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As was his preference when he was first hired for the job, Brendan Rodgers has very much been the figurehead for Liverpool's coaching staff. His official capacity is as manager, of course, but his presence extends far beyond the touchline on matchday. Rodgers appears active in training, at least based on the evidence available to the general public, and seems to pride himself on having an active role in the coaching aspect of his position as boss.
That has made it difficult to discern how much of an impact other coaches in the team are allowed by Rodgers; there's obviously specialty roles for the likes of John Achterberg, the goalkeeping coach, but from the outside looking in, there isn't much on offer to determine how influential, for instance, Colin Pascoe's presence is. The viewing public know that he's supposedly Rodgers' right-hand man, but from day to day it's difficult to tell how much or how little responsibility falls on his shoulders.
Which is to say that it isn't particularly clear how news of Mike Marsh's dismissal should be taken. Promoted from the academy in 2012, Marsh has worked with Rodgers since the early days of his Liverpool tenure, and as a Liverpool player, was someone the manager seemed to value. He might still, of course, but reports indicate that Marsh will not be retained heading in to next season, with further changes possible heading in both directions.
That Marsh is a casualty is not surprising, but it was not something that many expected, either. It's possible that Marsh's exit paves the way for another former Liverpool player to join the staff, one with a higher profile and more expertise, which many would welcome given the continued concerns that Rodgers has yet to address.
His "new defensive coach" might be one such concern, as Rodgers was quick to abandon the solidity afforded by a tactical adjustment midseason at the first sign that other sides might be figuring it out. That a complete overhaul was his only solution--and a good one at that, to be fair--indicates that it could be useful to consider a member of the coaching staff that could help oversee more consistent improvements, ones that are retained across systems and setups.
Hopefully Marsh lands on his feet in some capacity elsewhere, and Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool are able to make changes in their coaching staff--and management style--to the club's benefit.
