myself were all flattered to be asked by Brendan and we’re just there to help in any way we can.
“We’ve all got other commitments as well so it’s a flexible arrangement where we’re able to go down whenever we want.
“Alex Inglethorpe and Neil Critchley are the main men. They are the coaches and they take the sessions. We’re there to contribute if we see anything we think the youngsters could work on to become better players.
“Robbie and myself both joined Liverpool as young kids, we’ve been through that process of working your way up through the system and then making that jump into the first-team squad.
“If any of the kids want to ask questions or bounce ideas off us we’re there. They’ve got our phone numbers.
“There’s some real talent coming through and if we can help in a small way with that extra 2% that can make the difference then it will be worth it.
“Fans love to see youngsters make that breakthrough. You can feel the buzz in the crowd. They all want to see the next Stevie or Carra.”
It’s not only the Academy players who benefit from Rodgers’ mentoring scheme.
“It’s a great opportunity that Brendan has given us as former players,” McManaman said.
“Coaching is something I’m looking at. I went over to Ireland a few years ago to do the B Licence.
“Robbie is further down the road than Rob or I as he’s trying to get his A Licence at the moment.
“I’m just trying to learn as much as possible off the great coaches at the Academy. I’m picking up ideas off Alex and Neil.”
McManaman is back at a club where spirits are high following a flying start to the season.
Rodgers’ side stand second in the Premier League table after taking 16 points out of 21 and the 41-year-old says the manager deserves great credit for the squad he has assembled.
“Brendan’s signings have really strengthened the team,” he said.
“Simon Mignolet has done really well, Mamadou Sakho has slotted in well at the back and to get Victor Moses on loan from Chelsea was a great piece of business.
“I love the way Brendan has got the team playing, and they’ve got the likes of Glen Johnson and Philippe Coutinho to come back into the team over the coming weeks.
“When everyone is back the manager has got real competition for places so it looks very promising.
“Going forward they’re such a threat. They always look like they are going to score goals.
“Having Luis Suarez back in the team has given them another dimension. Attacking players like Suarez, Sturridge, Coutinho, Moses and Sterling can change games.”
Rodgers has recently reaped the rewards of switching to a 3-4-1-2 formation. McManaman was part of the last Liverpool side to regularly operate with three at the back under Roy Evans in the mid-90s.
The Kirkdale-born analyst for BT Sport knows the benefits of the system and believes the Reds have the personnel to make it work over an extended period.
“Brendan has tinkered with the formation and it certainly suits the players he’s got,” McManaman said.
“To play that system you need players with bundles of energy as not only do your wing-backs need to get forward and provide attacking width but they also need to help out defensively.
“It’s a demanding role but in Jose Enrique and Glen Johnson he has got natural wing-backs.
“The system suits Glen to a tee and Coutinho is ideal for that advanced central role in midfield.
“The great thing is that Brendan has got options now. He can always go back to 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3.
“The players have shown they can adapt so he could even change the shape in the middle of a game.”
Positive results inevitably fuel expectation levels. McManaman is optimistic about the months ahead but says it’s too early for any bold predictions of a title challenge.
“The start has whetted our appetite but I don’t think anyone is getting carried away because there’s a long way to go,” he said.
“Liverpool finished seventh, 28 points behind the champions last season. It’s a huge step from there to winning the league.
“Liverpool fans know that. They are intelligent. They know success because they’ve had it in the past.
“They knew last season was a year of transition under a new manager. They just want to see the team continuing to progress.
“What’s clear in mid-October is that they’re going to be a lot closer to the top this time. The likes of Chelsea, Man City and Tottenham went out and spent more in the transfer market but they have looked fallible at times.
“I’d love to see Liverpool fighting for a Champions League spot. It’s an open league this season and they have a great platform to build on.”
Steve McManaman believes the strike partnership between Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge has the potential to be one of the most prolific double acts in Liverpool’s history.
The ex-Anfield star played alongside the lethal combination of Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler during his Reds career.
“The exciting thing about Suarez and Sturridge is that they are still gelling,” McManaman said.
“It’s very early days for them as a partnership. You can’t compare them to Rush or Fowler yet. They were superstars for the club. Their goalscoring records underlines that.
“But hopefully in 10 years time we’ll be talking about Suarez and Sturridge in the same breath as those players.
“For a lot of last season it was Luis up front on his own and sometimes he was isolated. But Brendan Rodgers has worked on that and with the acquisitions he’s made it’s now a very mobile and fluid team.
“Sturridge has made a big impact and the front two compliment each other very well.
“The great thing about him and Suarez is that they seem to instinctively know where the other one is.
“They are not just goal scorers, they create chances for each other. Their movement is excellent as they’re both willing to pull wide to find space and they are a real handful for defenders.”[/article]
It's nice that even though all of them are successful outside of football, they still care enough to to come and mentor players and give their time when they can. Obviously not driven by money, shows a lot about them as people and how much they care about the club still.
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