Well, I think we can scrap my post above
Achterberg takes the flak but Klopp's faith in Liverpool coach is unwavering
The criticism of long-serving Dutchman is wrong and disrespectful
BY JAMES PEARCE
Loris Karius wasnât the only man to take the flak for Liverpool âs failings against West Ham.
Social media was awash with a torrent of criticism being aimed at a member of JĂŒrgen Kloppâs backroom staff.
Kariusâ struggles have been held up as proof in some quarters that goalkeeping coach John Achterberg is the problem rather than the solution.
Itâs not an opinion which is shared by anyone inside Melwood.
The fact is that the Dutchman is a highly-regarded coach who retains the full backing of the manager. The goalkeepers he works with on a daily basis also speak glowingly about the calibre of the sessions he delivers.
Last summer the 45-year-old became one of the few keeping coaches in European football to acquire the UEFA Pro Licence - the highest qualification available. The idea that heâs a weak link is simply wrong and hugely disrespectful.
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If Klopp had any doubts about Achterbergâs capabilities then he wouldnât still be part of the set-up.
After all the German isnât afraid to ring the changes - underlined by last summerâs overhaul which saw Andreas Kornmayer brought in as the club's new head of fitness and conditioning and Mona Nemmer follow him to Liverpool from Bayern Munich as head of nutrition.
When Klopp and his trusted assistants Zeljko Buvac and Peter Krawietz penned new six-year deals back in July, Achterberg and first-team development coach Pep Lijnders were also handed contract extensions.
Heâs very much part of âTeam Kloppâ and that isnât likely to change any time soon.
Achterberg joined the Liverpool Academy staff during Rafa Benitezâs reign in 2009 after 11 years of service to Tranmere Rovers and more than 300 appearances.
It was Kenny Dalglish who promoted him to the role of first-team goalkeeping coach in the summer of 2011 and heâs retained that position under both Brendan Rodgers and Klopp.
Critics highlight the issues Liverpool have had with keepers over the past five-and-a-half years and point to Achterberg as the one common denominator. They demand to know who heâs improved out of Pepe Reina, Alexander Doni, PĂ©ter Gulacsi, Brad Jones, Simon Mignolet, Adam Bogdan, Danny Ward and Karius.
For a start Reina was in decline before Achterberg got to work with him, while Doni, Jones and Bogdan - who cost a combined total of ÂŁ2.3million - simply werenât up to it.
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Gulacsi, who is now shining for RB Leipzig, was young and never got to to make a senior appearance for the Reds, while Wardâs development at Liverpool has been eye-catching and his education is currently continuing on loan at Huddersfield Town.
Kop legend Bruce Grobbelaar has previously slammed Achterberg for the flaws he sees in Mignoletâs game.
âI now know who the true person to blame is,â he said. âIf he (Achterberg) canât right Mignoletâs wrongs in two years then he shouldnât be there.â
However, itâs difficult to take Grobbelaar seriously when in the next breath he basically admitted that he wants Achterbergâs job.
The reality is that Mignolet has kicked on over the past six months and it shows the value of having proper competition - something Mignolet didnât really have with either Jones or Bogdan about.
In terms of Karius, you canât judge the impact of the coaching heâs getting after just 11 appearances. Has he performed for the Reds like someone who was voted the second best keeper in the Bundesliga last season? No, but then playing for Liverpool is a world away from life at Mainz.
Itâs also worth remembering that under both Rodgers and Klopp the Reds have been committed to a brand of attacking football which means the keeper isnât blessed with a huge amount of protection.
âI really trust in John Achterberg because he does a brilliant job here. Heâs one of the hardest working people Iâve ever met.â
They were the words of Klopp last season and they still ring true today.
After the mistakes which have blighted recent Liverpool performances, a major improvement is required between the posts. But Kloppâs faith in Acherberg to help achieve that remains.
Echo
Interesting article.
I know Achterberg is suspect number 1 for quite a while and there could be something in this theory. Yet, we don't actually know what goes on in training; you can only tell by watching your team perform.
Basically, IMO it's all quite simple really, we simply don't buy right, and the goalkeeping department has been a bit of an Achilles Heel for this club for some time now.
I mean, a coach can only work with what he's got - if he wants to coach a 'table and is given a lampshade' then he's got to coach the lampshade. Ability is everything.
Again, do we blame Buvac and Klopp because Moreno is sh*t at defending? And thus, has never been coached properly. Of course we don't 1) because it would be sacrilege for many to admit, and 2) (the most important point) because we know it isn't possible to coach every player into something they'll never become. Ability is everything.
Look, there maybe some merit in Achterberg's own ability or lack of in coaching GK, but I don't know. Nobody does, apart from Klopp & co. There does seem to be a pattern, but there also seems to be a pattern that we purchase keepers that aren't up to task.
Maybe if we did the latter better, we wouldn't be scapegoating all hope onto the coach's perceived lack of ability.
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