Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman
Fowler and McManaman achieved iconic status at Liverpool.

Former Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby says Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman could be entrusted with replacing outgoing academy chiefs Frank McParland and Rodolfo Borrell.

Despite leading an impressive youth setup at the club's Kirkby training base, the pair are understood to have been sacked with immediate effect in a major overhaul of the club's academy operations.

As many as 11 players have graduated from the Liverpool academy into the first team in the four years the pair have been involved in the youth setup, after being appointed during Rafael Benitez's spell as manager.

But with Brendan Rodgers just 16-months into his Liverpool tenure, the McParland and Borrell have been sacked however it is unknown whether the club will outsource for replacements or promote from within, with Under-21 coach Alex Ingelthorpe among the possible contenders.

But Molby, who made over 200 appearances for Liverpool across an 11-season career on Merseyside says the promotion of Fowler and McManaman would be the natural choice to succeed the outgoing pair.

"I'm sure Brendan Rodgers will have been involved in this decision as the owners seem to trust him regarding the future strategy of the club," Molby wrote in his Eurosport column.

"There have been changes afoot since the employment of respected former Spurs youth coach Alex Inglethorpe as U21 boss last year. Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman and Rob Jones have all been brought back to help out with the academy, so maybe they will be given increased roles.

"In the past 10 years we have had British, Dutch and Spanish approaches to youth development; but maybe the failure has been on a local level. Everton, with a low-budget local approach, seem able to get the best young talent on Merseyside, and get them playing football.

Fowler and McManaman, who achieved iconic status with supporters during their spells with Liverpool, have fulfilled a mentoring role for the club of late, working specifically with their Under-21 and Under-18 squad alongside ex-defender Rob Jones.

Rodgers said last month: "It's great to have Robbie, Steve and Rob on board," Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo.

"I said at the end of last season that I wanted to get more former players involved and over the off-season I spoke to a number of them about a possible role here. For me it's so important to have players like that around."