OPINION
When you are manager at a club like Liverpool, you know that there is a certain level of quality your players much reach.
The demands at Anfield are bigger than ever courtesy of their Champions League victory and that means players are having to hit new heights in terms of their personal development and ability.
Failure to hit those levels means one of two things – you either leave Anfield permanently or you head out on a loan deal to hone your skills and get the experience needed to become worthy of a first team spot under Jurgen Klopp.
The latter scenario is where Sheyi Ojo finds himself, the 21-year-old looking destined to leave on a temporary basis for a second successive season, having spent time on loan at Reims during the last campaign.
Football Insider claim that Rangers will be his next destination, subject to a medical at Ibrox, and that manager Steven Gerrard – a Liverpool legend of course – is plotting to use the wide man in a variety of positions thanks to his versatility.
While moving the youngster around the park to get him game time and experience seems like a good idea on paper, the problem is that it could well impact his development in nailing down one particular role.
There is a place for a jack of all trades in football but you do not hit the top level without being a specialist in your role and this Rangers loan could well threaten Ojo’s ability to hit the heights he could if he focused on playing regularly in one position.
His loan to Rangers is to help his development and rotating him around is not going to be in his best interests – meaning that Klopp needs to get on the phone to Gerrard and rectify the situation.
If Ojo wants to earn a first team place at Liverpool, he needs to be able to offer a certain level of quality – moving round the front line is only going to hinder his progress.
