Doesn’t this Red remind you of a certain boy from Bootle?

Martin Kelly is now 20 years of age. The Liverpool defender is at a point in his career when he wants to start playing matches, and going by his performances in recent months for both club and country it won’t be long before he does break into the Liverpool first team in my view. It may come sooner than expected too after the Premier League introduced the home grown quota rule. With Liverpool’s squad only made up of 21 players, some youngsters will no doubt get their opportunities. Kelly especially believes the new rules will benefit him:

“I think it could help, yes. It’s the right rule to bring in because it’s good for us to get opportunities. If you don’t take your chance then you don’t take it, but as long as you’re given it, that’s what matters. That’s what seems to be happening with the home-grown rule and it’s helping quite a bit.”

Even without the new rules last season, Kelly took his chance in the first team when Rafa Benitez turned to him after there was an injury crisis which left the first team without a recognised right back. His full debut against Lyon in the Champions League is remembered well by many Reds fans, as his defensive display and his attacking forays from the back got him credited with a man of the match award for his display. Although he was injured during the match and missed most of the rest of the season, Kelly is made of stern stuff. His build is stocky and powerful, and looks like a future centre back, but his versatility has made him a perfect utility man for either full back position. Like Benitez, Roy Hodgson immediately recognised the talent he possessed and according to Kelly, the manager has been encouraging him in his progression to the first team:

“Roy’s just told me to keep working hard. It’s a great experience working with a manager like Roy. Working with him and the players here is the best thing I can be doing at this moment in my career. I am enjoying the fact I am training day in, day out with such good players and such good management staff.”

This determination and work ethic is something which has characterised his early career. He has had to persevere through some difficult times as a player already. His injury which kept him out after his full debut last season was nothing to a back injury he sustained earlier in his teens. He missed the best part of two years of academy development due to the problem and his rise to the first team is an even greater achievement because of this. His abilities and his determination no doubt shine through on a football pitch, and he is a strong, tall, elegant player who can play in a number of positions.

His abilities have also been recognised at international level, and after starting some of Liverpool’s early season Europa League games, Stuart Pearce called him up for the England U21s to face Uzebekistan last month. He marked his debut with a goal and Kelly stated that the appearance realised a target that he set himself last season. He currently has no thoughts of playing for the England senior team; only to keep his place in the U21s and break his way into the Reds’ first team:

“It was one of my targets last season – when I played for the U19s, I was telling my family I wanted to play for the U21s. . . (On a senior England call up). I am just focusing on what is happening now, which is trying to get a place in Liverpool’s senior squad or to be thought of when there are injuries. The U21s was a good experience and I’d love to be given the chance to show Stuart what I can do again.”

Kelly even in his fledgling career has demonstrated already his determination to succeed; a burning ambition which will get him far in the game. He has overcome some hurdles already and has come out of the experiences stronger. His character and abilities have impressed Rafa Benitez, Roy Hodgson and Stuart Pearce, and you wouldn’t bet against him succeeding at the top level. Doesn’t he remind you of another Reds defender who had a testimonial at the weekend? Maybe not in style, but surely in his drive, determination and mentality.

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