Liverpool FC Forum

[Leonmc0708]

By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo
 
THE scout who discovered Theo Walcott has been handed a key talent finding role at Liverpool's Academy. Malcolm Elias has announced he's leaving his job as Head of Recruitment at Southampton to take on the same position for the Reds.

Although Liverpool won the FA Youth Cup this season, there have been murmurings for some time about the overall standard of young players coming through the ranks in recent seasons. The appointment of Elias will build on the necessary changes Rafa Benitez has enforced at the Melwood end of the youth recruitment operation.

Benitez and his backroom staff took their own steps a year ago by signing five of the teenagers who starred in the Youth Cup Final. That policy proved a success when a combination of Melwood and Kirkby youngsters lifted the trophy for the first time since 1996.

Chief executive Rick Parry believes Liverpool have now appointed one of the most accomplished talent scouts in the country. He said: "Malcolm has a fantastic track record at Southampton and an extremely good reputation. We've been looking to expand our recruitment department at The Academy for some time, and this appointment is part of that. As ever, we've taken an opportunity to bring one of the best in the business to Liverpool."

Southampton's youth side has been considered one of best in the country for several years. Elias' most famous signing was the teenage sensation Walcott, who he signed from Swindon for £200,000 seven years ago. Walcott later joined Arsenal for £12m.

Now the Reds will be hoping Elias' talent spotting brings players of similar class to Merseyside.

Meanwhile, Bolton believe they've convinced Didi Hamann to join them, after the midfielder originally had second thoughts on the signing.

This is even more excellent news.

Rafa is getting the best possible people in at all levels at this club, and I cant wait to have a son so he can revel in the footballing dynasty that will undoubtedly be set up oncve again at this mighty club by Rafa. Moores and PArry get some stick, but they might just leave the ultimate legacy at this club, Rafa.

[JC_81]

I'd read about the appointment of this Elias fellah, but to be honest I'd not heard of him before these reports surfaced.  It is well known however that Southampton have had a strong youth team in recent years and if Benitez thinks this guy can help us out then I'm sure he can.

I guess he'll take over a lot of the work Paco Herrera has been doing for us the last 2 seasons, now that he has gone back to Spain.  Herrera did a lot of work behind the scenes in terms up building up databases of talented youngsters and revamping the whole youth set up.  Exactly how Herrera did this I don't know but Benitez has spoken very highly of his work on a number of occasions.

Maybe this appointment undelines just how important Herrera was to Benitez's backroom staff.  I think I'm right in saying we have, or are in the process of, bringing over another coach from Spain to replace Herrera, and now we have made this appointment to cover the youth development.  It would seem that Benitez has been unable to find someone to fill the role of both coach and youth recruitment, and we are likely to have to bring in 2 guys to fill the void left by Herrera.

[Alonso14]

I think this is more evidence that Rafa's here for the long term and is laying the foundations for future managers in contrast to the likes of Fergie just trying to get the players he needs now to win a trophy before he retires. While Mr. Mourinho can go after anyone he wants, we definatly need to get them whille there young.

Lets just try to get some of these young guns into the first team as soon as possible.

[Good Bob]

The youth setup at Liverpool is a joke and needs a major shake up. Some of the scouts and coaches there haven't got a clue. To many clique's at that level with the staff, hence the reason there hasn't been any successfull players as of yet.

Theres to many kids there and the good ones are gonna continue to slip through the net. The scouting in this country and the standard of coaching is an absoloute joke and needs a major major shake up. To much is based on phyiscal condition and fitness rather than FOOTBALL and untill that changes this country is never going to reproduce the standard of players it once did.