Liverpool coach confirms he has left the club 'earlier than expected' with emotional post

Liverpool have had to deal with a raft of changes to their coaching staff ever since Jurgen Klopp’s exit last year.

Having spent almost a decade with the Reds, Klopp inevitably had a very settled team around him, with little change occurring for several years.

The German’s departure brought with it massive upheaval, though, with Arne Slot forced to put a whole new Liverpool coaching staff together in a short space of time.

Slot clearly got the decisions right, with Liverpool going on to win the Premier League at the Dutch coach’s first time of asking.

However, since the Reds lifted the championship trophy last month, there has already been some more change for Slot to deal with.

Assistant coach John Heitinga left to take the top job at Ajax, while another Liverpool coach has now announced his own exit via LinkedIn.

Photo by Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images

Diogo Paiva leaves Liverpool

One of the additions which perhaps went unnoticed last summer was the arrival of Technical Skills Coach Diogo Paiva.

Paiva arrived from the Porto academy in September, aiding Slot’s work behind the scenes at the Liverpool training ground.

MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES

Although the Portuguese was part of a very successful season with the Reds, he took to LinkedIn on Friday evening to make an emotional statement confirming his exit.

“Dear Liverpool Family,” Paiva began. “This club has been more than just a place to work. It has been a home, a family.”

READ MORE: Darren Bent makes ‘quite strange’ Jurgen Klopp point about Liverpool’s transfer business this year

“Liverpool has given me so much, and I have been embraced with warmth and support throughout my time here. It is a great club that will always hold a special place in my heart.”

“I want to express my gratitude to the management for understanding my reasons for leaving the club earlier than expected and for releasing me from my commitments.

“As I return home to be with my family and await new projects, I reflect on the incredible journey I’ve had here,” adds the coach. “Thank you all for the opportunity to be part of this magnificent club and for allowing me to experience what it truly means to be a Premier League champion. It has been a pleasure working with all of you! YNWA.”

What did Paiva do at Liverpool?

While Paiva is clearly not one of the big-hitters in the Liverpool coaching set-up, his exit may still come as a blow to Slot.

The former Porto man has obviously taken the decision to leave himself, meaning the club were not planning for him to go.

And given the explanation football academy coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst gave The Redmen TV of Paiva’s likely role upon his hiring last September, Liverpool may need to replace him.

“If you look at his previous role at Porto, it very much focused on individual technique and also the 1v1 duel, which is a very big point in Europe,” Isaksson-Hurst said.

“He’s very much about those individual moments that can break down teams.”

Click here to read article