Liverpool FC Forum

[Stan Laurel]

It is shame that GH didn't give John Welsh many chances last season. I rather have John Welsh than Joey Barton, John did well for the reserves.

[SantaGiveHoullierTheSack]

We should go for top quality players to strengthen the squad, not more squad players. Besides signing a player like Barton will make a mockery of the club...it would mean the academy has failed!

Although I have not seen much of John Welsh to make any educated comments, I have heard good things about this lad and he should be given a proper shot.

[stmichael]

Captain of Liverpool Reserves, John Welsh is an outstanding young prospect who has been training with the first team squad at Melwood since midway through the 2001/02 season.

A boyhood Liverpudlian who hails from Childwall Welsh has been at the club since the age of ten and has made steady progress through the ranks.

A current England under-19 international Welsh was a pivotal figure in the Liverpool under-19s title triumph last season.

His style of play in the centre of midfield as drew comparisons with that of Steven Gerrard and the club have high hopes that he can follow in his footsteps.

After being named among the substitutes for a number of European games Welsh was finally called up to make his first team debut as a second half replacement for Vladimir Smicer in a Worthington Cup fourth round tie at home to Ipswich.

Welsh made his Premiership debut for the Reds as a substitute in the 2-1 Anfield defeat by Arsenal.

[SantaGiveHoullierTheSack]

Thanks for the heads up. Like I said, this boy should be given a chance to make it to the first team proper, not more mediocre signings or foreign imports of unknown (or hyped up) quality.

[JohnBull]

Of course he should - as should loads of good homegrowners - but putting the emphasis on "flair" players misses the point of football being a team game -
You need Smithies/Hunters/Keanes etc etc to allow the "flair" players to do their job.
Out of any of the great Elevens we've had how many of each side were "flair" players? two or three at the most!

[JBG]

If we sign Joey Barton we might as well close the academy because Barton would step in front of Welsh in the queue for the first team.

I would prefer to use the money earmarked for Barton and Sean Wright Phillips and put it towards financing a really top drawer midfielder and promote Welsh as a regular back up player in the first team.

Welsh can hardly do any worse than most of the existing midfielders at the club, can he?