Kevin Keen is the new First Team Coach at Liverpool FC after the club announced the latest change to the coaching staff following the recent departure of Assistant Manager Sammy Lee.
Keen joins Liverpool from West Ham where he was previously the First Team Coach. The club say the 44 year old has signed a three-year contract and that he’ll be at Melwood tomorrow for the first day of pre-season training.
Keen’s playing career began at Wycombe but he was best known for his time at West Ham, where he made 219 league appearances before moving to Wolves, Stoke and then Macclesfield. In all he played 502 league games before hanging up his boots in 2001.
He has been a caretaker manager at West Ham three times and Macclesfield once. His first coaching role at West Ham came in 2002 when he was appointed as under-17 coach. He has worked as both reserve coach and first team coach on a number of occasions at West Ham, but his final role was as caretaker manager in West Ham’s final Premier League game in May.
Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish said: “I’m delighted that Kevin is joining us to work alongside Steve Clarke coaching the First Team squad. He has previously worked with Steve at West Ham and has a good reputation and a good manner about him. He is highly respected in the game and will be a great addition to our technical staff.”
It is now expected that Steve Clarke will be named Assistant Manager, replacing Sammy Lee whose departure was leaked a few days before the official announcement came from the club. Although the official announcement said Lee had left the club “by mutual consent” it is thought he was asked to step aside in order that the club could make the appointment announced today.
Dalglish wished Lee well on his departure from the club, saying: “We’d like to place on record our thanks for all of Sammy’s hard work over the years and the contribution he has made to Liverpool. He has always been a credit to the Football Club and a credit to himself. Everyone at Liverpool FC wishes him all the best in his future career.”
Lee himself said: “I returned to the Club in 2008 and I’m proud of the contribution I’ve been able to make since then. I want to wish Kenny, the players and the supporters all the best going forward.”
That announcement also said that Liverpool would “continue to analyse the requirements of their backroom team” and “make further announcements in due course.”
It is now expected that Steve Clarke will be given the title of Assistant Manager but a change of title will make little difference to the role he was already carrying out alongside Dalglish.
This is going to get confusing having two KKs
we need players!!!!