New Assistant Manager

[RobbieOR]

It might have something to do with the fact that, by the end of last season, most of us were convinced that our number one was a bit "number two". A situation unlikely to be improved by bringing in a number 2 who's "number 2" too.

 

Rodgers has been a good manager for the best part of half a decade. Not suited to the job any more he might not be, but he's not a 'number two'

[JermainePennant]

Bringing in someone who has managed for ten years plus and will have their own ideas on how a team should be set up etc does not sound like we are bringing in a yes man to me.

 

Someone like Pascoe I could understand being labeled that as he would have been happy to work with BR for years and may have just went along with what BR said.

 

With O'Drisscoll he knows this is a chance to improve his reputation and it may help him get a prem job, if it goes wrong there's no chance of that happening.For that reason I don't see him just going along with BR and not questioning anything, if he thinks something can be improved or changed during a match or training he will say.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

I've got no problem with the appointment. FSG are backing Rodgers with the kind of coaches he can work with, and handsomely in the transfer market. There should be no excuses if the form of last season continues.

[Dr Nowt]

In a nutshell, Babb's.  If he's got it wrong he gawn. 

[Russ Atmosphere]

I'm very confident people thinking O'Driscoll is coming here to be a yes-man are wide of the mark. Rovers sacked him after a poor run to bring in a yes man, Dean Saunders, who allowed all Rovers transfers to go through Willie McKay. Surprise, this ended up being absolutely disastrous for the club.

[Pureblood]

 Yes man is the new straw man.

[Anny Road]

If I was the manager I'd be in at 8am / 7.30am whatever get to my desk start looking at stuff whatever few calls and get onto the field at 10am and expect everything set up ready to go.

Gus Hiddink aint the man to do that shit. Shouting at 18 year old millionaires in BMWs to get changed and warm up.

[Tony Moanero]

I fucking hate our assistant manager, whatever his name is. How dare he come here, the absolute cunt.

[ritchie]

I'm very confident people thinking O'Driscoll is coming here to be a yes-man are wide of the mark. Rovers sacked him after a poor run to bring in a yes man, Dean Saunders, who allowed all Rovers transfers to go through Willie McKay. Surprise, this ended up being absolutely disastrous for the club.

I don't think he's a yes man per se, by personality, but it's the usual FSG/Rodgers trick of appointing/employing someone who's that underqualified for the job that they're going to be in your pocket because they'll never find anything better and are going to be forever grateful that you gave them the job in a way that someone with a proven track record won't be. Brendan Rodgers is an example of this himself.

 

How much authority or voice can you give to someone like O'Driscoll when they've never coached in Europe or in the top flight at 58?

[Russ Atmosphere]

I don't think he's a yes man per se, by personality, but it's the usual FSG/Rodgers trick of appointing/employing someone who's that underqualified for the job that they're going to be in your pocket because they'll never find anything better and are going to be forever grateful that you gave them the job in a way that someone with a proven track record won't be. Brendan Rodgers is an example of this himself.

 

How much authority or voice can you give to someone like O'Driscoll when they've never coached in Europe or in the top flight at 58?

He's been a coach for five months of his career. It's not the most unlikely scenario that had he not spent the last fifteen years pursuing a more difficult career in management he could have been a coach in such a position by now. I don't know. You don't know.

[Bobby Hundreds]

Has Rodgers spoken at all since Stoke humiliated us. Has he gone all Ray Finkle.

[Wezza]

http://www.football365.com/faves/9903433/F365-Says

[Anubis]

Has Rodgers spoken at all since Stoke humiliated us. Has he gone all Ray Finkle.

I'm happy not to hear from him. He can just get on with his job.

[therevivalist]

Has Rodgers spoken at all since Stoke humiliated us. Has he gone all Ray Finkle.

The only positive outcome of that match, if there were one.

[Paco]

First team coach still to be announced. Ljinders is elite development. O driscoll assistant manager.

[skend04]

First team coach still to be announced. Ljinders is elite development. O driscoll assistant manager.

I'm betting that it's an ex-player. O'Driscoll has been a bit of a PR disaster so they need to get fans back on side.

[Cardie]

I'm betting that it's an ex-player. O'Driscoll has been a bit of a PR disaster so they need to get fans back on side.

Has it, outside of a few forums it's barely registered as a national story so you may be overestimating the backlash.

 

[skend04]

Has it, outside of a few forums it's barely registered as a national story so you may be overestimating the backlash.

I said a bit. If by a bit that means nationwide I'll have to use a more appropriate word next time.

[Cardie]

I said a bit. If by a bit that means nationwide I'll have to use a more appropriate word next time.

A bit of a PR disaster.

 

 

[Strontium]

First team coach still to be announced. Ljinders is elite development. O driscoll assistant manager.

Well we've appointed Larry and Curly already, so the next one must be Moe.

[ritchie]

Has Rodgers spoken at all since Stoke humiliated us. Has he gone all Ray Finkle.

Like Ian Ayre you can't keep them out the media when things are going well and they hibernate when it goes to shit.

[Jose Jones]

Like Ian Ayre you can't keep them out the media when things are going well and they hibernate when it goes to shit.

 

Also, you know, there hasn't been any football matches.

[magicrat]

I hope having clung onto his job Rodgers will have learnt not to give hostages to fortune and keep his fucking gob shut when he has nothing meaningful to say.

[Jose Jones]

I hope having clung onto his job Rodgers will have learnt not to give hostages to fortune and keep his fucking gob shut when he has nothing meaningful to say.

 

In this day and age what with the internet and 15,000 television channels football managers have to do a lot more media work and say a lot more than they ever used to.  So Rodgers is going to say a lot of meaningful things again this season.  Granted he does also like the sound of his own voice.

The easiest way is to not give a shit what the manager says, because it's not going to change whoever is in charge.

[myrlas]

And here we have the first Rodgers quotes in ages, on the two new coaches:
 

Liverpool Football Club today confirmed the appointments of Sean O'Driscoll and Pepijn Lijnders to the first-team coaching staff.

 

O'Driscoll joins the club as assistant manager to Brendan Rodgers, while Lijnders takes on the newly-created role of first team development coach after 12 successful months at the Academy.

Rodgers said: "I have made these appointments because I want to take us in a new technical direction, in terms of coaching.

"I believe the entire first-team set-up will benefit and I am extremely positive and excited about what we can achieve, as a group, going forward."

O'Driscoll arrives at Anfield with a wealth of coaching experience, most recently as England U19s manager. He's also been at the helms of Bournemouth, Doncaster Rovers, Nottingham Forest and Bristol City.

"My admiration for Sean, as a professional, is well documented," said Rodgers. "He is someone with a clear vision and philosophy and has proved he has the ability to transfer that knowledge, through his coaching, to the players.

"I am looking forward to working with him and also learning from his experiences and gaining valuable knowledge from his expertise."

O'Driscoll added: "I am excited to be joining one of the world's most iconic football clubs. The hallmark of any successful club is its culture and that comes from the people who work there, from the chief executive and first-team manager to those people behind the scenes whose faces may not be known but who are the lifeblood of the club.

"From the moment I drove into Melwood last week and was greeted by Kenny the gateman, I could not have been made to feel more welcome. If you are going to have any level of success these people are as crucial as the players; from my experiences so far it is clear everyone wants to help this club succeed."

Lijnders, who held roles at PSV Eindhoven and FC Porto prior to joining Liverpool in 2014, oversaw the development of the club's U16 group last season.

He will continue to work with the elite talent at the Academy as part of his new brief, which has been created in line with the new technical approach to coaching undertaken by the club.

And the senior squad are now also set to benefit from his regular presence at Melwood.

Rodgers said: "This presents a fantastic opportunity for Pep and one I know he will grasp with both hands.

"He has excelled at the Academy and I believe this is the perfect time for him to make the step up to the first-team set-up and use his talents for the benefit of the senior squad.

"Pep displays a passion and enthusiasm for his profession that is truly infectious and I believe will have a positive impact."

Lijnders added: "I feel proud and honoured to work closely with Brendan and his staff. I couldn't think of a better attacking manager to assist.

"Everybody knows how I feel about representing this amazing club. The owners have a clear and strong philosophy which is based on developing top young players into elite - I want to thank them for giving me this opportunity.

"I had a great first year at the Liverpool FC Academy; Alex [inglethorpe] and his coaching staff are creating something unique there. Again, I am proud to be part of the team and we will give everything."