Gary Mac: What I see in this LFC squad
As he walks out to help oversee training at Melwood each morning, Gary McAllister surveys the talents in front of him and allows his mind to wander.
The hugely popular Scot is once again a fixture at Liverpool’s West Derby base having taken up the position of first-team coach last month.
McAllister joined the experienced Sean O’Driscoll and up-and-coming Pepijn Lijnders as part of Brendan Rodgers’ reshaped backroom staff.
Among the former Reds midfielder’s specific duties is passing on the well of wisdom he fostered throughout a stellar career in the English game.
But the 2000-01 treble hero sees the relationship as a two-way street, taking motivation and inspiration from the standard of stars surrounding him.
He told Liverpoolfc.com: “I look around in the morning when the manager grabs everybody together, before they just set off to do their warm-up, and I look at the physical presence we’ve got, the pace, the skill and guile.
“We’ve got a really fantastic mix. I think the new players that have come in have just added something a bit different as well.
“The beauty this season is that, hopefully, Liverpool are going to be very unpredictable. Because if we can marry all those things together with the commitment that is required at this club, anything can happen.”
Expanding on his role under Rodgers, McAllister added: “It’s pretty clear that Brendan is very much hands-on here. He is a coach, he loves coaching and is very hands-on during the week in training.
“We’ve got Sean O’Driscoll, who I know – I went against him when I was manager at Leeds and he was at Doncaster, he beat me in the play-off final.
“So I’m very much aware of Sean’s coaching credentials. We’ve got Pep [Lijnders] as well, who is another fantastic young coach.
“I’m more of the ex-player than having big credentials as a coach, so any time a player needs any little bits, any little nuggets or anything I can throw in, I’m here.”
It was a whirlwind couple of days for Gary Mac as his Liverpool return was forged in July.
A conversation with the manager led to an offer, which in turn led to an agreement and soon the 50-year-old was jetting off for the side’s pre-season tour.
“My feet haven’t touched the ground, to be perfectly honest,” he said, taking up the story with relish.
“It was a text from Brendan, I came to Melwood to meet, I signed the following day, sent away for my visa and then I was in Brisbane within days of meeting Brendan.
“We had the tour over there, which was really good, the games were decent and the support was incredible.
“It has been a real rollercoaster ride for me, but getting back to familiar territory here at Melwood has been excellent. I’ve been welcomed by the staff and the players.
“For where I’m at, it’s more important that the new players that have arrived have been welcomed by the set of players here and the staff. It looks to me that they’ve all settled in really quickly.”
The response of fans to McAllister’s appointment typified the appreciation and respect felt for a talisman of Gerard Houllier’s Reds at the beginning of the millennium.
It’s a feeling that has always been mutual and, the man himself believes, something that made his decision to make the move straightforward.
“The fans are excellent,” he said. “I was very fortunate in a short period of time as a player here – only two seasons, which were a very successful two seasons – I got a great rapport with the fans.
“I’ll never forget the way that I was treated here. I suppose that was one of the main reasons when Brendan called that I was here very quickly, to try to repay what they gave me.
“I’ve been given that opportunity, so anything I can do to give back what Liverpool gave me as a player, that’s why I was eager and willing.”