What must be going through the mind of Liverpool defender Daniel Ayala right now? After spending seven years with Sevilla, he risked a great deal by moving to Liverpool at the start of the 2007/08 season. A talented centre-back, he was purchased from the Spanish club before they could offer him a professional contract at the age of 18, and came to Merseyside in the hope of breaking through in one of the world’s most famous clubs.
3 years on, he has worked very, very hard to progress from reserve team level towards the cusp of first team football. After a good first season in which he helped Gary Ablett’s reserve side to the reserve league title in 2008, he played an important role in taking Liverpool to the FA Youth Cup final in 2009. Ayala was hampered in the final by a leg injury but still managed to play in both legs. The Merseysiders lost the final to Arsenal but Ayala’s efforts during the whole cup run indicated there was a great talent waiting to be realised. During that campaign, he also cemented his place in the Liverpool reserve side and has impressed Rafa Benitez enough to be part of the first team squad.
The risk of moving to England and his work over his first two years at the club seemed to have paid off as he was given some first team action at the start of last campaign. Coming on for the injured Martin Skrtel in the first game of last season in a 2-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur, Ayala started his first match for Liverpool in a Premier League home game against Stoke City. He started nervously and rarely passed the ball past the half way line but he was solid enough, alongside Jamie Carragher in a 4-0 victory. Ayala was overjoyed about getting his first team chance:
“I can’t believe how quickly a first team chance has happened for me. I know I have to keep working hard and do my best in every training session but making my first team debut this season has made me very proud.”
Rafa Benitez and the coaching staff were impressed enough with the lad to give him a three year contract extension back in November, but since he has had to bide his time for first team opportunities. He got his chance at the end of April and he did not disappoint as he helped keep a clean sheet in a 4-0 over Burnley at Turfmoor.
Now with Rafa Benitez sacked, and the likelihood of many of the coaching staff who helped him through the ranks at Anfield also leaving, what does the young Spanish defender do now? He could of course hope to impress the new manager coming in with his abilities and force his way into the first team reckoning. This could happen if Kenny Dalglish took charge as over the past year, the Anfield legend has kept a close eye on the Liverpool reserves and academy as Academy Ambassador. His chances under other managers however seem less likely.
The new manager and the coaches he brings in may have different opinions on Ayala’s abilities, and his quick progress through the ranks could be quickly halted by the new management. After upping sticks from Spain and moving to a new country to make it in the Premier League, Ayala may not want to stick around if he is not wanted. No doubt his former club Sevilla, and other Spanish clubs will be monitoring his progress, and he could well be tempted to a return to his home country where he would surely make it in La Liga. The new management at the Reds could also see selling Ayala as a good piece of business to bring in money for their own player recruitment purposes, and if such a situation developed it would be tremendously disappointing to lose one of our most promising talents.
There is also of course the more optimistic possibility that the new management could see Ayala as a precocious talent and accelerate his development towards first team football. With finances tight, others may well be let go allowing him to play a greater part in first team affairs. Whichever outcome occurs, one thing is for sure, Ayala will certainly be worried about his future at the club even though he may want to stay at Anfield. Will his apparent rapid progress be halted or further accelerated?
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Football FanCast writer Oscar Pye-Jeary documents his time in South Africa following England in the 2010 World Cup. (England v USA).
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interesting article, if somewhat baseless and conjecture filled.
Judging from his comment about his debut, it seems to me like he is very accepting of his status as a youth player, particularly behind our otherwise sterling and experienced back line.