Jonathan Woodgate has opened up on how he ended up working as a scout for Liverpool after retiring from playing.
The former England international hung up his boots in 2016 following a second stint with boyhood club Middlesbrough, having also played for Leeds United, Newcastle United, Real Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City during his career.
And having come into contact with Michael Edwards during his time at Tottenham, Woodgate has revealed how a phonecall from the Reds sporting director led to his move to Anfield prior to a career in coaching.
"After I finished playing at 36, I got a call from Michael Edwards," he told The Coaches' Voice. "He had been an analyst at Tottenham during my time there, and later became Liverpool ’s sporting director.
"He knew I loved my video sessions with him at Spurs, and he offered me the chance to do a bit of recruitment work for Liverpool – specifically, focusing on players in Spain and Portugal.
"I dived straight in and I loved it. I learned so much about that side of recruitment – being able to really tell if a player had a good game – and it gave me another skill going forwards."
Woodgate, who recently took over as caretaker manager of AFC Bournemouth, also explained why he didn't think twice when leaving Anfield after being offeed the chance to return to Middlesbrough as a coach.
"I knew my ultimate goal was to be a manager," he said. "So when I got the chance to go back to Middlesbrough as a coach, I had to take it.
"It was also the chance to work at my boyhood club. I decided as quickly as I did when I got the chance to move there as a player back in 2006."
