LIVERPOOL FC has been the busiest club in England this summer; Kolo Toure was confirmed as the first off-season signing, followed by Luis Alberto. Iago Aspas has already passed a medical and if media reports are to be believed, Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan will also be unveiled as a Liverpool player within the next two weeks.
These are not the only signings which will be made this summer as we can expect another defender and another attacking option. These are good signings but what impact will they have on our academy players?
After Jamie Carragher’s retirement the only established home grown player left in the team is captain Steven Gerrard, the rest of our home grown talent is still trying to find its feet and are hoping to establish themselves as first team regulars in the next season or two.
From Gerrard, one has to go down to Martin Kelly to find the next home grown player. This shows that there hasn’t been great productivity in the academy in the last decade – that, or coaches have overlooked home grown talent in favour of established players who are already developed as far as their game is concerned.
As fans we want to see a team which is dominated by home grown talent and that talent must be good enough to challenge for major honours. Brendan Rodgers has done a great job as far as introducing academy players into the first team is concerned. Last season was a great year for the academy as seven players made their first team debut – Andre Wisdom, Suso, Conor Coady, Samed Yesil, Jerome Sinclair, Adam Morgan and Jordan Ibe – while Raheem Sterling and Jonjo Shelvey saw their playing time increase significantly.
This is testimony that Liverpool has one of the greatest academies in Europe. Now is the time to make sure that this talent is not lost and is groomed perfectly. Rodgers has a big task at hand, he has to be active in the transfer market and at the same time continue to nurture the players coming from the academy which is not an easy task.
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This season is not going to be an easy one for the academy as the pressure will be on Rodgers to improve on the last season’s 7th place. This combined with the fact that there will be no European football on offer may see academy players getting less minutes than last season. Rodgers has to make key decisions regarding their future. The signing of Coutinho and Sturridge saw a sharp decline in playing time for Sterling and Suso, the capture of Alberto, Aspas and possibly Mkhitaryan will see a further reduction in playing time for the youngsters.
Jonjo Shelvey’s name has been thrown around by the media as one of the players who may leave Liverpool this summer, while Fulham is said to be lining up a loan move for Andre Wisdom. In order for the youngsters to keep on developing they will have to get sufficient playing minutes – the likes of Ibe, Coady, Yesil, and Morgan have not yet reached that stage whereby they are knocking on the first team door therefore may be better off playing for the reserves so as to continue their development.
Suso, Sterling and Shelvey have to fight for a place in the starting 11 with the likes of Joe Allen, Jordan Henderson, Coutinho, Downing, Alberto, Aspas and potentially Mkhitaryan – not to mention Steven Gerrard and Lucas who are almost guaranteed of a place in the starting 11 – getting playing time under such circumstances will be difficult . Taking these players back to the reserves represents a step backward in their development process, therefore loan moves to other Premier League clubs or the Championship where they will get more minutes is the best possible decision that may be taken for these players.
Andre Wisdom is the only player who may get sufficient playing time amongst the academy players given his versatility and the injury record of the clubs other defenders. The club needs an icon to succeed Gerrard and it will be fitting if that icon comes from the academy. Rodgers must create the next club icon and he must make sure that the academy players are not overlooked and their talents are not lost to other teams.
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nice article
Am expecting Liverpool to loan out of young player the like of wisdom and suso, and sell shelvey and downing and let Alberto, Coutinho, Aspas Sturidge, Mkhitaryan fight for the first team line up.
I agree wit you but do not forget about sterling and jordan Ibe maybe a loan season for them as well,coady needs to stay as back up striker in case sturridge get injured again
Hope what you say becomes true N.Dube! Whoever signs for Liverpool hopefully travels with the team to pre season freindly matches in Asia and Australia. Let them see first hand and experiance the support LFC commands outside UK. The experiance itself will surely motivate them to play 110% to bring back glory to LFC. They wont just be stars but heroes to millions.
I think rodgers has got cold feet when it comes to giving youth a chance. Like every other premier league manager the pressure to get instant results means we will not see the likes of sterling, ibe, kelly and wisdom very much. I’m a liverpool supporter but I’m also a proud englishmen. I do fear for the national team. In 5 years time I cannot see england even bothering to try and qualify. What is the point? Pull out of qualifying rather than make ourselves look a laughing stock
like to c d likes of shelvey,amoo,downing,spearing all sold to raise funds for other potential targets and loan out wisdom,flanagan and allen