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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted that he had to make a difficult moral call when it came to axing his assistant Colin Pascoe and first team coach Mike Marsh from his backroom staff earlier this summer.

Pascoe, 50, had been the Ulsterman’s number two at Swansea City before the pair came to Anfield in 2012 while Marsh, 45, is a local lad who started his professional career with the Reds.

Rodgers insisted a week ago that the decision to dispense with Pascoe and Marsh was his call and since their departures in June he has drafted in Sean O’Driscoll and Gary McAllister while promoted under-16s coach Pepijn Lijnders has been promoted to the first team.

Rodgers said: “That was difficult morally, because they’re both good guys.

“However, I felt I just needed to change the dynamic within that side of it, and obviously in terms of players, you’re always looking to improve.

“There’s no doubt we needed to improve from last season, especially the end part.

“This pre-season has been about recovering the mentality that’s been there for the majority of my time here, recreating that spirit, which is very important.

“If we’re going to have success on this season, it’s really going to be based on the team ethos – and that’s something I was very clear and wanted to define over the course of this pre-season.”

Meanwhile, Rodgers revealed that the decision to hand the club captaincy to Jordan Henderson following Steven Gerrard’s was partly based on the midfielder’s ability to represent the Reds in a positive light on a global scale.

He said: “It was in my mind last season whenever I was aware, in particular, that Stevie was probably going to move on.

“I wanted to look at someone who would be a great ambassador on and off the field – it’s not just about being captain at Anfield, you have a huge responsibility for the players and supporters on a worldwide basis.

“It’s going to take someone strong-willed, strong mentality and a wonderful role model. Jordan was one of the players I thought about.

“Once I saw him grow and develop as assistant vice captain, I felt this was the season he could be captain.

“He’s taken to the role very well, he’s had the perfect role model of Stevie, he’s been on the shoulder of Stevie for a year and see how it’s all worked.”

For the full interview click below