The club's decision to appoint Anfield legend Ian Rush as a specialist striker coach could prove to be a sign of things to come in the FA Premiership.

Rush will spend two days a week with the Liverpool forwards after completing his UEFA 'A' coaching badge at the end of last year.

Gerard Houllier is hoping the return of Rush will help steer the club's strikers in the right direction after a frustrating league campaign which has seen them fall behind in the race for the championship.

England pair Michael Owen and Emile Heskey came in for the most criticism after managing just nine Premiership goals between them by the turn of the year.

Rush, who has been drafted in to help all of the attacking players, insists the move was not a snap-decision in the hope of a quick-fix.

He said: "This is not something which has just been decided, the manager has shown how this club is always thinking to improve all the time and stay ahead of the rest.

"I must admit I was surprised when I was first asked to come back here by Gerard Houllier because it came during period when Liverpool were not doing so well."

Rush, a Liverpool legend after scoring 229 league goals in two spells at Anfield, is delighted to have been given the chance to return to the club.

"It's a privilege to be invited back to have anything to do with Liverpool Football Club," said Rush.

"This is a great honour for me. I've joined them to pass on my experience. They have fantastic players and if we can give them that little bit more they will become even better. 


"When I played my last game for Liverpool I never thought I would come back as a coach. There are players here I know already like Michael Owen but it will be good to get to know all the players because there are some world class ones here."

Rush is now reaping the rewards for all the hard work he has put in to gain his coaching qualifications.

"When you finish you always want to pass on something to others," explained the 41-year-old.

"I will get as much satisfaction watching these lads score as I did when I was scoring myself, although I always get satisfaction when Liverpool score anyway.

"It's special here and it was only when I stopped playing at Wrexham I realised how hard it is for coaches to transfer what they know into the minds of players. It's taken me three years to learn and I'm still young to coaching now. If I can express myself to the young players here I think I can help them."

Rush points out why the art of scoring goals has been largely overlooked by coaches in the past.

"The reason there haven't been any striking coaches is because there has always been a philosophy of 'you've either got it or you haven't'. But I think you can teach someone to be a goalscorer.

"There's a lot you can teach about positional front play, making runs off the ball and defending from the front. If you instill that in players at an early age that's how they become better players."

Rush's appointment has pleased Liverpool assistant manager Phil Thompson, who believes the Merseyside giants have made a move in the right direction.

He says: "We are all pleased because it is another step forward for the club. We've looked at the situation and we have myself looking after the defenders, Sammy Lee coaching the midfielders and we saw no reason why the American-style system of bringing in a specialist coach with the know-how to look after the strikers, couldn't have been applied here as well.

"The average age of our strike-force is 21 and we believe Rushie can give that little bit extra to them that we are looking for. If he can give just an extra five per cent more to those players it will make a big difference.

"He will be here on a part-time basis for one or two days a week but it won't be just a case of being involved in shooting practice. Ian Rush was well known as the first line of Liverpool's defence. That was 10 years ago but it is just as important now as it was then."

Steven Hutton