Ex-England U19 coach O'Driscoll named Liverpool assistant boss
Liverpool have confirmed the appointment of Sean O'Driscoll as their new assistant manager.
The former Bournemouth, Doncaster, Crawley, Nottingham Forest and Bristol City boss moves to Anfield after a spell in charge of England Under-19s.
The 58-year-old takes over as Brendan Rodgers' number two from Colin Pascoe, who was sacked last month following a robust end-of-season review.
Liverpool have also announced that Academy boss Pep Lijnders will step up to a newly-created role of first team development coach.
Both men began work as Liverpool returned to their Melwood base for the start of pre-season training on Monday.
Rodgers said: "I have made these appointments because I want to take us in a new technical direction, in terms of coaching.
"I believe the entire first-team set-up will benefit and I am extremely positive and excited about what we can achieve, as a group, going forward."
Lijnders is not a direct replacement for first-team coach Mike Marsh, whose contract was not renewed in June. The Dutchman will continue to work with the elite youth talent at the Academy but will now play a greater role in the first-team set-up.
It is understood the club are still looking to add a new first-team coach to the backroom staff.
The coaching shake-up comes as Rodgers looks to reinvigorate his squad - which has already been supplemented by the signing of six players - after last season's disappointing sixth-placed finish in the Premier League.
Rodgers has previously spoken of the qualities of O'Driscoll, who has never managed in the top flight but has considerable experience after close to 40 years in the game.
Rodgers said in a statement: "My admiration for Sean, as a professional, is well documented. He is someone with a clear vision and philosophy and has proved he has the ability to transfer that knowledge, through his coaching, to the players.
"I am looking forward to working with him and also learning from his experiences and gaining valuable knowledge from his expertise."
O'Driscoll added: "I am excited to be joining one of the world's most iconic football clubs. The hallmark of any successful club is its culture and that comes from the people who work there, from the chief executive and first-team manager to those people behind the scenes whose faces may not be known but who are the lifeblood of the club.
"From the moment I drove into Melwood last week and was greeted by Kenny the gate man, I could not have been made to feel more welcome. If you are going to have any level of success these people are as crucial as the players; from my experiences so far it is clear everyone wants to help this club succeed."
Lijnders, who previously had roles at PSV Eindhoven and FC Porto, has impressed since taking charge of Liverpool's under-16s side last year. His new position will focus much more on elite player development.
Rodgers said: "This presents a fantastic opportunity for Pep and one I know he will grasp with both hands.
"He has excelled at the Academy and I believe this is the perfect time for him to make the step up to the first-team set-up and use his talents for the benefit of the senior squad.
"Pep displays a passion and enthusiasm for his profession that is truly infectious and I believe will have a positive impact."
Lijnders said: "I feel proud and honored to work closely with Brendan and his staff. I couldn't think of a better attacking manager to assist.
"Everybody knows how I feel about representing this amazing club. The owners have a clear and strong philosophy which is based on developing top young players into elite. I want to thank them for giving me this opportunity."
