Liverpool officially confirmed Sean O’Driscoll’s appointment as assistant manager on Monday, with Pepijn Lijnders promoted to first-team development coach.
Following the departures of Colin Pascoe and Mike Marsh, Liverpool have confirmed a shake-up in Brendan Rodgers backroom with the appointment of Sean O’Driscoll and the promotion of Under-16s coach Pepijn Lijnders.
O’Driscoll takes over from departing assistant manager Pascoe, while Lijnders will now serve as a first-team development coach.
On O’Driscoll’s appointment, Rodgers said: “My admiration for Sean, as a professional, is well documented.
“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.”
The 58-year-old himself 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’ previous role took in the progress of Liverpool’s youth talent, but he will now take up more responsibility in a wider developmental role.
Lijnders takes on the role of first team development coach after a successful 12 months working at the Academy #LFC pic.twitter.com/TTpWm8dnWO
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 6, 2015
On this promotion, 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 [players] – 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.”
There is still a role left to be filled in Rodgers’ backroom, with Marsh yet to be replaced.
On the appointments overall, the manager concluded: “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.”
Liverpool needed a change, and O’Driscoll and Lijnders will play a big part in how Rodgers formulates his plans as Liverpool manager from now on.
The Reds return to training on Monday ahead of their pre-season fixtures.
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