John McMahon leapt at the chance to return to Merseyside this summer and three months on he hasn’t looked back.
The Liverpool-born 45-year-old left behind life as assistant manager at League Two outfit Shrewsbury Town to succeed Gary Ablett as the Reds’ reserve team boss.
McMahon is charged with developing the group of youngsters assembled from around the world who make up the second string squad.
The primary objective is to try to provide Rafa Benitez with a steady stream of talent and results are of secondary importance.
McMahon, who works alongside new reserves coach Antonio Gomez Perez, boasts a wealth of experience having spent eight years on the coaching staff at Tranmere Rovers during which he had two spells as caretaker manager. He moved on to Shrewsbury in 2006 and is now relishing a very different challenge.
“This was a job I just couldn’t refuse,” he said.
“I’m really enjoying it and every day is different.
“I’m working with new faces and trying to get the lads organised and working as a team rather than as individuals.
“To work with a manager of the quality of Rafa Benitez and an assistant manager like Sammy Lee is brilliant.
“We’re in regular contact with staff meetings every day to sort out what we are doing and to decide what players are going where.
“The great thing is we are all one team. From Rafa, Sammy and Mauricio (Pellegrino) to myself and Antonio.
“We are all singing from the same hymn sheet and we all know what the others are doing.”
The days of reserve team matches packed with first team players on the fringes are long gone.
The second string is now full of teenagers looking to make the grade rather than experienced players hoping to take the step back up.
For Wednesday night’s first home match in the Premier Reserve League North at Prenton Park, 20-year-old right-back Stephen Darby was the elder statesman.
The rest of the starting line up for the 3-1 win over Bolton were teenagers with seven different nationalities on show.
McMahon’s job is to help ensure they realise their potential.
“Rafa wants to see improvement in the young players that are here,” he said.
“My task is to help get them ready both physically and mentally for our first team.
“Ultimately the goal in this job is all about getting players in the first team. Not just getting players in there for cameo roles, but to stay there. I would like to think we’ve got a number of lads in the squad capable of making that step up but there is a lot of hard work ahead.
“This is Liverpool Football Club and there are high expectations. It’s easy for lads to get delusions of grandeur and we need to keep their feet on the ground.
“Part of the hard work is actually getting them to realise it’s going to be difficult but that if they put the effort in it’s possible to progress.”
Spanish defender Daniel Ayala has already made that step up this season with a substitute appearance at White Hart Lane followed by his full debut in the 4-0 win at home to Stoke.
McMahon, the brother of former Reds midfielder Steve, is hoping Ayala will inspire some of his team-mates.
“Danny has shown a great attitude to work,” he said.
“He listens and he wants to do well. He’s only 18 himself but the other lads have to look at him as an example.
“They know that it can be done. If you are working hard and you have enough quality then the opportunities at this club are there for you.”
The squad is a real mixture with home grown talent like Darby and Steven Irwin, alongside Spanish prodigy Daniel Pacheco and new boy Chris Mavinga.
The Reds beat off competition from Arsenal to sign France Under-18 international defender Mavinga from Paris St Germain this summer.
Then there are youngsters like David Amoo and Nathan Eccleston who have only recently graduated from the Kirkby Academy.
“Chris is a young lad who has a lot of settling in to do but he has clearly got ability,” McMahon said.
“He’s having English lessons which is helping him a lot and he’s getting used to English football coaching and what it expected of him.
“Young Dani looked fantastic against Bolton this week.
“He wanted the ball, was really lively and caused them a lot of problems.
“This season is a big learning curve for everyone, including the staff.
“There are lads like David and Nathan who have only just stepped up to reserve team level and others who have been around for a while.
“They are all still learning how Antonio and myself want things to work and what we expect of them on a daily basis.”
Work to put in undersoil heating at Melwood this summer has led to the reserves spending more time at the Academy but McMahon believes it’s good for them to split their time between the two venues.
“There is no us and them situation,” he said.
“We are all Liverpool Football Club and it’s great to have some sessions at the Academy. The facilities there are fantastic and the first team have also trained there.
“I would like to think the academy lads will see the pros in the reserves training there and think ‘that could be me one day’. It’s always nice for the pros to be around the academy lads so they can see what could be on the horizon.”
Wednesday’s win over Bolton after an opening defeat at Blackburn ensured McMahon is off and running.
“It was nice to get the win and three points should settle everyone down but we still want more from the boys and there are things we can do better so we will keep working,” he added.
“If you cannot get up every morning and look forward to going into work then you are in the wrong job. I’m lucky to be doing something I love.”
The Liverpool-born 45-year-old left behind life as assistant manager at League Two outfit Shrewsbury Town to succeed Gary Ablett as the Reds’ reserve team boss.
McMahon is charged with developing the group of youngsters assembled from around the world who make up the second string squad.
The primary objective is to try to provide Rafa Benitez with a steady stream of talent and results are of secondary importance.
McMahon, who works alongside new reserves coach Antonio Gomez Perez, boasts a wealth of experience having spent eight years on the coaching staff at Tranmere Rovers during which he had two spells as caretaker manager. He moved on to Shrewsbury in 2006 and is now relishing a very different challenge.
“This was a job I just couldn’t refuse,” he said.
“I’m really enjoying it and every day is different.
“I’m working with new faces and trying to get the lads organised and working as a team rather than as individuals.
“To work with a manager of the quality of Rafa Benitez and an assistant manager like Sammy Lee is brilliant.
“We’re in regular contact with staff meetings every day to sort out what we are doing and to decide what players are going where.
“The great thing is we are all one team. From Rafa, Sammy and Mauricio (Pellegrino) to myself and Antonio.
“We are all singing from the same hymn sheet and we all know what the others are doing.”
The days of reserve team matches packed with first team players on the fringes are long gone.
The second string is now full of teenagers looking to make the grade rather than experienced players hoping to take the step back up.
For Wednesday night’s first home match in the Premier Reserve League North at Prenton Park, 20-year-old right-back Stephen Darby was the elder statesman.
The rest of the starting line up for the 3-1 win over Bolton were teenagers with seven different nationalities on show.
McMahon’s job is to help ensure they realise their potential.
“Rafa wants to see improvement in the young players that are here,” he said.
“My task is to help get them ready both physically and mentally for our first team.
“Ultimately the goal in this job is all about getting players in the first team. Not just getting players in there for cameo roles, but to stay there. I would like to think we’ve got a number of lads in the squad capable of making that step up but there is a lot of hard work ahead.
“This is Liverpool Football Club and there are high expectations. It’s easy for lads to get delusions of grandeur and we need to keep their feet on the ground.
“Part of the hard work is actually getting them to realise it’s going to be difficult but that if they put the effort in it’s possible to progress.”
Spanish defender Daniel Ayala has already made that step up this season with a substitute appearance at White Hart Lane followed by his full debut in the 4-0 win at home to Stoke.
McMahon, the brother of former Reds midfielder Steve, is hoping Ayala will inspire some of his team-mates.
“Danny has shown a great attitude to work,” he said.
“He listens and he wants to do well. He’s only 18 himself but the other lads have to look at him as an example.
“They know that it can be done. If you are working hard and you have enough quality then the opportunities at this club are there for you.”
The squad is a real mixture with home grown talent like Darby and Steven Irwin, alongside Spanish prodigy Daniel Pacheco and new boy Chris Mavinga.
The Reds beat off competition from Arsenal to sign France Under-18 international defender Mavinga from Paris St Germain this summer.
Then there are youngsters like David Amoo and Nathan Eccleston who have only recently graduated from the Kirkby Academy.
“Chris is a young lad who has a lot of settling in to do but he has clearly got ability,” McMahon said.
“He’s having English lessons which is helping him a lot and he’s getting used to English football coaching and what it expected of him.
“Young Dani looked fantastic against Bolton this week.
“He wanted the ball, was really lively and caused them a lot of problems.
“This season is a big learning curve for everyone, including the staff.
“There are lads like David and Nathan who have only just stepped up to reserve team level and others who have been around for a while.
“They are all still learning how Antonio and myself want things to work and what we expect of them on a daily basis.”
Work to put in undersoil heating at Melwood this summer has led to the reserves spending more time at the Academy but McMahon believes it’s good for them to split their time between the two venues.
“There is no us and them situation,” he said.
“We are all Liverpool Football Club and it’s great to have some sessions at the Academy. The facilities there are fantastic and the first team have also trained there.
“I would like to think the academy lads will see the pros in the reserves training there and think ‘that could be me one day’. It’s always nice for the pros to be around the academy lads so they can see what could be on the horizon.”
Wednesday’s win over Bolton after an opening defeat at Blackburn ensured McMahon is off and running.
“It was nice to get the win and three points should settle everyone down but we still want more from the boys and there are things we can do better so we will keep working,” he added.
“If you cannot get up every morning and look forward to going into work then you are in the wrong job. I’m lucky to be doing something I love.”
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