Liverpool midfielder James Milner has been earmarked for a potential new role at the club by AnfieldIndex.com contributor @jagdesh on Twitter.
He envisions the 33-year-old following in the footsteps of Mikel Arteta at Manchester City and experiencing a swift transition from the playing squad to a coaching role.
I'm going to make a bold, and maybe even stupid prediction.
James Milner will be a coaching staff very much like how Arteta is for Pep, next season.— Underwhelmed (@jagdesh) September 21, 2019
Arteta finished his playing career at Arsenal, making his final appearance in May 2016, and less than two months later he was appointed as assistant manager to Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.
The Spaniard was 34 years and two months old when he played his last match – Milner will be 34 years and four months of age when the current season ends, with his Liverpool contract due to expire at the end of this campaign.
The midfielder doesn’t appear to be fading from first team view at Anfield any time soon, though, having played in six of the Reds’ first eight games of the season and started three of them. [via TransferMarkt.co.uk]
These Liverpool fans on Twitter agreed that Milner could move into a coaching position in the next year or two:
This would be great. I guess the fear has to be he decides to go and do a season or two somewhere like Leeds. There’ll become a point where he can’t quite cut it in the EPL but he’s got so much still to give somewhere. What a character to have about the place though. Top top pro!
— Brad Hardwick (@BradLFC78) September 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/ajpatel1976/status/1175367828083490816
https://twitter.com/paul_tomkins/status/1175363811706114048
That neither a bold nor stupid prediction. It’s clear that Klopp really values his dressing room input
— Mark Cassidy (@Rushian55) September 21, 2019
I think this is very possible. Milner will be the same age at the end of this season as Arteta was when he became Pep’s assistant and his experience is bound to be beneficial even if his playing influence wanes.
— IrishScouser (@irish_scouser) September 21, 2019
That's what I had in mind last season but the man just couldn't stop playing. Soon!
— Dev.B (@officialdevb) September 21, 2019
Do you think Milner will have a swift transition from playing to coaching like Arteta has had? Let us know your views in the comments section below!
