Echo understands Brendan Rodgers instrumental in Academy restructuring http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-academy-duo-frank-6330348 ------------------------------------------ The sense of shock among Liverpool FC supporters at the sacking of Academy chiefs Frank McParland and Rodolfo Borrell was shared by the men whose services have been dispensed with. Neither saw it coming prior to being informed on Wednesday that they were surplus to requirements at Kirkby. Academy director McParland and Borrell, who was Academy technical director and head of coaching, were told the club wanted ‘to change the way they do things’. Liverpool have so far declined to comment on what represents a major overhaul of the Academy. A statement is expected to be released once severance packages have been agreed. Manager Brendan Rodgers wouldn’t be drawn on their exit during his weekly press briefing at Melwood yesterday. However, the ECHO understands Rodgers has been instrumental in the decision to restructure the Academy. The Northern Irishman had already made changes at under-21 and under-18 level with the appointment of coaches Alex Inglethorpe and Neil Critchley over the past year. Now he has decided he wants new faces at the top. The timing is certainly strange coming just days before the Merseyside derby and youngsters at the Academy were left stunned by the news yesterday. Both McParland and Borrell were popular figures at Kirkby and well respected for the work they had done over the past four and a half years. They were appointed by Rafa Benitez in the summer of 2009 as the then Reds boss sought to kick-start the conveyor belt of youth talent. Spaniard Borrell boasted an impressive CV having spent 13 years with La Liga giants Barcelona where he helped develop the likes of Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique and Cesc Fabregas. He started at Kirkby working with the under-18s and then the under-21s before taking up the role of technical director a year ago. Huyton-born McParland, who had previously served Liverpool as chief scout, was entrusted with making sweeping changes to the club’s coaching network in order to address the dearth of talent emerging from the Academy. The days of friction between Melwood and Kirkby appeared to have ended following his arrival with much closer ties established between the club’s two training bases. His work also appeared to be reaping its rewards with no fewer than seven Academy youngsters making their first team debuts last season as Jordon Ibe followed in the footsteps of Suso, Andre Wisdom, Adam Morgan, Samed Yesil, Jerome Sinclair and Conor Coady. The likes of Raheem Sterling, Jon Flanagan and Jack Robinson have also progressed from Kirkby to the senior set-up during his reign. McParland was excited about the potential of the next crop coming through as he rated the current group of under-18 players, which includes the likes of Sinclair, Ibe, Harry Wilson, Ryan Kent, Lloyd Jones, Cameron Brannagan, Jordan Rossiter, Sergi Canos and Pedro Chirivella as the best he had ever been involved in. As well as unearthing gems from abroad, McParland, a lifelong Liverpool fan, was also passionate about bringing through home-grown talent. What’s clear is that he’s left the Academy in infinitely better shape than he found it. Now Liverpool must find suitable replacements capable of building on the solid foundations McParland and Borrell have laid.
Indeed - personally, I still feel that it has something to do with negotiating with other clubs and this is just to cover it up. Keep the dirty washing in house an all that ...
Really? So it is all down to Rodgers? Brave call from Rodgers - personally, I feel he should be keeping personnel with such experience and credentials here at the club. However, Rodgers started his career as a youth coach and knows what he's doing.
It will be interesting to see who Rodgers ha sin mind with more experience and Pedigree than Borrell. I just hope we win tomorrow and this doesnt have too much of an impact on morale. Feeling all MFG at the moment
If BR and the outgoing guys have different views / plans they its for the best, everyone at the club must be aiming in the same direction. That's not a criticism of anyones work, it is good planning.
I'd imagine this is a revamp of the coaching staff and maybe the policy of acquiring youngsters - if it works as well as it did with the ladies team, it could be a good thing
Back to my previous comment. They originally got the job because a manager wanted it his way.... As it should be.
