The former Liverpool coach is ready to reunite with Steven Gerrard soon
The former Liverpool goalkeeping coach, John Achterberg, who recently left the club along with Jurgen Klopp‘s departure, is ready for his first job since leaving the club, as he is now going to be Al-Ettifaq’s new goalkeeping coach.
Following Jurgen Klopp’s leak at his last pre-match news conferences, it was already known that the Dutchman, who departed the Reds at the end of the season, was joining the Saudi Pro League team. Achterberg is now ready to reunite with Steven Gerrard soon.
At the end of the season, Jurgen Klopp and seven other members of the Reds’ backroom staff departed. Undoubtedly, the most noteworthy was Pep Lijnders, who subsequently assumed the role of head coach at RB Salzburg.
Since his arrival last year, Gerrard has given Al Ettifaq a Liverpool vibe. After unexpectedly bringing Jordan Henderson on board, the legendary player from Liverpool also signed Gini Wijnaldum, a former Reds midfielder.
Moreover, former Liverpool Academy goalkeeper Andy Firth has also been appointed as Achterberg’s assistant in Ettifaq. It seems like Gerrard wants to make his staff room just like the former Liverpool staff room.
Since joining Rafa Benitez’s backroom team in 2009, John Achterberg has been with the Reds, where Gerrard has had the opportunity to observe firsthand the Dutchman’s teaching abilities.
Achterberg will be severely missed at the AXA Training Centre, as Caoimhin Kelleher called him an “incredible” coach. And it’s official now that Liverpool’s loss is Ettifaq’s immense gain.
Before the players and staff get back together at the training facility next month, they still have plenty of time. However, it would be advantageous if Liverpool could appoint their entire coaching staff at that point. At the moment, it appears to be hard to do that.
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The fact that Claudio Taffarel is at least guaranteed to continue with the Reds is a plus. Taffarel will probably assume interim leadership this summer unless Liverpool can find someone in the meantime.
