Premier League giants Liverpool have appointed the 37-year-old Englishman as the assistant to Reds’ Under-23s head coach Barry Lewtas.
O’Neil was playing for Portsmouth when Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards was working as an analyst at the Hampshire-based club.
The two have been in contact since then and will now work together at the Merseyside outfit.
Expressing his delight at starting his coaching career at Liverpool, O’Neil has revealed that he is thrilled to get going at Kirkby.
“I’m really excited. I’ve been desperate to get going“, O’Neil told Liverpool’s official site.
“It’s been going on for a little while and obviously with the break and the Academy having to take an even longer break than the first team, I’ve had to wait a little while, but now it’s finally come around and I’m really excited and can’t wait to get going.“
O’Neil went on to insist that he and Lewtas will make a good team before expressing gratitude for receiving the opportunity to be part of Liverpool’s Under-23s in the early stages of his coaching career.
“I think as a team, me and Barry will work very well and there’s some fantastic players to work with“, the former West Ham man added.
“For me to have the opportunity to work with such a talented group of young players at such an early part of my coaching career, I feel very privileged.“
His final season as a player came for Bolton Wanderers in the Championship in 2018/19, where he won the Player of the Year accolade.
