Much is known and said about the figures on the pitch for the current European Champions and Premier League champions-elect but the management staff working behind-the-scenes is often overlooked by the media. These are the figures, along with the manager, who have been instrumental in the gradual transformation seen at Anfield over the past five years. Here we take a look at some of the current management and coaching staff at Liverpool FC, the ones responsible for acquiring and channeling the talents of each individual player into a fluidic tight-knit team that plays some of the most tantalizing football in recent times.
LIVERPOOL FC’S MANAGEMENT AND STAFF IN 2021
MANAGER: Jurgen Klopp
Nationality: German
Appointed: October 2015
The charismatic German began his managerial career at Mainz, after moving on to Dortmund where he transformed a bankrupt and relegation-threatened side into a European powerhouse, leading the Black and Yellows to 2 Bundesliga titles and a Champions League final.
With the team struggling post-Suarez’s departure and Gerrard announcing his retirement at the end of the season in 2015, Liverpool FC needed a manager who could overhaul them from the ground up and Klopp was seen as a perfect fit, who was taking a sabbatical himself after resigning from Dortmund.
Klopp was announced as the new manager of Liverpool FC soon after Brendan Rodgers’ departure in 2015, where he led the team to two finals – Europa League and the League Cup – in his first season itself. Unfortunately, the Reds lost both of them but it was a reassuring sign for a team lacking any silverware since 2012.
Known for his intense gegenpressing philosophy of football, Klopp was quick to dismantle the infamous transfer committee at Anfield and gradually signed players that fit into his system. In his first full season, the German ensured that the team finished within the top-four in the league, and also led the club to a Champions League final in 2018.
Last year, the Reds won the Champions League for the sixth time and the current European champions are well in course to win their first Premier League in almost 30 years. Under Klopp’s leadership, Liverpool FC also went on a 44-games unbeaten run in the league, and a record 18 consecutive wins.
Klopp has injected belief and confidence at Anfield with his personality and tactics and transformed the club into a side playing enthralling and intense football, the best in Europe at the moment.
ASSISTANT COACH: Pep Lijnders
Nationality: Dutch
Appointed: July 2018
Widely considered to be one of the most promising youth coaches in the world, Pep Lijnders was appointed as the head coach for Liverpool FC’s under-16 side in 2014, with Brendan Rodgers an avid admirer of the amicable young Dutchman.
Lijnders kick-started his managerial career at the ager of just 19, interning for the youth team at PSV Eindhoven. He moved to Porto in 2007 and has coached at all levels from Under 6 to the first team under ex-Chelsea manager Andres Villas-Boas. After seven years at the Portuguese outfit, his arrival at Liverpool FC saw him coach and hone home-grown talents such as Trent Alexander Arnold.
He left the club in 2018 to manage second-division Dutch side NEC under a one and a half-year contract but after failing to achieve promotion for his side, was brought back to Anfield after just six months. Under Klopp’s tenure, he saw his apprenticeship rise to second-in-command, especially after the departure of Klopp’s right-hand man Zeljko Buvac. He is part of the coaching staff under which Liverpool FC won their sixth Champions League.
ASSISTANT COACH: Peter Kraweitz
Nationality: German
Appointed: October 2015
Peter Kraweitz has accompanied Klopp under all his managerial stints and is nicknamed “The Eye” for his insightful video analysis and tactical breakdown of opponents. His work involves breaking down the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses at each position and strategizing the team’s training accordingly.
The pair first met back at Mainz in 2001 when Peter served as a scout under his German compatriot. He later followed him to Dortmund as part of the backroom staff, where they led the Bundesliga side to 5 trophies in seven years.
He accompanied Klopp to Liverpool FC as well and is currently the longest-serving assistant to Jurgen Klopp, with both Germans signing a contract extension for another five years at the club in 2018.
SPORTING DIRECTOR: Michael Edwards
Nationality: English
Appointed: November 2016
The mastermind behind bargain signings and shrew dealings off the pitch, Michael Edwards is seen as the other architect behind Liverpool’s transformation from making deadlift signings to being one of the most efficient clubs in the transfer business.
Edwards started out as a performance analyst in Portsmouth and spent two years at Spurs before coming to Liverpool FC in November 2011 to help the club overhaul its use of data analysis. He remained in the fringes for much of Brendan Rodgers’ tenure, but after Klopp requested for a transfer system similar to the one that existed back at Borussia Dortmund, Edwards has appointed the newly formed position of Sporting Director.
He has helped engineers vastly underrated signings such as Andy Robertson and Gini Wijnaldum from relegated clubs, and came into the limelight after being credited for negotiating a 142 million pounds deal for Coutinho to Barcelona, and investing the money wisely on players that have bolstered the team in key areas, including Virgil Van Dijk and Alisson.
ELITE DEVELOPMENT COACH: Vitor Matos
Nationality: Portuguese
Appointed: October 2019
Vitor Matos was brought to the club last year in October 2019 to take over the role of Elite Development Coach which was earlier held by Pep Lijnders. He was previously in charge of Porto’s B team, with him filling up a various head coaching role at under-18 levels at the Portuguese outfit. He also has experience as a youth technical coordinator for the Chinese side Shandong Luneng.
The 31-year old’s role at Liverpool FC sees him acting as a club connector between the first team and the youth side at Kirkby, helping youngsters learn the game ideas and tactics employed by the first team. He holds a UEFA best-in-class Elite Youth A license and is a strong backroom signing for the club.
GOALKEEPER COACH: John Achterberg
Nationality: Dutch
Appointed: January 2011
Currently, the longest-serving member of the coaching staff, John Achterberg joined Liverpool FC as the goalkeeping coach for the reserves and academy team in 2009. He was previously a goalkeeper himself for Tranmere Rovers, making more than 350 appearances for the club.
He was promoted as a temporary goalkeeping coach for the first team at Melwood after the sacking of manager Roy Hodgson in 2011, and new manager Kenny Dalglish made the move permanent. Oftentimes blamed for the poor form of the Red’s goalies (read Mignolet and Karius), he nevertheless has been an integral part of the backroom staff.
HEAD OF FITNESS AND CONDITIONING: Andreas Kornmayer
Nationality: German
Appointed: July 2016
Another German in the list, Kornmayer previously served at Bayern Munich for more than 15 years working under managerial heavyweights such as Pep Guardiola, Louis Van Gaal, and Jupp Heynckes.
Klopp is known to be a long-standing admirer of Kornmayer’s work and managed to lure him to Anfield in 2016 in a bid to overhaul the backroom staff. The 45-year old German has a degree in sports science and can be easily spotted on the bench during games, oftentimes mistaken for being Klopp’s double.
ACADEMY DIRECTOR: Alex Inglethorpe
Nationality: English
Appointed: 2012
The 48-year old Englishman is the Academy manager at Liverpool FC and is tasked with developing the youth team at Kirkby that mirrors the senior team at Melwood. He was originally appointed as the U21 coach after joining the club from a six-year stint at Tottenham. He is a former footballer who used to play as a striker for various English sides such as Watford and Leyton Orient.
CHIEF SCOUT: Barry Hunter
Nationality: English
Appointed: September 2012
Barry Hunter has been the club’s chief scout since 2012, joining from Manchester City where he served as a Senior scout for four years. He is a former Northern Irish footballer who has represented his country at the national level.
His responsibilities include attending matches and gathering detailed information on potential players that fit the club’s strategy. He has been credited for playing a key role in the decision to bring Mohammad Salah to Merseyside, after having previously scouted him during his Basel days.
TEAM DOCTOR (interim): Jim Moxon
Nationality: British
Appointed: March 2020
Moxon was appointed as the club’s interim head of medical services after previous Team Doctor Andrew Massey departed to join FIFA as Director of Medical. With Liverpool FC unable to lure Arsenal’s head medical coach away from London, Moxon is set to continue filling the temporary role until Liverpool FC appoints a permanent alternative. The Britisher was previously the Academy’s head doctor and has previous experience with Sheffield United and London Olympics in 2012.
Other Backroom Staff and Coaches:
• First-team fitness coach: Conall Murtagh
• U23 Coach: Neil Critchley
• Head of nutrition: Mona Nemmer
• Head Physiotherapist: Lee Nobes
• First-team assistant goalkeeping coach: Jack Robinson
