Image Credits: Imago Images
It seems there is yet more movement on the Liverpool backroom front. The club has already parted ways with set-piece coach Aaron Briggs midway through a season in which the Reds had the joint-worst set-piece record in Europe’s top five leagues.
The Premier League champions have conceded 12 set-piece goals in the top flight, including a corner against Wolves in December. A mutual decision was made for Briggs to depart, just two days before Liverpool’s New Year’s Day 0-0 draw with Leeds United.
Following the departure of set-piece coach Aaron Briggs, Arne Slot promoted analyst Lewis Mahoney to the matchday bench. Mahoney joined the Reds from Southampton in September and has served as Liverpool’s first-team set-piece analyst, carrying out most of his work at the AXA Training Centre.
Now, the Reds have secured the services of Bafodé Diakhaby, a highly-regarded youth development specialist who has spent over a decade shaping young talents at Paris Saint-Germain’s prestigious academy. The 36-year-old has officially taken up the role of Youth Development Phase (YDP) Academy coach at the AXA, with the appointment confirmed on LinkedIn.
The YDP coach is responsible for creating an environment that mirrors first-team standards while still being developmentally appropriate, a delicate balancing act that requires both coaching expertise and an understanding of adolescent development.
PSG’s academy has long been recognized as one of Europe’s premier talent incubators, producing stars such as Kingsley Coman, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Adrien Rabiot, and Presnel Kimpembe. Diakhaby’s work in the pre-formation phase meant he was often the first coach to work with these players, identifying and developing the raw materials that would later blossom into world-class professionals.
Diakhaby also penned a message of goodbye to PSG, writing on LinkedIn:
“With a lot of gratitude for all those who have shared this journey, on and off the pitch.”
“The next chapter will be written elsewhere, like a new adventure.”
“But some things remain: the bonds, the relationships, the memories, the love of the game.”
“PSG will always be a special club for me, one that I will continue to follow with great attention and affection.”
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