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Former West Ham forward Frank McAvennie has insisted that he does not understand why Liverpool star Harvey Elliott has hired a specialist striker coach.
Elliott made a bright start to the 2021-22 season, starting three of Liverpool's first four Premier League matches. However, a freak injury against Leeds United in September sidelined him for five months, thus shattering his momentum.
With the 2022-23 campaign around the corner, the 19-year-old has set his eyes on regaining his place in the Reds' starting XI. He has even been working with individual striker coach Scott Chickelday to improve his finishing.
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However, McAvennie has now claimed that Elliott's decision to hire a striker coach is laughable. The former Aston Villa frontman is of the view that being a striker is a skill that cannot be taught. The Scot told Football Insider:
“You can’t hire a striking coach. They’ve got Kenny Dalglish there, some of the best strikers that the world has ever seen walking in and out the club. Why would he want to hire a striking coach?"
“You can’t coach a striker, it’s instinct. What they can do is get somebody flinging balls at you and getting shooting practice. Maybe that’s what they’re doing and calling it a striking coach."
“It makes me laugh. I think he’ll be doing extra training, he’ll be practicing shooting he won’t be getting taught how to be a striker you can’t teach that. It’s all about instinct."
Elliott has had a decent pre-season with Jurgen Klopp's side so far. The attacker has provided two assists from his last two appearances and will be looking to add more to the tally when Liverpool face Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday (July 27).
What has the striker coach said about his work with Liverpool's Elliott?
Chickelday recently lifted the lid on the nature of his work with Liverpool youngster Elliott. He revealed that he has been trying to help the England Under-21s international improve his finishing. He told Sky Sports:
"He [Elliott] wanted to get some work in before Liverpool went away. We worked on repetition with his finishing. He has a really good shot on him now and I hope this will be a real breakthrough season."
Elliott has known Chickelday since the age of nine. The coach trained the Reds attacker for two years when he was at Queens Park Rangers.
