THERE’s a new face on the touchline for Liverpool’s trip to Aston Villa.
The Reds take on Dean Smith’s side for a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals but it will be Neil Critchley in the dugout rather than Jurgen Klopp.
Klopp won’t be on the touchline for the Reds’ clash against VillaCredit: AP:Associated Press
Here’s all you need to know about the Liverpool coach…
Who is Neil Critchley?
BORN in Crewe in October 1978, Critchley is a former professional footballer.
A midfielder who came through the youth ranks at Crewe Alexandra, he only made one appearance for his boyhood club before moving to non-league Leigh RMI in 2000.
But he dropped out of the game a year later, hanging up his boots after just three games for the side who now ply their trade in the South Lancashire Counties league.
Critchley will take charge of Liverpool for their game against VillaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Critchley went into coaching and returned to Crewe in 2007, where he took on the role of academy director in 2007.
He is one of only sixteen coaches in the entire country to have gained the highest possible qualification in the game – after being hand-picked by the FA to take Uefa’s first elite badge course.
Critchley moved to Liverpool in 2013 to take on the role of under-18s coach and in the summer of 2017 was handed the under-23s manager role.
The 41-year-old is regarded as one of the top coaches in Europe.
Why is the Liverpool coach managing team against Aston Villa?
CRITCHLEY will be in the dugout for Liverpool’s visit to Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
The Reds are scheduled to play in the Club World Cup on Wednesday, December 18 against Mexican side Monterrey.
As a result, the majority of the first-team will sit out the game with a youth-orientated side set to take on the responsibility of getting Liverpool to the semi-finals.
Jurgen Klopp and a senior squad are already in Qatar ahead of the game on Wednesday.
Critchley revealed in his press conference: “It’s a great opportunity for all of us, myself included. I’ll be very proud to lead the team out tomorrow night but the pride I will have will come from the players playing to what they’re capable of.
“The decision [for Critchley to take charge of the game] was obviously taken above me. That was for the club to decide and this is what they’ve come up with.
“It’s a unique set of circumstances, I don’t think it’s ever happened before.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
