Steven Gerrard has expressed surprise at the coaching changes at Liverpool and stressed that improving the playing squad rather than the backroom staff is the key to the club getting over last season’s disappointment.
Brendan Rodgers’ assistant manager, Colin Pascoe, and the first-team coach, Mike Marsh, were let go last Friday following a review of Liverpool’s campaign by the club’s chairman, Tom Werner, and the Fenway Sports Group executive Mike Gordon. Gerrard said he would wait “with a keen interest” for an explanation of those decisions and see what the club does next. Having previously called on the club to make several “marquee signings” this summer, Gerrard reiterated his belief that Liverpool need to spend well to reinforce a squad that was found wanting last season.
“I was very surprised, I didn’t expect there to be any changes in the staff positions,” said the former Liverpool captain at an event to announce that he will provide analysis of the club’s Europa League campaign next season as a pundit for BT Sport. “I think Brendan and the bosses have made those decisions and I’m looking in with a keen interest to see who he puts alongside him and how he tries to improve or strengthen his staff moving forward. A lot of names have been mentioned, but I can’t give you any insight or names because I’m now on the outside and don’t have that relationship with Brendan any more where I might have got a bit of a nudge on it.
“I think Brendan obviously felt he needed to make some changes and freshen certain things up in his staff. But for me the key is always how you strengthen your team and squad on the pitch. For me the most important thing is who Liverpool sign to strengthen the team and squad. But I am very interested to see who he puts in alongside him and also to hear Brendan speak in a press conference to see why he has decided to make those decisions.”
Gerrard suggested it was important for the uncertainty surrounding Raheem Sterling’s future to be resolved quickly and said it would be in the best interests of the 20-year-old to stay at a club where he is likely to play regularly. “I think the only two people that know [where Sterling will be next season] are Raheem and his agent,” said Gerrard. “For the player’s sake and for all of us fans out there he needs to make the decision quickly. I hope he stays, I think for his development as a player he has a fantastic manager to look after him and a great set of team-mates. I think it’s important he plays week in week out keeps trying to learn and strive to become a world class player.
“The frustrating thing for me would be if he went to a club and became a squad player and just another number and he didn’t have that chance to progress. That’s the risk.”
