---
title: "Ryan McLaughlin reveals what it was like to play alongside Conor Coady as Reds youth"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/news/ryan-mclaughlin-conor-coady-leader-liverpool-youth-teams/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "Liverpool News"
published: "2020-12-12T07:00:00Z"
modified: "2020-12-12T07:00:00Z"
---

# Ryan McLaughlin reveals what it was like to play alongside Conor Coady as Reds youth

Former [Liverpool](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2020/12/11/liverpool-fans-excited-kylian-mbappe-transfer-rumours/) youngster [Ryan McLaughlin](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2020/12/11/ryan-mclaughlin-claims-he-knew-sterling-would-be-world-star/) has told [Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11669/12157454/ryan-mclaughlin-i-was-too-scared-to-get-a-photo-with-daniel-craig-says-former-liverpool-defender) how [Conor Coady](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2020/12/08/jordan-hendersons-brilliant-response-to-conor-coadys-dive-sums-up-his-leadership/) was always a leader coming through the youth system at Anfield.

The versatile Northern Irishman, now of Rochdale, never represented the Reds at first team level but did play a [host of matches](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ryan-mclaughlin/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/205325/plus/0?saison=&verein=9252&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=) for their academy teams.

Having come through the ranks with Wolves captain Coady at Liverpool’s previous training home Melwood, the 26-year-old spoke about the [development](https://www.footballcritic.com/conor-coady/profile/4418) of his former teammate and his leadership skills. McLaughlin said of the England international: ”We were 4-0 up against Inter Milan in the youth Champions League and I won him two penalties, yet he was still screaming at me.”

Coady has received plenty of credit for his [leadership qualities](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/conor-coady-become-wolves-indispensable-23065557) as well as [his performances](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/11/19/remarkable-resilience-conor-coady-defender-hoping-make-122nd/)since making the move to Molineux – [missing only one Premier League game](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/conor-coady/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/128901/wettbewerb/GB1) for Wolves since their promotion in 2018 – and McLaughlin had nothing but praise for the Scouse centre-back.

He said of Coady’s [involvement in the England manager’s leadership group](https://www.bt.com/sport/news/2020/october/newcomer-conor-coady-already-part-of-england-s-leadership-group#:~:text=Gareth%20Southgate%20has%20revealed%20Conor,two%20more%20caps%20since%20then.): “It’s an unbelievable quality. To have worn the armband already just shows what Gareth Southgate thinks of him and I had no doubt he’d go on to do brilliant things.”

Recently [linked with a return to Anfield](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/coady-van-dijk-liverpool-transfer-19163473) as the Premier League champions bear the brunt of a defensive injury crisis, the 27-year-old [left Liverpool in 2014 to join Huddersfield Town](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2718433/Conor-Coady-signs-Huddersfield-Town-Liverpool-500-000.html), a move for which McLaughlin credited Coady by saying: “He took a step back to go forward by leaving Liverpool and it takes big mental strength to make that decision.”

### READ LIVERPOOL VERDICT

Having failed to cut it the first time around at his boyhood club, Coady has blossomed into [arguably the perfect Jurgen Klopp central defender](https://www.givemesport.com/1609382-liverpool-conor-coadys-reaction-after-being-told-klopp-wants-him-to-replace-van-dijk).

Confident on the ball with a [fabulous range of passing](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/97710/Show/Conor-Coady), a natural leader who has shone both in the Premier League and internationally, the St Helens-born defender would likely slot straight into the Reds lineup, especially given the [current challenges](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/liverpool-injury-crisis-full-list-23028060) faced in that position by the Merseysiders.

Despite [not exactly being short of leaders](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/351529-jurgen-klopp-leadership-interview-liverpool) in the current squad, with three fronts still to fight on in 2020/21 and with Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez unlikely to play any part, Klopp and the recruitment staff are almost certain to [delve into the transfer market](https://www.90min.com/posts/liverpool-shortlisted-centre-back-options-for-january-ranked) in January.

A move for Coady might not be out of the question, and given his [boyhood Anfield persuasion](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/conor-coady-divided-loyalties-liverpool-15579484), he may be tempted to return to his hometown.