We're losing valuable staff whilst hanging on to crap ones.
LIVERPOOL FC’S head of fitness and conditioning Darren Burgess has stepped down after two years at the club.
The Australian has been an integral part of the backroom staff at Melwood since he joined the Reds from his role with the Socceroos after the 2010 World Cup.
Burgess, who worked under managers Roy Hodgson, Kenny Dalglish and Brendan Rodgers, is preparing to return Down Under with his family and is considering offers from a number of Aussie Rules clubs.
“Brendan (Rodgers) wanted to bring in some staff from Swansea, and Brendan has been fantastic, but my role has changed and its not really worth living on the other side of the world for,” he said.
“I’ve had AFL clubs asking me if I was interested for the last couple of years now. The sports science side of things in AFL is world class - you don’t get a better set up.
“It’s tough because I worked for 15 years to try and get into the EPL, it was my dream. But I leave thinking it’s the right thing for my family.”
Burgess was a popular figure at Melwood and admits he relished working with the likes of Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard.
“Luis Suarez’s training intensity is unlike anything I’ve ever worked with in any code. He just cannot lose,” he added.
“Sometimes, as a coach, you have to make up numbers in training, and this happened in the early days when he arrived, because he was serving a suspension from his days in Holland.
“He booted the hell out of me. I looked angrily at him, but he just gesticulated as if to say ‘when you are on the field, you are one of us’”
“As for Stevie, I’ve never seen anyone strike a ball as well in any code of football. When the big clubs play at Anfield, the opposition players all want Stevie’s jersey.”
Liverpool conditioning coach Darren Burgess is returning to his native Australia as Liverpool's backroom shake-up continues.
Burgess, who was brought to Anfield after working with Australia at the 2010 World Cup, is the third senior member of the club's medical team to leave this year.
Peter Brukner, Liverpool's head of sports science, went in April, while physio manager Phil Coles is also moving on as he prepares to join Australia rugby league club Newcastle Knights in November.
Burgess, who is likely to take up a job in Australian Rules football, decided to leave Anfield after new manager Brendan Rodgers brought in several backroom staff from his previous club Swansea.
LIVERPOOL FC’S head of fitness and conditioning Darren Burgess has stepped down after two years at the club.
The Australian has been an integral part of the backroom staff at Melwood since he joined the Reds from his role with the Socceroos after the 2010 World Cup.
Burgess, who worked under managers Roy Hodgson, Kenny Dalglish and Brendan Rodgers, is preparing to return Down Under with his family and is considering offers from a number of Aussie Rules clubs.
“Brendan (Rodgers) wanted to bring in some staff from Swansea, and Brendan has been fantastic, but my role has changed and its not really worth living on the other side of the world for,” he said.
“It’s tough because I worked for 15 years to try and get into the EPL, it was my dream. But I leave thinking it’s the right thing for my family.”
Burgess was a popular figure at Melwood and admits he relished working with the likes of Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard.
“Luis Suarez’s training intensity is unlike anything I’ve ever worked with in any code. He just cannot lose,” he added.
“Sometimes, as a coach, you have to make up numbers in training, and this happened in the early days when he arrived, because he was serving a suspension from his days in Holland.
“He booted the hell out of me. I looked angrily at him, but he just gesticulated as if to say ‘when you are on the field, you are one of us’”
“As for Stevie, I’ve never seen anyone strike a ball as well in any code of football. When the big clubs play at Anfield, the opposition players all want Stevie’s jersey.”
Liverpool conditioning coach Darren Burgess is returning to his native Australia as Liverpool's backroom shake-up continues.
Burgess, who was brought to Anfield after working with Australia at the 2010 World Cup, is the third senior member of the club's medical team to leave this year.
Peter Brukner, Liverpool's head of sports science, went in April, while physio manager Phil Coles is also moving on as he prepares to join Australia rugby league club Newcastle Knights in November.
Burgess, who is likely to take up a job in Australian Rules football, decided to leave Anfield after new manager Brendan Rodgers brought in several backroom staff from his previous club Swansea.
