IN-DEPTH- Jack Robinson – Liverpool’s Record Breaker

When Liverpool youngster Jack Robinson came on for the last 2 minutes against Hull last Sunday, many Liverpool fans would have been asking the question, who is this guy? After replacing Ryan Babel in left midfield, Robinson became the youngest player ever to play for Liverpool’s first team at the age of 16 years and 250 days. The youngster, who is actually a left back, had been a regular in the Under 18s side all season but he had never even played a reserve team match. Rafa explained after the match that since the Liverpool reserves were away on a European tour (with Chris Mavinga unavailable), and with Fabio Aurelio and Emiliano Insua both injured, Robinson was the next option after showing what he could do in a recent training session with the senior team.

Born in Warrington, Robinson joined as an academy scholar at the start of the 2008/09 season and has subsequently established himself in the left back position for the Under 18s. During this time Robinson has continued to study for his GCSEs at Chesterfield High School in Crosby but his footballing abilities have not gone unnoticed by the coaches at Kirkby. The fundamental characteristic about Robinson is that he is solid in all aspects of his game; he has very good footballing intelligence and is tactically disciplined during matches. This no doubt caught the eye of U18s coach Rodolfo Borrell who is a stickler for such attributes and one of the reasons why his abilities were drawn to the attention of Rafa Benitez so quickly.

Technically, he is as good as anyone at his level. He possesses a great left foot, and is very comfortable on the ball when venturing forward. He can put in a fine crosses if needs be, and it was one of the reasons why he was utilised as a replacement for Babel against Hull. However, he doesn’t neglect his defensive duties and he prioritises these above his ambitions to get forward, a sign of a very promising full back. Consistent at the back, his positional play is very good and he can read and anticipate situations quickly to prevent opposition attacks from being a threat.

Physically, Jack is very athletic and his pace allows him to both bomb forward when the occasion requires it and to track back to ensure he is in the right defensive position. Although he is relatively tall for his age, his frame will need to be filled out, something which will no doubt happen in the coming years as his body matures and he gets into the training regime of a professional footballer. He has sidelined the promising Alex Cooper from the Under 18s team this season, although the latter has been playing late season games for John McMahon’s reserve side, but we will most likely see the two compete for a starting place in the same team in the reserves next season.

Robinson loves a tackle, is good in the air and has a great long throw, but the most important thing about him, which has impressed everyone, is his level headedness. It gives him a footballing brain that ensures he balances his attacking ambitions with defensive solidity, and his positioning skills and tactical discipline are the envy of those much older than him. Many fans who have watched him in Under 18s football this season believe he is the best prospect outside of the first team eleven, and it seems both club and international coaches agree with that assessment. He has played once for England U16s but he has been a regular for the U17s after making his debut against the Faroe Islands in July 2009. He was also involved in the team that won the Algarve Tournament in February 2010, and will expect to be in the squad for the UEFA European U17 Championship in Liechtenstein which takes place this month.

His impressive displays for the Academy side under Rodolfo Borrell enabled Robinson to be promoted to first team training for the build up to the Europa League ties against Benfica, and he has now made his debut for the first team after coming on against Hull last weekend. Robinson demonstrated his level headed attitude by stating after his senior debut:

“I knew it was going to be a great experience and just sitting on the bench would have been good enough but it became even better to get on. It was the first time that I have ever travelled with the squad and I’ll never forget it; I still can’t believe that I’ve made a little bit of history. I’ve had a good season with the Academy but all I want to do now is keep working hard over the summer and make sure I’m ready for pre-season,” he added. I’ll make sure I get down to the beach and do some extra running to stay in shape. Stevie and Jamie Carragher were great beforehand. They told me to enjoy every minute – and I did!”

During his brief appearance, Robinson had few touches of the ball but he kept his tactical discipline and didn’t go looking for the ball. He made his touches count when on the ball though and he may have got an assist when Gerrard went through on goal but hit the post. Jack Robinson is certainly a youngster to look out for in the future, and you never know, he could be that much sought after youth player who makes it into the starting eleven in the next few years.

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