Andy Firth, a former Liverpool goalkeeper, has joined Steven Gerrard as a goalkeeping assistant coach at Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia. Although Firth never made an appearance for Liverpool’s first team, he has spent a significant amount of time at the club across two spells. At just 27 years old, he will now be working with John Achterberg in his new role.
Firth, who grew up as a Liverpool fan, came through the club’s academy and spent 12 seasons with the club before leaving for Barrow in 2018. Gerrard, who had previously worked with Firth in Kirkby, signed him as a goalkeeper for Rangers. However, Firth only played once for the Scottish club when he replaced the injured Wes Foderingham for the final seven minutes of a match against Kilmarnock in May 2019.
After a loan spell at Partick Thistle, Firth permanently left Rangers in 2022 to join Connah’s Quay Nomads. Throughout his career, Firth has maintained an interest in coaching and has worked his way through coaching badges. In recent years, he has served as a goalkeeping coach for Liverpool’s under-21 team, contributing to the development of goalkeepers such as Caoimhin Kelleher and Vitezslav Jaros. Firth’s impressive work at the club has led to his new opportunity with Al-Ettifaq.
On social media, Firth expressed his gratitude to Liverpool for allowing him to work with the under-21 team and coach young goalkeepers. He stated that he feels fortunate to have worked with talented players and staff during his time back at the club and is excited to see what the future holds for them all.
In his new role, Firth will be working alongside John Achterberg, who is leaving Liverpool after 15 years with the club. Achterberg, a beloved figure at the training ground, has been based on Merseyside since 1998 and was previously at Tranmere before joining Liverpool’s academy. He would often warm up the goalkeepers before first-team matches alongside assistant coach Jack Robinson, who is also departing. The only remaining first-team goalkeeping coach at Liverpool is Claudio Taffarel, a Brazil legend and Alisson’s right-hand man.
Firth’s appointment as a goalkeeping assistant coach at Al-Ettifaq not only highlights his dedication to coaching but also showcases the opportunities available for former players to transition into coaching roles. With his experience at Liverpool and his work with young goalkeepers, Firth brings a valuable skill set to his new position. His partnership with Achterberg in Saudi Arabia could lead to further success in the development of goalkeepers at Al-Ettifaq.