Liverpool FC Forum

Dalglish wrote:When we play experienced players with international pedigree and price tags to match we bemoan the lack of talent coming through the academy. When we play the academy lads there is talk of desperation................Kenny can't win !

If United or Arsenal had played two 18 year olds at left and right back and 22 year old in centre midfield and went to play away against a title chasing team and got a deserved draw SKY, the papers and no doubt every fan and his dog would be gushing !

Its been an extraordinary season for all the wrong reasons but despite the off the field shenanigans we have done the double over Chavski, drew twice with Arsenal and beat City and United convincingly on home soil. We have lost our "best" player and broke the British transfer record twice in one day !

Not bad for a team in crisis 

cpc4eva wrote:I'm from Melbourne, Australia.....

very interesting topic this for me because:

in the AFL for those who dont know, this is - aussie rules football played with an oval shaped ball where you kick, mark(catch), handpass, run and bounce the ball...... and unfortunately is the main football code in Australia.

so anyway back to topic - why is this interesting for me ?

I follow Collingwood in the AFL

the Collingwood magpies were crowned premiers last season and this season so far they are the dominant side in the competition.... by a mile.

now this just didnt happen over night - the last time they won a premiership was in 1990.

In 2003 they reached the grand final and played so poorly.  The coach and club decided to make a clean slate, make a fresh start.  Hard decisions were made to the playing list those who didnt perform were de-listed or traded.  The Club went for a youth policy, some big name players were shown the door.  The following 2004 season was very poor and as a result they ended near the bottom of the table.  At the draft at the end of the season because they finished low on the ladder as is the system in the AFL, my beloved collingwood magpies picked up some talented youngsters 17 and 18 year olds and the next season in 2005 they gave those kids every opportunity of playing first team matches on a regular basis.

If they were were good enough they stayed in the 1st team.  If not they went back into the reserves team and demonstrated if they had the characteristics, skill, endurance, etc to make their way back into the first team based on merit and the odd opportunity if a first team player was injured.

the club kept faith in the coach and his practices and policies even though the collingwood army of fans became quite disillusioned including myself  i never thought the kids would be any good and the team would never win a premiership again... I was first to bag the coach, i'll be glad to admit that and i did it so regularly too.

it took a couple of years for the young lads for their bodies to mature and to show they were capable of going the distance.  The club and coach stuck by the kids and gave them every opportunity for 1st team match experience. each year they got better and learnt the requirements of playing against the best teams and players in the comp.

this put added pressure on the older blokes who werent performing and changed the dynamic of the team.  In 2007,08 and 09 the magpies got close to a grand final appearance but were still failing against the top teams in the comp and by quite a margin I might add.

at the end of 2009 the magpies got 2 new mature experienced players to compliment their young list.  In 2010 after halfway through the season it all fell into place -

Since June 2010, the team has lost once in 19 games with two draws.

last year, again they blooded some rookie kids one bloke in particular is tiny in height but he has kept his place in the team, he proved he can match it week in and week out even though he looks like he shouldn't be out there - he is all heart and plays for the jumper....  now he has a premiership and been elevated from rookie to contracted player and his start to this 2011 season has been good also.

why is this important for LFC ?

in so many ways -

LFC need to blood the youth and keep giving them their chance to show what they are capable of in first team matches playing against some of the best players in the world.

they need to know what to expect - the standard they need to reach and perform at week in and week out.  They need the game time and getting more experience ie playing more first team matches to demonstrate what they are good at, what they are not so good at and if they can make it to be a regular first team player or not.

this is the perfect time to do it too - we've got players injured and were in the run to the end of the season where we are  playing teams the likes of arsenal, man city etc. Its a great opportunity to see what the kids can do in pressure matches now, where games against arsenal are big matches for us and arsenal are also trying to catch united and city are trying to improve their europe chances for next season.   

It doesn't matter how old they are or what positions they play in..... if they have the skills, show they have the ability, have got great footballing nouse and desperation and will to win for the LFC shirt be it adidas or warrior branded it just doesnt matter.....

give the kids their chance, keep blooding the youth on a regular basis I say..... Look at R.Giggs from manure as just one example started in 1990/91 and look what he has accomplished.............

Shout mate
Shove another shrimp on the barbie and get me a cold tinny

We lost our way with bringing in foreign players and expecting them to slot in playing wise as well as culturally. I have always preffered the reserves coming into the first team approach as it gives the youngsters a chance and something to aim at. One of the main reasons for our downfall is that academy and reserves never had a look in. Gerrard, Owen etc excepted. Hopefully now the kids will see they have the opportunity and KK will inspire them to step up to the plate. Think of all the money and we'd save if we had an assembly line of home grown talent supplemented by experienced players.
Me mouths waterin already...

jimmy brighton wrote:

PabloMedina28 wrote:

greenred wrote:I disagree with you Reg.Jut because there young doesn't mean there not good enough.Sure you can say that there not experienced enough and that we were playing an important game against Arsenal but they have to start off somewhere.In some way's I know where your coming from ut in other way's your wrong.The point is we haven't had many young players coming through since Carra and Stevie G and we need some fresh young blood.That was one of Rafael Benitez's faults.He didn't use the academy.

To be fair hes the one who gave it a reboot. Ask Kenny

Indeed. It's very easy for the anti-rafa brigade to suggest anything other. One of Rafa's primary objectives was to sort out the academy. He even went so far as to sack Heighway coz he didn't think his direction was right. An Anfield fav and yet he binned him so he could oversee the youth himself. You have to remember after the furore of winning the CL in '05, winning the F.A. cup in '06, reaching the CL final again the following year and a couple of seasons later pushing manu right to the point were they had to record a record points total to fend us of, he was under immense pressure to win the Prem for the first time in a long time. So maybe he couldn't afford to blood the youngsters (except for the league cup) as his biggest aim was to deliver that elusive PL. Also, he had to deal with the joke owners we had. When the media darling Woy steps in, no-one was really expecting a thing coz he's sh*te(and everyone knew he was under sh*t owners). Point being is Rafa did a lot for our youth set-up and Kenny is grateful. His thank you was not condescending (unlike his remark about Woy!). As for Reg's original post, go and top you pint up mate. Your glass is half full

jimmy brighton wrote:Indeed. It's very easy for the anti-rafa brigade to suggest anything other. One of Rafa's primary objectives was to sort out the academy. He even went so far as to sack Heighway coz he didn't think his direction was right. An Anfield fav and yet he binned him so he could oversee the youth himself. You have to remember after the furore of winning the CL in '05, winning the F.A. cup in '06, reaching the CL final again the following year and a couple of seasons later pushing manu right to the point were they had to record a record points total to fend us of, he was under immense pressure to win the Prem for the first time in a long time. So maybe he couldn't afford to blood the youngsters (except for the league cup) as his biggest aim was to deliver that elusive PL. Also, he had to deal with the joke owners we had. When the media darling Woy steps in, no-one was really expecting a thing coz he's sh*te(and everyone knew he was under sh*t owners). Point being is Rafa did a lot for our youth set-up and Kenny is grateful. His thank you was not condescending (unlike his remark about Woy!). As for Reg's original post, go and top you pint up mate. Your glass is half full

Kharhaz wrote:

jimmy brighton wrote:Indeed. It's very easy for the anti-rafa brigade to suggest anything other. One of Rafa's primary objectives was to sort out the academy. He even went so far as to sack Heighway coz he didn't think his direction was right. An Anfield fav and yet he binned him so he could oversee the youth himself. You have to remember after the furore of winning the CL in '05, winning the F.A. cup in '06, reaching the CL final again the following year and a couple of seasons later pushing manu right to the point were they had to record a record points total to fend us of, he was under immense pressure to win the Prem for the first time in a long time. So maybe he couldn't afford to blood the youngsters (except for the league cup) as his biggest aim was to deliver that elusive PL. Also, he had to deal with the joke owners we had. When the media darling Woy steps in, no-one was really expecting a thing coz he's sh*te(and everyone knew he was under sh*t owners). Point being is Rafa did a lot for our youth set-up and Kenny is grateful. His thank you was not condescending (unlike his remark about Woy!). As for Reg's original post, go and top you pint up mate. Your glass is half full

What a crock of sh!t.

Rafa was a control freak who wanted total control of everything associated with the club. Who did he bring in youth wise?

Under Rafa what young player broke into the first team?

Indeed how many local players were shut out because of the amount of foreign youngsters he wanted to bring in?

Blah blah all you like about Rafa, the fact is, regarding the Academy, Houillier got that ball rolling.

Kharhaz wrote:

jimmy brighton wrote:Indeed. It's very easy for the anti-rafa brigade to suggest anything other. One of Rafa's primary objectives was to sort out the academy. He even went so far as to sack Heighway coz he didn't think his direction was right. An Anfield fav and yet he binned him so he could oversee the youth himself. You have to remember after the furore of winning the CL in '05, winning the F.A. cup in '06, reaching the CL final again the following year and a couple of seasons later pushing manu right to the point were they had to record a record points total to fend us of, he was under immense pressure to win the Prem for the first time in a long time. So maybe he couldn't afford to blood the youngsters (except for the league cup) as his biggest aim was to deliver that elusive PL. Also, he had to deal with the joke owners we had. When the media darling Woy steps in, no-one was really expecting a thing coz he's sh*te(and everyone knew he was under sh*t owners). Point being is Rafa did a lot for our youth set-up and Kenny is grateful. His thank you was not condescending (unlike his remark about Woy!). As for Reg's original post, go and top you pint up mate. Your glass is half full

What a crock of sh!t.

Rafa was a control freak who wanted total control of everything associated with the club. Who did he bring in youth wise?

Under Rafa what young player broke into the first team?

Indeed how many local players were shut out because of the amount of foreign youngsters he wanted to bring in?

Blah blah all you like about Rafa, the fact is, regarding the Academy, Houillier got that ball rolling.

Scottbot wrote:

Kharhaz wrote:

jimmy brighton wrote:Indeed. It's very easy for the anti-rafa brigade to suggest anything other. One of Rafa's primary objectives was to sort out the academy. He even went so far as to sack Heighway coz he didn't think his direction was right. An Anfield fav and yet he binned him so he could oversee the youth himself. You have to remember after the furore of winning the CL in '05, winning the F.A. cup in '06, reaching the CL final again the following year and a couple of seasons later pushing manu right to the point were they had to record a record points total to fend us of, he was under immense pressure to win the Prem for the first time in a long time. So maybe he couldn't afford to blood the youngsters (except for the league cup) as his biggest aim was to deliver that elusive PL. Also, he had to deal with the joke owners we had. When the media darling Woy steps in, no-one was really expecting a thing coz he's sh*te(and everyone knew he was under sh*t owners). Point being is Rafa did a lot for our youth set-up and Kenny is grateful. His thank you was not condescending (unlike his remark about Woy!). As for Reg's original post, go and top you pint up mate. Your glass is half full

What a crock of sh!t.

Rafa was a control freak who wanted total control of everything associated with the club. Who did he bring in youth wise?

Under Rafa what young player broke into the first team?

Indeed how many local players were shut out because of the amount of foreign youngsters he wanted to bring in?

Blah blah all you like about Rafa, the fact is, regarding the Academy, Houillier got that ball rolling.

I guess it's a strange one as to whether Rafa should get a bit of credit for the current batch of kids should several of them come through and deliver. You have to wonder if Rafa was still the boss witrh the current squad and injury probs would he be giving these lads a game?

Ben Patrick wrote:Rafa deserves credit for the way he changed the acadamy and for bringing in the coaches. But if he was still manager players would have been played out of position before giving youth a chance.

I remember going away to Portsmouth and Aurelio playing centre midfield when we had injury problems with Spearing not getting a look in.

In fairness Ben wasn't that about 2 years ago ? Maybe Spearing couldn't get off school that day    

You don't give a player a chance just because they're young, you give them a chance because you think they're ready for it.