Liverpool FC manager Brendan Rodgers has declared that he had the final say on the changes made to his coaching staff this summer at Anfield following departures of long serving assistant manager Colin Pascoe and expiry of the contract of Mike Marsh, the first team coach.
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Brendan Rodgers agreed to the dismissal of his long-serving assistant Colin Pascoe and first-team coach Mike Marsh during an end-of-season performance review with Liverpool FC owners, replacing them with U-16 coach Pepijn Ljinders and England U-19 coach Sean Oa Driscoll and also adding an ex-player int he form of Gary McAllister to the Reds backroom staff.
There were reports earlier stating that the manager managed to keep his job in the meeting with Tom Werner, the club chairman, and Mike Gordon, the president of FSG, but the duo insisted on making change at the coaching level leading to the dismissal of the two men.
This led to questions at the time that whether the manager’s authority had been undermined by the removal of two key members of his staff.
However, rejecting those claims that it was the board’s decision to bring changes at the coaching level, Rodgers said that it was completely his decision.
“I decided to make a change in the staff,” told a news conference. “I had two fantastic guys in Colin and Mike who are great professionals and were very good and supportive.
“I just felt we needed to move in a different direction. That was a decision made purely by myself. The guys have started very well, and we hope we can work with that ambience in the group.
“I’ve known Sean a long time and played against his teams. He’s someone I respect and admire. I just felt that coming into my fourth season, I wanted to take the team in a different direction.
“Pep, Gary and Sean will assist me in moving the team in that direction. I’m looking forward to working with them and the other staff.”
Appearing coy when asked if Liverpool FC would make any new signings following acquisition of Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Adam Bogdan, Joe Gomez, Danny Ings and Nathaniel Clyne, and have the finance to add to that total, having agreed to sell Raheem Sterling to Manchester City in a deal worth up to A?49 million, Rodger said: “I spent a lot of last season talking about transfers and I don’t intend to do that this year. We’ll work behind the scenes, and as soon as we have anything to announce, you’ll be the first to know.”