Alan Hutton expects Liverpool first-team coach Tommy Elphick to want to become a manager in future and believes his former Aston Villa team-mate is learning from working under Andoni Iraola at Anfield.
Andoni Iraola with his backroom team at Liverpool
Andoni Iraola with his backroom team at Liverpool(Image: Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth, AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola's trusted assistant at Liverpool has been tipped to forge his own path in management after "soaking up" the experience of working at one of the world's most prestigious football clubs.
Tommy Elphick joined Iraola's backroom staff at Anfield alongside Shaun Cooper, Pablo de la Torre and Tom Webber, following the former Spain international's appointment as Liverpool's new head coach in June.
The week prior, it had come to light that the highly-regarded Elphick had rejected the chance to step into management with Championship side Bristol City. At that point, the 39-year-old had appeared destined to remain at Bournemouth and slot into Marco Rose's new coaching set-up following Iraola's exit.
Yet Elphick, a lifelong Liverpool supporter, instead opted to follow the Basque coach to Anfield, where he now serves as first-team coach, reports the Liverpool Echo.
The former Brighton and Hove Albion, Bournemouth and Aston Villa defender is, however, being touted as a future manager by one of his former team-mates.
Ex-Scotland, Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur right-back Alan Hutton, who lined up alongside Elphick at Villa, told BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest Premier League odds: "Tommy Elphick was an absolute 'stick-on' to go into coaching. You just knew it, instantly.
"He came into Aston Villa and he was captain and you could just tell he was a leader in the way he spoke. If there was ever an issue or a problem, he'd help you out. He'd help anybody out, the new players or whoever needed him.
"You could just see it in him to take it to that next level once he retired so it's a great move for him to go from Bournemouth to continue working with Andoni Iraola at Liverpool. It's a great next step for him, and such a great learning curve too. He'll be soaking everything in.
"At some stage he I'm sure he'll want to step out on his own though because he's got those characteristics where he wants to be the main man and be the leader, so I would expect that in the future."
While neither Elphick nor any of the coaching staff who accompanied Iraola have commented publicly since their arrival on Merseyside, Bournemouth legend Steve Fletcher recently disclosed they have been astounded by their discoveries.
Liverpool first-team coach Tommy Elphick, pictured on the sidelines
Liverpool first-team coach Tommy Elphick, pictured on the sidelines(Image: Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
He stated: "Liverpool is a global phenomenon, and they're going to expect big things. The only difference he will experience from being the manager at Bournemouth is that the expectation level at Liverpool Football Club is beyond belief.
"My two friends who are the coaches – Tommy Elphick and Sean Cooper – I speak to them on a regular basis. They've gone up with Andoni to Liverpool, and they just said the magnitude of this football club is beyond belief after touring America for two weeks.
"They said: 'The levels of support out there – you get off the coach, and 400 people are waiting at the hotel'. It's just on another scale...the expectation level will be very different to what it was at Bournemouth.
"Losing our manager Andoni was a blow for the football club. He waited right until the end of the season because he loved the club so much; he hadn't made his mind up, but I think the Liverpool thing came quite quickly.
"I don't think it was something that was planned much in advance. I think the opportunity came along, and how could you turn it down, you know? It's one of the biggest clubs in the world."
Iraola and his new backroom staff have enjoyed an encouraging beginning with the Reds, who are yet to taste defeat following five Premier League fixtures, securing two victories, including their most recent outing at Bournemouth, alongside three draws.