26-year-old Liverpool player admits he’s really thinking about being a coach now

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has shares his ambition to become a coach once he retires from playing.

Jota has had something of a renaissance over the past six months. Having gone over a year without scoring in a Liverpool shirt, the 26-year-old now has 15 in his last 25 games.

The latest of those came during the Reds’ 3-0 win over Brentford on Sunday. And speaking to liverpoolfc.com in the wake of that game today Jota has now been speaking about his future plans, whilst admitting to having started his coaching badges.

“In this moment I would not mind to be a coach,” said the Portugal international. “I played all of these games like Football Manager, I always loved it, and I feel that on the pitch, on the tactical side, I always understand the game and that also plays an important aspect in my own game.

“But at this stage I feel I will never be a first-team coach [manager]. I could be an assistant, for example, but you never know so if I have this opportunity [to do the qualification] I think I will learn something while I am doing it, and in the end I get the UEFA B badge and then I can go from there.

“Obviously it’s the first time you kind of jump to the other side, trying to think about training sessions and not just going on the pitch and someone will tell you what you need to do. We still need to finish it but I am enjoying it and I take it very seriously as well, with my planning. It’s like Football Manager converted into real life so I am enjoying it.”

Jota outlines coaching ambition
As the years pass, it’s always interesting to see which Liverpool players head into the world of coaching. Just now, one of the Reds more famous alumni’s – Xabi Alonso – is perhaps the hottest managerial prospect in world football.

Alonso of course learnt from some of the best coaches of a generation, including Rafa Benitez at Liverpool. And it’s worth noting that a number of Rafa’s former players have tried their hand at being on the other side of the touchline – with mixed success.

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Alvaro Arbeloa is currently managing Real Madrid’s U19 side, while Fernando Torres does the same for Atletico Madrid. Albert Riera is a head coach at Bordeaux, with Steven Gerrard’s path in management well documented.

The likes of Sami Hyypia, Daniel Agger, Dirk Kuyt and Harry Kewell have also all been head coaches since retiring. Meanwhile, Javier Mascherano and John Arne Riise are in current, lower profile jobs.

Diogo Jota
With Jurgen Klopp being an even more illustrious manager than Benitez, you can’t help but feel that some of Liverpool’s current squad will go on to do the same.

It isn’t always the most obvious ones either, although it was always apparent that a man of Alonso’s footballing intelligence would make a fine manager.

Jota may be one of those who sneaks under the radar. His tactical awareness is indeed excellent and he does appear to live and breathe the game. Every minute he’s not on the pitch he seems to be playing it online while off it.

Sticking our necks out we’d reckon that Diogo would make a fine coach. There’s plenty of time for that though, for now let’s focus on continuing what has been a terrific start to the season.