Echo: LFC appoint top sports psychiatrist

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has secured the services of top sports psychiatrist Dr Steve Peters to help his players with the mental side of the game.

Highly-respected Peters has worked with British Cycling for the past decade and is credited by Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton as the man behind their Olympic triumphs.

He has recently been appointed to a new role with UK Athletics but he's also spending one day a week at Melwood.

"We have brought in a guy who is the top guy in his field, one of the leading guys in the world in what he does and it is a real coup for us," said Rodgers.

"I see it as a part of the development of the player. The modern game in particular is very much about the psychological aspect of it.

"I will do lots of technical training, tactical training and physical training and sometimes what gets bypassed is the mental tuning for players.

"It is not solely for players but staff and other people. He has been fantastic since he became involved. It will be a day a week he comes in with support in and around that. It is about elite performance.

"As a manager, it can be lonely when you are the leader and trying to drive and lead the club forward. It is always good to have other people. I have my staff around me and they are outstanding, but it is always nice to have a different set of eyes with different experiences.

"It is not a psychologist, it is neurology. At the clubs I have been at I have always used neurologists, who are not just about sport but life really.

"I wanted to bring someone in, but I took my time to make sure we could get someone who could really help performance.

"There is nothing forced. It has been great to see the reaction."

Peters has also worked with Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins, snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan and Craig Bellamy.

Source: Liverpool Echo