Liverpool seal deal for Sammy Lee to return

May 16 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL last night sealed a deal to bring Sammy Lee back to Anfield as assistant manager.

Lee will officially be unveiled today as Rafael Benitez’s number two after agreeing to a third spell at the club.

Benitez has been without an assistant since Paco Ayesteran’s sudden departure in August, and chose to make his move after first-team coach Alex Miller left to take over as manager of JEF United Chiba last week.

Lee, who was sacked as Bolton Wanderers manager in October after less than six months in charge, has been a regular at Anfield since and was officially approached earlier this week.

The 49-year-old had previously been reserve team manager and first-team coach at Liverpool under Graeme Souness and then Gerard Houllier before leaving shortly after Benitez took over in June 2004.

Lee made his name as a tenacious midfielder at Liverpool during the 1980s, winning the championship, League Cup and European Cup before starring for Queens Park Rangers, Spanish side Osasuna, Southampton and Bolton, and also earning 14 England caps.

As his coaching staff now taking shape, Benitez is pressing ahead with his squad rebuilding plans.

The Anfield manager has been tracking Espanyol left winger Albert Riera, with reports in Spain suggesting Liverpool will offer money and the loan of Sebastian Leto in exchange for the Spanish international.

Benitez is keen on Riera, who spent a spell on loan at Manchester City in 2006 and would welcome a move to Anfield.

Leto, 21, has had few first-team opportunities at Anfield since arriving from homeland club Lanus in Argentina in the summer with Liverpool believing he would benefit from regular senior football.

Jack Hobbs, meanwhile, admits his Liverpool future is likely to be decided this summer after impressing during a three-month loan spell at relegated Coca-Cola Championship outfit Scunthorpe United.

The 19-year-old centre-back made five appearances for Benitez’s side this season,

including a Premier League start at Reading in November.

And he said: “I’m sure something will happen this summer, they will either extend my contract or sell me.

“I want to stay, but ultimately it comes down to playing first-team football. I’m at the age where I want to get out there and make a name for myself.

“It would be ideal if that was at Liverpool, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

Pepe Reina yesterday received his third successive Golden Glove award after keeping the most clean sheets during the Premier League season.

The Liverpool goalkeeper managed 18 shut-outs.

But Reina would swap all his individual accolades for a championship medal.

“I am very happy to get this award because it means that we have done a good job,” said the Spain international. “If you keep clean sheets it gives you a much better chance of winning games.

“But it is not just about the goalkeeper – if you are to keep a clean sheet then everyone in the team has to work well, the defenders, the midfield and the forwards.

“At Liverpool I am fortunate because the players in front of me work hard in every game to try and make sure we keep a clean sheet.

“We are obviously doing that pretty well but next season I will be happy if we kept no clean sheets at all but won the league title, because it is team success that is most important.”