Liverpool are getting ready to welcome a new backroom team in just a few short weeks.
The Reds will soon be back after their summer breaks to get ready for a brand new season. The countdown is on.
Obviously, the biggest change at the AXA Training Centre will be the presence of Arne Slot as the new Liverpool head coach.
However, a huge part of Jurgen Klopp’s brilliant reign at Anfield was his coaching team. As strange as it will initially be without Klopp, it will also be weird not seeing the likes of Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz.
Beyond Lijnders, Krawietz and even Klopp though, head of goalkeeping John Achterberg had been the longest serving of all of Liverpool’s backroom. Thankfully, it sounds like Liverpool are replacing Achterberg with one of the best in the business.
Lukas Jensen raves about ‘amazing’ Fabian Otte
As we approach pre-season, Liverpool appear to have most of the key backroom appointments sown up.
Not everything Slot has wanted to do has been possible. Feyenoord coach Etienne Reijnen was blocked from joining Liverpool due to work permit issues.
Before supporters heard from their new head coach for the first time last week, the goalkeeping department was also in need of a new head.
Happily, Slot then announced the hiring of US national team coach Fabian Otte. Otte will join once the USA’s participation in the Copa America is over.
The 33-year-old looks like an interesting appointment. And speaking to The Redmen TV, Lincoln City goalkeeper Lukas Jensen said that Otte will be exactly that for Liverpool.
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“Fabian, what a guy,” said Jensen, who worked with Otte at Burnley. “He’s very unique, he’s got his own goalkeeping style. First of all he’s an amazing person. Everyone that will be with him or around him will love his company. He can take anyone to a different level as a goalkeeper, I experienced that by working with him,” adds the 25-year-old.
“He’s an expert in one-v-ones, saving close shots. Obviously you’ve got one of the best goalkeepers in the world when it comes to one-v-one’s anyway, but he can take the youth to a new level.
“He goes into details with everything. If you don’t see him on the pitch coaching he’s on his computer looking at goalkeepers and how can he implement that to his goalkeepers. He’ll always be working and trying to get better at his job, he’s brilliant at it.
“I don’t think you can get a better goalkeeping coach than him in terms of emphasis and how much he wants to work with you. He’s a brilliant guy.”
Who else has been hired by Liverpool?
With Claudio Taffarel staying onboard at Liverpool, the goalkeeping department now looks to be complete.
Slot has also brought assistant manager Sipke Hulshoff with him from Feyenoord, as well as head of conditioning Ruben Peeters.
These two staff members will replace Lijnders, obviously, and Andreas Kornmayer who is joining Lijnders at RB Salzburg.
As Achterberg has also now been succeeded, Liverpool should be functioning on a basic level. With the staff staying on from Klopp’s tenure, there are no glaring holes in the set-up.
Having said that, it does still feel like a bare bones staff at the moment. We’re sure another couple will eventually be added by Slot over time.
In the meantime, it sounds like we’re in for some exciting times as Otte works to improve Alisson Becker’s one-on-one skills. If the Brazilian has another level to hit, things are about to get mind-blowingly good.