‘WHEN you’re breaking through and you feel close, you’ve got to be better than the players in the first team and that’s a massive challenge for these kids.’
Steven Gerrard’s words while filming for Being: Liverpool back in the summer have proven prophetic. Liverpool’s young players are rising to the challenge that the captain spoke of and are now reaping the rewards.
Just 6 games into the league season and Stewart Downing has seen Raheem Sterling and lately Suso taking to the field in his position. For a 28 year old England international to have fallen so far down the pecking order in such a short space of time not only reflects badly on the player in question, but also speaks volumes for the courage of Brendan Rodgers. Rodgers has continually spoken of integrating youth players into the senior set up since he arrived in his position as Liverpool manager and after talking the talk all summer, he is already walking the walk.
If senior players like Downing and Jose Enrique are not performing to the standards that their new manager expects then someone else will get a game instead. It doesn’t matter how inexperienced or tender in years they are, if talent and application are shown by Liverpool’s emerging stars then they will be in the team. At Norwich last Saturday, Rodgers gave first Premier League starts to teenagers Suso and Andre Wisdom. He repaid their progress with minutes on the pitch and they in turn delivered outstanding performances to vindicate his decision.
It is a stark contrast to last season when under-performing senior players like Downing and Enrique would be assured of their places in the first eleven regardless of form. Kenny Dalglish persevered with these two players and probably felt he had to as he had spent a significant amount of cash on them. Rodgers however can simply cut the cord if seasoned pro’s aren’t meeting his requirements, and blood an exciting batch of players who have come through the Liverpool academy recently. The new manager has no enduring loyalties to players that he didn’t sign and introducing kids in place of out of form players like Enrique and Downing simply wins him more favour with the fans as it clearly illustrates his plans going forward.
When you factor in the high level of performances from the teenagers over the past month in the Europa League, Capital One Cup and now the Premier League, a wave of goodwill towards a manager, who has only won 1 league game thus far, has emerged. He is showing the fans their club’s future and the fans like what they see. It is no coincidence that Rodgers’ name was sung loudly from the travelling Kop away at West Brom when they we’re 1-0 down in the Capital One Cup. A young team was losing the game but playing the game the way their manager wanted them to. The fans appreciated it and gave Rodgers their vocal backing. They young team went on to dominate the match and win 2-1.
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Last week Rodgers went on record saying that any senior pro’s who weren’t working hard enough or playing well enough would be moved on. It was an obvious verbal joust intended for Downing and Enrique but it applies across the board and stands as a message to every first team player at Liverpool. Sub-par performances and attitudes will not be tolerated anymore. If a £20m winger is sleep-walking his way through a game at West Brom on a Thursday night in the Capital One Cup while a young player is busting a gut and excelling in that game, then expensive the price tag and international caps will count for nothing when the team for the following fixture is announced. The international will be replaced with the youth player based solely on merit.
Samed Yesil, Andre Wisdom, Jerome Sinclair, Raheem Sterling, Suso, Jack Robinson and Adam Morgan have all featured for Liverpool’s first team this season and we’re not even out of October yet. Brendan Rodgers is not basing his team selections on former glories or reputations. He is slowly but surely creating a squad that fits his image and hard work is pre-requisite. Anything less from players will see them on their way.
Perhaps it will wake a few senior players from their slumbers, but if not then those players will be gradually fazed out of the club and make way for new, hungry talent. New rules have been set by the manager and anyone not adhering to them will be moved on. It’s a policy that is long overdue and Liverpool Football Club should be thankful that their man in charge is implementing it.
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