With David Moyes back in place as Everton manager, the 61-year-old has begun to recruit his backroom staff – including one former Liverpool midfielder.
Moyes was reappointed by Everton earlier in January, following the departure of Sean Dyche, returning to Goodison Park after 12-and-a-half years away.
While it seems unlikely he will restore them to the heights they experienced in his previous reign, he has enjoyed a strong start having beaten Tottenham 3-2 last time out.
His return to Liverpool’s rivals has now seen him rejoined by long-time assistant Alan Irvine along with a new face in his staff in Charlie Adam.
Adam, who remains a memorable signing at Anfield despite only playing one season for the Reds, has been appointed as Everton‘s new set-piece coach.
It comes after his sacking as head coach of League Two side Fleetwood Town, having held that position for almost a year.
There is little controversy in Adam taking a job at Everton, with it certainly far from the talking point that it was when Rafa Benitez took over as manager, and it is a role that should suit the Scot.
Speaking in 2011, following the £6.75 million deal to sign Adam from Blackpool, then-director of football Damien Comolli admitted his prowess from set-pieces influenced their decision.
“We were looking with Kenny [Dalglish, then manager] at data on how well Blackpool did at set-pieces last season,” he told Liverpool’s official website.
“If you look at them, they are at the very top of the Premier League. That’s another reason to bring in a player like this – he’s going to bring a lot to us in the run of play but also set-plays.”
Comolli continued: “I’ve just watched some of the highlights of some of the goals he scored from direct free-kicks.
“He’s a complete package of a very modern midfield player who can do several things on the pitch. And he brings this left foot that we didn’t have in midfield until now.”
Given how far Liverpool have come in the decade-and-a-half since, it is wild to consider Adam was heralded as a top signing for the club.
But he was a player whose corner kicks were praised by Alex Ferguson – looking to amp up the price amid interest from Anfield at the time – as being “worth £10 million in themselves.”
Adam, who is still only 39, played 37 times for Liverpool before joining Stoke in 2012, retiring 10 years later after further spells with Reading and Dundee.
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