Liverpool confirm Sean O'Driscoll arrival as assistant manager to Brendan Rodgers

Liverpool have confirmed former England U19 coach Sean O'Driscoll has joined the club as assistant to manager Brendan Rodgers, while Pepijn Lijnders is also set for the role of first-team development coach.

O'Driscoll, 58, arrives at Anfield as a replacement for former number two Colin Pascoe who, along with first-team coach Mike Marsh, was relieved of his duties in June as part of a backroom reshuffle that occurred following talks with owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) in the aftermath of a dismal end to a difficult 2014-15 season.

Following confirmation of his new role, O'Driscoll told Liverpool's official website: "I am excited to be joining one of the world's most iconic football clubs.

"The hallmark of any successful club is its culture and that comes from the people who work there, from the chief executive and first-team manager to those people behind the scenes whose faces may not be known but who are the lifeblood of the club.

"From the moment I drove into Melwood last week and was greeted by Kenny the gateman, I could not have been made to feel more welcome. If you are going to have any level of success these people are as crucial as the players; from my experiences so far it is clear everyone wants to help this club succeed."

Rodgers has already made several changes to his playing squad this summer, bringing in Danny Ings, James Milner, Adam Bogdan, Joe Gomez, Roberto Firmino and Nathaniel Clyne. Regarding the reasoning behind the latest additions to his coaching staff, he pointed to his desire for a change of direction and his own personal admiration for O'Driscoll.

"I have made these appointments because I want to take us in a new technical direction, in terms of coaching," he said. "I believe the entire first-team set-up will benefit and I am extremely positive and excited about what we can achieve, as a group, going forward.

"My admiration for Sean, as a professional, is well documented. He is someone with a clear vision and philosophy and has proved he has the ability to transfer that knowledge, through his coaching, to the players. I am looking forward to working with him and also learning from his experiences and gaining valuable knowledge from his expertise."

Speculation that O'Driscoll was likely to be appointed as Pascoe's successor first surfaced at the end of June. Despite his reputation for encouraging good passing football in the lower leagues, though, many supporters on social media appeared less than impressed regarding his apparent lack of top-flight experience.

So for the benefit of those who may not be too knowledgeable regarding his career to date, IBTimes UK provides a brief profile of the man who will aid Rodgers' attempt to steer Liverpool back into the top four of the Premier League.

Experience at Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Bristol City

Having made almost 600 appearances for Fulham and Bournemouth during his playing career, O'Driscoll moved straight into coaching after retirement and took up his first managerial post on the south coast at Dean Court in 2000.

The Cherries suffered relegation from the old Division Two in 2002 but bounced back at the first time of asking via an impressive 5-2 play-off final victory over Lincoln City at the Millennium Stadium.

O'Driscoll, ironically nicknamed "Noisy" due to his quiet manner, joined Doncaster Rovers in 2006 and enjoyed more play-off success two years later by guiding them into the second tier of English football for the first time in more than 50 years. James Hayter's goal secured a 1-0 win against Yorkshire rivals Leeds United. Doncaster also won the Johnstone's Paint Trophy in 2007.

He became the Championship's longest-serving manager before eventually being dismissed and swiftly replaced by Dean Saunders in September 2011.

A brief stint as first-team coach under Steve Cotterill at Nottingham Forest followed before O'Driscoll returned to management with League One newcomers Crawley Town. He did not take charge of a single professional fixture during two months at Broadfield Stadium, though, after being chosen by chairman Fawaz Al-Hasawi to return to Forest as Cotterill's replacement.

His second stint with Forest was also shortlived and he lasted just five months before being sacked on Boxing Day 2012 despite his team being perched outside the top six and having beaten Leeds 4-2 just hours before.

O'Driscoll's last job in club management was at Bristol City, where he was handed a 12-month rolling contract in January 2013 after succeeding Derek McInnes. The Robins were languishing in the Championship relegation zone upon his arrival and he eventually left Ashton Gate in November that year after failing to save them from relegation and with the team displaying rather alarming signs of a possible second successive demotion.

O'Driscoll, reporting to director of elite development Dan Ashworth and U21 boss Gareth Southgate, was named by the Football Association (FA) as England's U19 head coach in September 2014. He left that post on 5 July to join Liverpool with immediate effect.