Arne Slot and his players will rightly take the headlines for their Premier League success this season, but the team behind the team is just as crucial to making it happen.
It was a summer of change for Liverpool last season as Jurgen Klopp and seven members of his backroom staff all left at once, with Arne Slot then arriving with several new faces.
A season of transition was expected but the Dutchman has made an immediate statement of intent by winning the Premier League with four games to spare.
And the scenes after the win over Tottenham were for everyone, including 19 staff members – though many more were not pictured during the special rendition of You’ll Never Alone.
Many will be curious as to who they were, and here is who was pictured and their respective roles at Liverpool – taking inspiration from the Training Ground Guru:
1. Joel Bonner: Post match analysis
2. Clare Farrell: Lead performance nutritionist
3. Michelle Hudson: Masseur
4. Max Thompson: Academy doctor
5. Fabian Otte: Head of first-team goalkeeping
6. Claudio Taffarel: Goalkeeper coach
7. Roderick van der Ham: Tactical analyst
8. Jansen Moreno: Opposition analyst
9. Chris Morgan: Head of performance physical therapy
10. Paul Small: Head of soft tissue therapy
11. Conall Murtagh: Head of physical performance
12. Jonathan Power: Director of medicine and performance
13. John Heitinga: Assistant coach
14. Lynsey Ahmed: Health care assistant
15. Lee Nobes: Head of rehab physiotherapy
16. Ruben Peeters: Lead physical performance coach
17. Aaron Briggs: First team individual development coach
18. Arne Slot: Head coach
19. Sipke Hulshoff: First assistant coach
It goes without saying that the team behind the team extends beyond the abovementioned list, but they are notable names who have been key to the ultimate success this season.
Including Slot, of course, Clare Farrell, Fabian Otte, Roderick van der Ham, John Heitinga, Ruben Peeters, Aaron Briggs and Sipke Hulshoff all joined from last summer onwards.
Slot has, understandably, taken most of the acclaim, but after officially clinching the club’s 20th league title, Andy Robertson made sure to acknowledge the wider work behind the scenes.
“Obviously the manager gets all the credit, and rightly so, but his assistants and coaches and everyone behind him work so hard to make sure we are best prepared as possible into every game,” the Scot told BBC 5 Live.
Many, not all, will find themselves presented with a winner’s medal come May 25, but you can be certain Liverpool will make sure all their contributions are celebrated and acknowledged.
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