![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0_Tottenham-Hotspur-v-Liverpool-UEFA-Champions-League-Final.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLiverpool legend Sammy Lee makes the case for James Milner to form part of Andoni Iraola’s backroom staff at Anfield<\/p>\n
(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Liverpool legend Sammy Lee believes James Milner would be the ideal addition to Andoni Iraola’s new-look backroom team at Anfield<\/a>.<\/p>\n Milner officially announced his retirement from football at the start of the month after 24 years in the Premier League<\/a> that included eight for the Reds, where he won six honours including the 2019 Champions League<\/a> and Premier League the following year.<\/p>\n Liverpool<\/a> are yet to confirm any appointments alongside Iraola, who signed a two-year deal last week, but it’s understood the Basque coach is looking to bring Pablo de la Torre, Tommy Elphick, Shaun Cooper and Tom Webber to the club with him.<\/p>\n And speaking to Redmen TV<\/a>, former Reds star Lee, who made nearly 300 appearances for the club between 1977-1987, thinks it would be a wise move for Iraola to try and bring Milner back on board.<\/p>\n “I know Millie from a player when I was with England Under-21s,” Lee said.<\/a> “He’s a very demanding, very demanding professional, which is great, great for me because he tests me all the time.<\/p>\n “He tested me all the time, which I loved, I loved. And as long as I had the answers for him, it’d be great.<\/p>\n “And I think, I think, again, it’s not for me to pick Andoni’s backroom staff, far from it, but you’ve asked me the question. I think certainly I’d love something like that.<\/p>\n “I’d love something like Thiago (Alcantara), but I’d certainly love someone like, like Millie because as I say to you, he drives standards on and off the pitch.<\/p>\n “And I think sometimes, I’m sure if you speak to Jurgen (Klopp), he’ll tell you that the likes of Millie and Jordan Henderson<\/a>, you know, they drove the ethos, they drove the the philosophy, they drove the culture.”<\/p>\n Lee, who served as part of Roy Hodgson’s backroom team at Anfield in 2010, also admitted he did not like the nature of how Arne Slot’s dismissal played out<\/a>, 12 months after lifting the Premier League title.<\/p>\n Lee added: “I know I’ll upset a lot of people, but I’m only being honest, you know. I was not a fan [of how it happened].<\/p>\n “But again, I repeat, although I was arguing for [Slot] to stay and be given another chance, I was losing the argument with every performance, with every performance, because let’s be perfectly frank with you, it got worse. “Every performance. And it wasn’t Liverpool-esque, it wasn’t Liverpool type of football. “You know, I don’t like talking about styles of football and types of football because that’s been used against me too, for me to leave a position, whether it be at this club or at other clubs, you know.<\/p>\n “So, I wasn’t a fan [of sacking Slot], but I fully understand it.”<\/p>\n