It seems like the development of youth is akin to waiting for a bus: you wait years for the next ‘big thing’ to come through the system, and then they all come along at once! Cliché’s aside, it was in the 90s that the conveyor belt of Liverpool youth prospects came to a halt, the last major successes being Michael Owen, and of course Captain Fantastic, Steven Gerrard. Players such as Fowler, Carragher and McManaman all came from the local area, whilst players such as Redknapp and David James were brought into the fold at a young age from external clubs; all of whom found themselves blooded into the team during the Souness and Evans eras.
Then all of a sudden the transition from academy to first team stopped, coinciding with the growing influence on the youth system by Houllier and later Benitez whilst in charge of the club, and the separating of the first team and prospects with the new Academy centre built in Kirby in 1998. Suddenly, the gap between the two squads grew larger and larger, and many of those youngsters who the fans believed could make it, fell by the waste side. Dani Pacheco, the young Spaniard brought in to the academy from Barcelona, was nicknamed ‘El Asesino’ – the Assassin – for his fierce and accurate shooting ability; the hype was so strong, that it was probably inevitable that Pacheco couldn’t live up to it, fading into mediocrity until he finally left the club permanently last summer after a variety of loan spells. Many of the young foreign players brought in in the ‘noughties’ were simply not good enough, or hardly ever had a chance to showcase their abilities in the first team, whilst young Scousers breaking through were few and far between, the majority being not up to Premier League level.
Now however, under Brendan Rodgers, the youth system has kicked up a notch once again, and former academy players are finding their feet within the first team. Rodgers took a chance on a young winger called Raheem Sterling in his first season at the club, and to say he tore up the league in the first half of the season would be an understatement. His performance levels this year show that the 19-year-old Jamaican-born Englishman has the ability to be – in the words of good ol’ Whiskey nose himself – a top, top player. If the last two seasons are anything to go by, then 18-year-old Jordon Ibe, also has a similar level of potential, and should have a greater level of involvement next season. Andre Wisdom had an exceptional season at Derby last year which has earned him an fantastic opportunity at Premier League level with West Brom for the coming season. The former academy captain could return next year with the first choice RB slot firmly in his sights, and all signs are pointing towards him having the ability to take it.
As for the local lads, Jon Flanagan made the LB slot his own last season, at the expense of the injured Jose Enrique, and the now cult-hero, Aly Cissokho. The 21-year-old made his debut under Kenny against Manchester City in 2011, the King claiming that ‘the young boy is not bad’ and that ‘[his performance] is a reflection of the work being done at the academy.’ After an inconsistent 2 years, the man dubbed ‘Flanni Alves’ and ‘the Scouse Cafu’ emerged as a strong first team performer, and the next season will show just how far the young lad can go. Players like Martin Kelly and the up-and-coming Jordan Rossiter also, are showing that a Scouse contingent is well and truly involved in the club.
And finally, the foreign contingent of the academy, which for so long had failed to give Reds any players of genuine quality, is finally coming into fruition. Suso has always been well regarded as a potential star, and had a small role to play under Rodgers in his debut season at the club; the games against Chelsea and Norwich particularly stand out. The 20 year old went on loan back to his homeland, where despite some animosity from the Almeria fans, earned good reviews for his performances; something which looks to have carried on through his pre-season form so far. Another player that appeared for the club last season would be Joao Teixeira, formerly of Sporting in Portugal – the 21-year-old attacking midfielder is well regarded by both Rodgers and Alex Inglethorpe, the Liverpool under-21 coach. Teixeira’s stock rose so high in the academy, that it wasn’t too long before he made his debut for the Reds against Fulham, after his loan spell at Brentford was ended early. It is expected that the young Portuguese midfielder will have some role to play in the coming season.
Thankfully, it looks like the conveyor belt of talented young players is back running again, and unlike the 90s, doesn’t seem like it’ll be running out anytime soon. Peterson, Rossiter, Robinson, Ibe and the highly promising 16-year-old Adam Phillips will all be involved in the tour of America this Pre-Season, whilst players such as Harry Wilson and Ryan McLaughlin, have already received international recognition without even making the first team yet! In the next few years, the aim will be to see as many of these young talents shine on the biggest stage of club football and if the talents we’ve seen so far continue their development, we could see just that.
