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Liverpool say goodbye to the kick-in coach who helped them become Premier League champions in 2020.
Danish manager Thomas Gronnemark, who first linked up with Jurgen Klopp’s team in 2018, will not renew his contract after learning he won’t have the time he wanted to work with the players.
Gronnemark, a former sprinter and bobsleigh runner, was contacted by Klopp five years ago when the Liverpool manager saw in the statistics that his team was the third-worst in the Premier League for throw-ins. They won the Champions League in their first season working with Gronnemark and 14 goals in their title-winning 2019-20 campaign came back from shots.
He visited Liverpool several times a season before the lockdown, while also working with 25 other clubs including Ajax, Flamengo, Toulouse and Philadelphia Union, but said he made the biggest impact in his first two seasons when he was involved.
Gronnemark said on YouTube: “It’s been a great five years with Liverpool FC, we had great results: not only did we go from 18th in throw-ins to number 1, but we won as many club titles as possible in Europe.
“We had a fantastic first two seasons when I was there for the first time, where we won the Champions League, the Premier League and the World Club Championship and I was visiting the club four or five times a season, so I had plenty of time to work on the basics. and follow”. deep into the serve drills.
“But then we had a challenge with covid-19 and it meant that all of a sudden, starting in the 2020-21 season, the playing schedule was very tight and there were a lot of travel challenges, so it was a lot easier, for For example, go to Mexico. than England. For a couple of seasons I was only there once a season and for me the throw in level has gone from great to good. I don’t think he’s had enough time with the players.
“So I had to go back to four or five visits per season and that was my wish for the 2023-24 season and I spoke to the club and they also wanted a change but try it for themselves. Thanks to Liverpool FC, it’s been fantastic.”