Throw-in coach Thomas Gronnemark will leave his duties at Liverpool at the end of the season after five years working with the club.
Gronnemark has been involved with the squad’s training on a part-time basis for the last five seasons after he was appointed in 2018 to help the Reds get the most from their throw-ins.
The 47-year-old’s contract has been extended for 12 months each season since he joined the club, but that deal will not enter a sixth campaign in 2023/24.
The throw-in specialist tweeted on Wednesday evening that he was thankful to Liverpool for the opportunity and that he was “proud” of the work he had carried out during his five-year spell.
All good things come to an end.
Liverpool and I have decided not to continue our agreement about the throw-in coaching after five great seasons.
I´m proud of being a part of taking LFC from 18th to 1st in the Premier League on throw-ins under pressure. 1/6 (video in the end) pic.twitter.com/tOaEjERxXu— Thomas Gronnemark (@ThomasThrowin) May 10, 2023
Gronnemark extended his involvement with the Reds into a fifth season last summer having also worked with Ajax, RB Leipzig, FC Midtjylland, KAA Gent and Brentford among others.
His role involved helping Liverpool players to improve the quality and technique of their throw-ins as part of Jurgen Klopp‘s ongoing attempts to increase marginal gains in all areas of the game.
The Dane posted a video to his YouTube`channel explaining the reasons for his departure, citing the number of visits to the AXA Training Centre as a reason for the eventual end of his relationship with Liverpool.
It is understood that Gronnemark had hoped for greater involvement with the players going forward, with the coach explaining in his video that a combination of travel restrictions and “tight” playing schedules has meant that there has been “almost a full year” between each visit for the past three years.
He went on to say that he feels the throw-in level has gone from “great to good” as a result of his restricted trips and that he did not have “enough time” with the players to achieve what he wanted.
Due to the unique nature of Gronnemark’s profession, it is unlikely that Liverpool will seek a like-for-like replacement for the coach this summer.
Klopp will no doubt continue to look to employ niche specialists in the future if he feels there is an opportunity to maximise the potential of the playing squad in the coming seasons.
