James Milner is back at Liverpool, and fans are all asking for the same thing!
James Milner has come back to Liverpool after retiring from professional football last season, and he’s now working as a coach for the younger age groups.
Milner ended his 24-year playing career at 40, finishing with Brighton and Hove Albion, where he played 46 games in all competitions. When asked before about whether he would get into coaching or management, he wasn’t sure. But now, it looks like he’s starting that path.
According to This is Anfield, Milner was at Liverpool’s Kirkby training ground on Saturday, the same day Liverpool played a 0-0 draw with Fulham at Anfield.
He isn’t involved with the senior team yet and there are no plans for that right now. Instead, he was leading a session for the under-11s to get some coaching experience.
Last season at Brighton, Milner spent time learning from head coach Fabian Hurzeler and staff while recovering from injury. He’s also earned his UEFA A Licence, which means he can coach at any level in English football. If he wants to manage at the top levels, he’ll need to get a UEFA Pro Licence later.
Back in March, Milner told Goal that he wasn’t sure about managing because coaches don’t always get much time at clubs, but he’d love to try it, especially because it’s a tough job. He also wants to take his time moving into pro coaching.
“Jurgen [Klopp] told me when you finish, the first thing you need to do is have a break,” Milner said. “After being at such a high level for so many years, it’s important to take a breather, think about what’s next, and then see where to go.”
After news of Milner coaching youth teams at Liverpool, fans have been calling for him to get involved with the senior team too. Many feel the team struggled last season without him and think he could have made a big difference.
One fan wrote, “No coincidence we dropped off after he left.” Another said, “Give him the Jay Spearing role,” referring to Spearing’s player-coach job with Liverpool’s under-21s.
Others praised his experience and leadership, saying it would be great for both the younger players and the main squad. Some even hope he can pop into first-team training to help set high standards.
Liverpool’s midfield had a big shake-up after Milner left in 2023, and some feel his leadership hasn’t been replaced in the dressing room. This summer, the club sold Curtis Jones to Inter Milan but didn’t bring in a direct replacement, and even blocked James McConnell from going on loan to keep him at the club.
Right now, Liverpool has six players competing for three midfield spots: McConnell, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Florian Wirtz, and Trey Nyoni. Wataru Endo is also in the squad but hasn’t played this season. Last year, he sometimes played at right-back, and it’s not clear where the coach sees him best.
Overall, it seems Milner’s coaching journey has just begun, and many are excited to see how he might help Liverpool in the future.