Due to the size of Liverpool, the role of everyone within the club is always under a magnifying glass – something one former coach experienced first hand.
Speaking on ‘The Football Historian Podcast’, Thomas Gronnemark reflected on his time at the club’s throw-in coach under Jurgen Klopp.
The Dane discussed the criticism he received in the media when it was announced that he would be working on throw-ins for the Reds and said: “You also again have to ask yourself, who is laughing?
“So of course, I have some personalities who want to have some attention because they laughed at me, like Andy Gray, Richard Keys.
“Then I also have some people who ridiculed me because they were fans of Everton or Manchester United because I was coaching in Liverpool FC.
“So for me, it was no problem, it was actually, you just have to look at first of all who’s saying these things and then, that’s one thing, and then can you prove that you’re actually right…
“Every time a person who is like saying something crazy about me and my coaching, my work in Liverpool for example, Andy Gray and Richard Keys.
“But it was also Steve Nicol in a long period in ESPN FC, you know every time they said that – I got more supporters.”
It’s part of the deal that when you work at Anfield, you understand that you are being held to the highest standards but most of Gronnemark’s ridiculing came before he even had the chance to work a single day for the Reds.
Thomas Gronnemark was ridiculed by Andy Gray and Richard Keys
We all know that comments that generally come from the like of Richard Keys, Andy Gray and Steve Nicol are usually not those that many should pay much attention to.
If you were the one on the end of these words though and perhaps not used to that level of scrutiny, like the 49-year-old was in this position, you can understand why it would affect you.
Comments on beIN Sports were present up to the day that the world record holder for the longest throw-in left Merseyside for the final time.
Andy Robertson spoke out in defence of the coach when he was working under his advice because the results were so obvious in his work.
If you had our German manager backing you and supporters online having your back, it shows why we were possibly the best club to be working for during a period when seven trophies were won.
As the throw-in coach said himself, ‘when you see something that looks weird to you, then you can either laugh or ask a question.’
You can watch Gronnemark’s comments on Keys, Gray and Nicol (from 14:36) via The Football Historian Podcast on YouTube:
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