When Thomas Gronnemark joined Liverpool in the summer of 2018 to work as a specialist throw-in coach, the move was not met with universal acclaim. Far from it.
Sceptics could be heard everywhere, vocal in their disbelief, wondering why Liverpool needed to employ someone to work on such a simple aspect of the game. In some circles, Gronnemark was ridiculed before he had even been given a chance to prove himself.
"Here is a lesson. Pick the ball up, take it behind your head, throw it to a teammate and keep both feet on the ground,” joked former Everton striker Andy Gray on beIN SPORTS. Throw-ins were seen as a boring but necessary part of the game. Little thought ever went into them. But Gronnemark was convinced he could make an impact and change the perception of the throw-in.
