The idea of the ‘boot room’ is ingrained in Liverpool culture. For years, the club’s most successful managers were sourced from within, creating a chain of continuity that allowed eras to span coaches.
Amid the news of Jürgen Klopp’s departure, historic footage of the people of Liverpool receiving the news that Bill Shankly would leave has been doing the rounds. There was that same shock and disbelief, and anxiety about how anyone could ever replace him.
But the man who came next was Bob Paisley. He had been Shankly’s assistant, and would make a seamless transition, ultimately becoming Liverpool’s most successful manager of all time in terms of trophies won.
As such, while the Klopp news was undoubtedly the hammer blow of the day, there was also something of an aftershock when it became clear that a big chunk of Liverpool’s backroom staff would be going with him. Some people’s money was on Pep Lijnders taking the reins, but that theory was rapidly debunked.
Of course, the success of Klopp himself shows that it can pay to look outside the boot room. That model was also very much of its time, and Liverpool has needed to adapt to the modern realities. Even so, having so many members of the coaching staff leave at once will obviously only add to the upheaval.
Fortunately, while Klopp has been doing his bit to leave Liverpool in the best state possible, one of his outgoing coaches has also been preparing the ideal goodbye present. Vitor Matos has played a huge role in making the next manager’s job a whole lot easier.
Nowhere near as heralded as Klopp or even Lijnders, Matos is nonetheless often spotted right on the scene in training. Appointed from Porto as Elite Development Coach in 2019, he has overseen an incredible pipeline of Academy talent.
Klopp talked up the appointment at the time. Matos effectively picked up a role that Lijnders had previously been fulfilling:
“The situation is a little bit like this: if you are in pre-season, they are with us and we need them for training, for the games and all that stuff,” said Klopp. “But then the season starts and all the big guns come back and we don’t want to give them the feeling they are now a bit further away again.
“So we thought it made sense that they really get their specific coach again what Pep did years ago when I came in. I loved the fact I got a sensational assistant manager, but we lost the development coach a little bit.”
Matos has certainly made that role his own. Aided by FSG’s $64m (£50m/€59m) investment in the AXA Training Centre, where the first team and Academy can train side-by-side, he has provided Klopp with a steady flow of youngsters ready to make an impact at the highest level.
Of course, the onus has still been on Klopp to play them. He has had an even greater focus on giving out chances in this final season. But Matos has given a whole host of young talents an ideal grounding.
Perhaps his perfect goodbye gift to Liverpool is Jarell Quansah. Turning 21 today, the center-back seemed to come from almost nowhere in pre-season, but was not left to fall between the cracks after his promising introduction to first-team life. Instead, he has gone from strength to strength, becoming a key player for Klopp.
Such has been his development, Klopp can walk away from Liverpool now without so much of a nagging question about what happens after Virgil van Dijk leaves. The age profile of the back line is perhaps the one big issue the German has left for his successor, but Matos has served up a very viable heir.
And of course, it’s not just Quansah. After the Norwich win, Klopp mentioned Bobby Clark, who has had a breakthrough season. But he also rattled off a number of the most promising up-and-coming talents yet to make the step up: Trey Nyoni, Lewis Koumas (son of former Premier League player Jason) and the prolific Jayden Danns — also the son of a former player, Neil.
When Klopp first took the helm, he did not have the luxury of such a talent-laden squad from the Academy upwards. Whoever his successor is will inherit a far better version of Liverpool, and Matos deserves his share of the credit.
