Expert: Liverpool match Man United after Jay Spearing deal agreed
Liverpool are emulating the approach employed by Man United by signing Jay Spearing to a hybrid player-coach role.
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Liverpool announced earlier this month (17 June) that Spearing had re-signed for the club in a player-coach role
The 33-year-old, who played over 50 times for Liverpool after graduating from the academy in 2008, will coach the under-18s group and is eligible to play for the under-21s.
Dinnery claimed that Spearing’s “outstanding” role is similar to Paul McShane’s at United and will be a boost to the Reds’ rising stars.
“This sort of role is something I became aware of this time last year,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“The same thing happened at Man United. Paul McShane came in as an overage player. He has played at the highest level and is well-versed and experienced.
“He is someone the young guys can look up to and be a part of that learning process. It’s not just about guiding from the sidelines but actually being in the dressing room and coaching and leading on the field.
“I think it’s an outstanding idea and a great role. It gives an opportunity for players at that level to help players understand what they need to do to transition from academy to senior football.”
Spearing left Tranmere Rovers at the end of the 2021-22 campaign.
Liverpool’s development side finished 4th in Premier League 2 last term.
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