Colin Pascoe and Mike Marsh - what is their worth to the team?

Behind every good man is a good woman (supposedly) and behind every good football manager is a good coaching staff.

We had a long list of fantastic assistant managers and even further down the line than that. I think even the dimmest members of this forum, know the term "Liverpool Boot Room". That's really where it started. Bill Shankly, had a great coaching staff behind him. From Bob Paisley to Joe Fagan to Ronnie Moran to Roy Evans to the almost forgotten man Reuben Bennett. Four of those men went on to manage the club in some degree (Ronnie as caretaker) and all had some level of success because of those around them as much as those on the pitch. Bob had Joe beside him, Joe had Ronnie as did Roy. The succession of the "Boot Room" proved to be the greatest line of managers in footballing history. Even though not a graduate, as such, of the "Boot Room" Kenny Dalglish had help from there with Bob, Ronnie and Roy all lending a hand to the King.

Then moving on to Roy Evans, who still had Ronnie Moran beside him, added others like Doug Livermore and Sammy Lee to his backroom staff. And to some degree had a level of success. The day Roy Evans called time on his Liverpool career (a day I'll never forget by the way) opened the door for Gerard Houllier to bring Phil Thompson, while retaining Sammy Lee, to his coaching staff and once again success, to some degree, followed. Rafa Benitez had Pako there beside him for a few years and to this day some still say we lost our way once Pako left. Alex Miller and Pelligrino are hardly remembered for their stints on the Liverpool coaching staff. Sammy Lee did return at the end of the 2007/08 season and we went on to have our best season in the Premiership the following year.

A lot of people talk about Kenny's return in a bad light but one person who stands out is his assistant Steve Clarke. Somebody many have clamoured for us to bring back to the club.

Which brings us to the current pairing behind Brendan and their importance and/or worth to the team and even the club as a whole. While watching the matches, they don't seem to have too much input vocally or the passion of a Moran/Thompson/Lee but surely they are playing a role in our success aren't they?

In my opinion, the worth they bring is as follows - Pascoe, has worked with Brendan for a number of years so he knows the way Brendan will want his players to play. He'll know what Brendan expects from his players and how to get it out of them. Marshy, I think brings a supporter's love for the club to the coaching side. He may not be as visually passionate as those I mentioned earlier (or even Brendan) but he is a lifelong Liverpool fan - that always helps on the coaching staff. He also knows a lot of the youngsters who have broke through under Brendan because he coached them in the years before and I think that helps them when they first make the grade.

So while Brendan is taking the plaudits, I think we must remember that every good manager has a good coaching staff behind him.

I suppose if I'm going to trust Brendan to manage the team, I'll also have to trust his judgment in who he brings with him to help him achieve his goals.
If Brendan is going to take the plaudits, so to must his back room staff.
I know nothing of Colin Pascoe's credentials, but since the team is doing so well, he must be doing his job well enough.

nice thread DLS... i think both CP and MM are often overlooked.  With a club as massive as LFC, BR really cannot physically do everything.  CP and MM are there to hep ensure BR's vision / strategy / directions are accurately executed.

With the progress our team has made over the past 18months.. the development of young players... I believe they are doing their job well.

Brendan would be the first to acknowledge the contribution of these guys to our football this season as the players will I'm sure. Clearly a coaching setup based on ideas, flexibility and trust.

BR is also out on the training ground every day.

I'm going to assume he meets with his coaches, and they plan the sessions depending on who the opposition is for the next game, then break down the sessions into the first team playing against the rest how BR and the coaches think the opposition will line up, then breaking it down further into individual sessions with each player regarding positional play, targeting defenders and so forth.

I'd imagine that BR takes a position of overview, then the coaches go more into detail with each of them having different areas to cover.

He seems to have instilled a culture of quiet confidence, and quite often during matches you can see them having a little chat, usually before making a sub or a positional change, but perhaps most importantly comparing notes and coming to a quick conclusion about what is needed.

I like the fact there's very little in the way of histrionics from our bench. Just a calm measured approach, with a discussion, a consensus and then a change when needed.

Colin Pascoe's record in charge of Liverpool: 1-0-0

Seriously though, there's not really a way of knowing what each coach is doing unless it's been explicitly stated. Can't fault the job any of them are doing.

The success of the coaching team had nothing to do with their association with Liverpool. bit their association with the manager of the time, i.e. they'd both known and worked together for a long time. It was the level of trust, being on the same page that made it work. Since Brendan's coaching staff have worked together for some time, there's that level of trust, of not needing to say certain things but intimately knowing how each other works and being able to put your trust in them. So in that regard, I'd say they bring a lot to the table.

Good question. In all honesty we don't really know their worth.

I have heard rumours, I think they came from this site - that Pascoe is in a relationship with someone in Rodgers's family  (kin'el don't quote me on that, I'm rattling my brain to think about this one and it maybe off target somewhat)

I think it was on this site, that some people inferred that Pascoe and Marsh are 'yes men' that may not be willing to rock the boat, especially if one of them is tied to the Rodgers' family through marriage. Don't know how much truth is in it TBH.

I did read an opinion from a footballer (article that may have been from this site too)  that he had worked with Pascoe and didn't think much of him. Whether this was a personal issue that marred the professional perspective, again I don't know.

But one thing I will say, neither seem to be, or look like defensive coaches. Unlike Steve Clarke, you could visibly see the defensive work he'd done on the training ground during games.

.

I have heard rumours, I think they came from this site - that Pascoe is in a relationship with someone in Rodgers's family  (kin'el don't quote me on that, I'm rattling my brain to think about this one and it maybe off target somewhat)

I think that was Brendan who said it on the this is Liverpool documentary at the beginning if last season.

Good question. In all honesty we don't really know their worth.

I have heard rumours, I think they came from this site - that Pascoe is in a relationship with someone in Rodgers's family  (kin'el don't quote me on that, I'm rattling my brain to think about this one and it maybe off target somewhat)

I think it was on this site, that some people inferred that Pascoe and Marsh are 'yes men' that may not be willing to rock the boat, especially if one of them is tied to the Rodgers' family through marriage. Don't know how much truth is in it TBH.

I did read an opinion from a footballer (article that may have been from this site too)  that he had worked with Pascoe and didn't think much of him. Whether this was a personal issue that marred the professional perspective, again I don't know.

But one thing I will say, neither seem to be, or look like defensive coaches. Unlike Steve Clarke, you could visibly see the defensive work he'd done on the training ground during games.

I'd agree with most of this as it's difficult to tell how much they add to the club.

There has been a few times on here where they, Pascoe in particular, were called 'yes men' but then you have to ask if that's such a bad thing. Maybe it's good for Brendan to have guys around him who he trusts and makes him more comfortable to do his job.

At the end of the day though we are where we are with these men in place so maybe any perceived negatives are outweighed by their good points.

Good question. In all honesty we don't really know their worth.

I have heard rumours, I think they came from this site - that Pascoe is in a relationship with someone in Rodgers's family  (kin'el don't quote me on that, I'm rattling my brain to think about this one and it maybe off target somewhat)

It's Pascoe's son with Rodgers' daughter.

It's Pascoe's son with Rodgers' daughter.

Poor kid will come out with massive white knashers and a pair of shorts and shin pads on

There has been a few times on here where they, Pascoe in aprticular, were called 'yes men' but then you have to ask if that's such a bad thing. Maybe it's good for Brendan to have guys around him who he trusts and makes him more comfortable to do his job.

The problem with 'yes men' is they're only useful when things are going well and the person in charge is getting everything right. In that sense they still offer nothing but confirmation for the person in charge that their ideas are sound. I would never employ a yes man I would much prefer someone who could challenge me on something they felt strongly about and offer their own well balanced opinion when I ask for advice. If I can't take that advice onboard constructively then that's my problem.

I have said for a long time that I would love to see a coach come in with a defensive mindset to counter balance Rodgers incredible attacking style, but even more than that to bring a defensive organisation that we clearly lack. Set-pieces are more about organisation than they are about personnel for me, when you look at the talent pool Pulis works with and then you watch how they handle set-pieces it is the one part of his coaching he gets near enough spot on and as horrible as it is to give the man credit it's why he does manage to make teams avoid the drop with poor players. That, for me, is what quality coaching is about, it's getting more out of a group than their collective individual talents should reap and Brendan has that in spades in the attacking sense but I still feel he needs that word in his ear defensively and neither Pascoe nor Marsh seem to be the answer.

No man runs a team on his own. Our season is as much down to there role as Brendans or any player in my book

*EXCLUSIVE* Mike Marsh Interview With The Asian Kop

Mike Marsh Interview With The Asian Kop

It's Pascoe's son with Rodgers' daughter.

Correct, though they broke up over a year ago now.

For supporters, it's difficult to tell what sort of job the backroom staff are doing. We can guess, sometimes perhaps make educated guesses but in all honesty, we simply don't know. All we do know is that the results on the pitch have been nothing short of superb and this surely means that the backroom staff are doing their respective jobs as well as Brendan is doing his.

As regards Pascoe, has the club been monitoring this site? I haven't heard a peep out of him since he came here and now he's come in for criticism (esp' on here) he's been on the radio non-stop for the last three days.

You watching us LFC?

 

As regards Pascoe, has the club been monitoring this site? I haven't heard a peep out of him since he came here and now he's come in for criticism (esp' on here) he's been on the radio non-stop for the last three days.

You watching us LFC?

 

I'd be very surprised if the club weren't keeping an eye on the various LFC forums.
At least the more frequented ones anyway.
The best focus groups are the ones which don't know they are focus groups, plus it can be done for sod all money, so for me it's a no brainer to monitor forums.
I daresay they have someone who joins as well.

I'd be very surprised if the club weren't keeping an eye on the various LFC forums.
At least the more frequented ones anyway.
The best focus groups are the ones which don't know they are focus groups, plus it can be done for sod all money, so for me it's a no brainer to monitor forums.
I daresay they have someone who joins as well.

We had someone a few years ago on here who 'claimed' to have been hired by Hicks and Gillette.

We had someone a few years ago on here who 'claimed' to have been hired by Hicks and Gillette.

That wouldn't surprise me either, although it would be a bit F***ing daft to give the game away, assuming he/she was telling the truth.

I'm sure players that are mentioned here are picked by the press and published as some sort of fact that we are about to sign said player.

I'd be very surprised if the club weren't keeping an eye on the various LFC forums.
At least the more frequented ones anyway.
The best focus groups are the ones which don't know they are focus groups, plus it can be done for sod all money, so for me it's a no brainer to monitor forums.
I daresay they have someone who joins as well.

Given some of the absolute bollocks I read in here sometimes from 'fans' I'd say that this particular focus group has the focus of a group of 4 year olds full of pink lemonade.

If you're correct mate (I am inclined to agree with you) then who monitors it and whoever that may be must have told BR that Pascoes getting battered (see: image conflicted) and to send him out on a charm offensive, IMHO he was about as charming as Mr Punch.

Given some of the absolute bollocks I read in here sometimes from 'fans' I'd say that this particular focus group has the focus of a group of 4 year olds full of pink lemonade.

If you're correct mate (I am inclined to agree with you) then who monitors it and whoever that may be must have told BR that Pascoes getting battered (see: image conflicted) and to send him out on a charm offensive, IMHO he was about as charming as Mr Punch.

Wait. Do people not like Colin Pascoe? I thought the song the Kop sang about his shorts was an affectionate tune.