Former Liverpool shot-stopper Chris Kirkland has expressed his delight in returning to the club as the goalkeeping coach of the Women’s team.
Kirkland, 37, was appointed in his new role last month and the former England international is now relishing the opportunity to coach at his former club.
The 6ft 6in ex-goalkeeper transferred to Liverpool in 2001 after impressing between the sticks as a teenager for Coventry, and he went on to feature in 45 matches across all competitions for the Merseyside club.
Born and raised in Leicestershire, Kirkland also enjoyed a six-year spell with Wigan Athletic and played for Sheffield Wednesday on 90 occasions between 2012 and 2015.
Since retiring, Kirkland has coached for League One club Port Vale, but he has now returned to the club where he clinched a Champions League medal in 2005, and he is overjoyed with the move.
“I’m delighted,” Kirkland told Sky Sports. “It is Liverpool at the end of the day. It is my club. I have always supported them and used to go to games at Anfield when I was eight years old.
“My daughter is at the centre of excellence too, so it all just fits. I’m looking forward to it.”
Goalkeeper criticism “awful”
Kirkland has been less than impressed with the recent criticism and abuse aimed at goalkeepers from pundits and fans alike.
His former Preston teammate Jordan Pickford was hounded for conceding a goal to Adnan Januzaj in England’s 1-0 group defeat to Belgium in the World Cup, and Kirkland has blamed a scarcity of goalkeeper pundits for the lack of sympathy.
He added: “There was not one goalkeeper coach or past goalkeeper on the punditry panel. They are not goalkeepers.”
Meanwhile Loris Karius has come under fire for his double howler in the Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid, but Kirkland believes the Reds will guide him through this difficult spell.
“He is at a great club with Jurgen and all the staff around him,” he adds. “They will look after him.”
The post It is my home – Chris Kirkland delighted with new Liverpool FC Women role appeared first on Squawka News.
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