Liverpool FC Forum

[Ciggy]

With Warnock  an potter given then nod for a few games already could there possibly be another wonder boy ready to come through for us what ive seen of warnock already is prospects for a quality player he got in the box a few times on sunday because hes unknown and the opposition didnt expect this.  Im thinkin back to when owen burst on the scene no one knew him he wasnt marked and started banging goals in for us could we possibly have a replacement in our youth squad that could do the same for us fowler owen gerrard carragher macca all came from our youth look how well they done for us maybe Raffa has seen a talent or 2 there that he aint worried about us gettin new players in just them that are liverpool thru and thru steve highways comments are looking very promising for us   And its good to see the kids given a chance afterall they have been training and waiting for this day to come and play for the mighty reds under houllier they had no chance

HEIGHWAY CONFIDENT OF A BRIGHT RED FUTURE

  Steve Heighway is hopeful that more players will emerge from the Academy now that Rafael Benitez is at the Anfield helm. 
Since taking charge in the summer Benitez has already blooded Academy graduates Stephen Warnock and Darren Potter in the first team and Heighway believes more will follow in their footsteps.
 
In an exclusive interview with Liverpoolfc.tv, he says: "From the discussions I've had with the new manager I see no reason why the Academy boys will not be given a chance and I'm confident that if any boy shows he's got sufficient talent, then he'll get promoted, first into the reserve team then the first team."
 
It's no secret that Heighway and the previous managerial regime did not see eye to eye on certain matters but the director of the Kirkby-based complex foresees no such problems with Benitez.
 
"The early signs are that things have changed for the better. His willingness to talk football with us is a big change from the previous regime and that is good. There's been lots of opportunities to speak with him already and that can only benefit the Academy," he adds.
 
On the subject of which player will be next to roll off the Academy production line, Heighway is reluctant to single out any one individual but he's optimistic that he has a group of quality youngsters making their way up through the ranks.
 
"Between the 16 and 18 age group there are a lot of good players. I don't like to mention names but in the under-16 group alone I'd say there are at least half a dozen with outstanding promise but they're very young and still at school."

[Ciggy]

we still have 40 players at our disposal on paper this dont look so bad apart from one our two dodgy players

1. Jerzy Dudek
2. Stephane Henchoz
3. Steve Finnan
4. Sami Hyypia
5.  Milan Baros
6. John Arne Riise   
7. Harry Kewell
8. Steven Gerrard   
9. Djibril Cisse   
10. Luis Garcia   
11. Vladimir Smicer 
14. Xabi Alonso   
15. Salif Diao 
16. Dietmar Hamann 
17. Josemi   
18. Antonio Nunez
19. El-Hadji Diouf
21. Djimi Traore 
22.  Chris Kirkland 
23.  Jamie Carragher
24. Florent Sinama-Pongolle
25. Igor Biscan
26. Richie Partridge
28. Stephen Warnock
29. Patrice Luzi 
32.  John Welsh 
33. Neil Mellor
34. Darren Potter
36.  Jon Otsemobor 
37. Zak Whitbread
40. Paul Harrison

[desperado0831]

from the current squad,i think i can figure out another owen easily and that's no doubt go for FLORENT SINAMA-PONGOLLE....

but if you ask me is there another gerrrard in case of he's leaving and i can say.....NOTHING ON EARTH CAN COMPARE WITH GERRARD BECAUSE HE'S MY NO.1 and ONLY 1...

[Scottbot]

Tis not quite the answer you were looking for but - Is there another Michael Owen? Yes - but unfortunately his name is Jermaine Defoe an he plays for Spurs. This kid is gonna be dynamite. He will be at one of the big clubs within 2 seasons.

[115-1073096938]

Defoe isn't in Owen's class.

And never will be, however, he's a potentially superb player and has been for years.

The difference is, when Owen came onto the scene he was better than the hype suggested. He was really that damn good, these kids we have now aren't in the same league.

Owen at 17 was better than most by the time they are 24. Infact if i'm honest, Owen's probably the best player i've ever seen live (along with Keane and Henry) and thats not Liverpool bias.

[stmichael]

well if there is another michael owen ready to come through then hopefully we'll see him sooner rather than later. like i have stated in other threads, this whole concept of an "academy" is completely misunderstood. people think that if you open up a coaching school and call it an academy that loads of brilliant youngsters will magically be produced.

owen was one of an elite few who made the grade. rooney has been the next. players like this come around once in a blue moon so if another one comes through our academy we are extremely fortunate.

[Starbridge42]

I can't remember the site but there was a site that had the caclculation for how many 'superstars' can be produced.

It was to do with the region, talent produced before then, facilities, opportunities and a couple of other things.  To have the city of Liverpool produce players like Owen, Rooney, Fowler, Gerrard, McMannam and others in a concentrated bunch is rare and I suspect that there won't be another academy player like that for at least 10-15 years.

[Redtribe]

Tis not quite the answer you were looking for but - Is there another Michael Owen? Yes - but unfortunately his name is Jermaine Defoe an he plays for Spurs. This kid is gonna be dynamite. He will be at one of the big clubs within 2 seasons.

I agree i think defoe is a fantastic player

[LFC #1]

I can't remember the site but there was a site that had the caclculation for how many 'superstars' can be produced.

It was to do with the region, talent produced before then, facilities, opportunities and a couple of other things.  To have the city of Liverpool produce players like Owen, Rooney, Fowler, Gerrard, McMannam and others in a concentrated bunch is rare and I suspect that there won't be another academy player like that for at least 10-15 years.

agree Starbridge. Liverpool's academy has produced numerous quality players in the last decade.
other clubs have also been successful with ManUtd producing Scholes, Giggs, Beckham etc. West Ham have laso produced players like joe Cole, Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Carrick and Defoe from memory. Unfortunately for West Ham they were not able to keep most of these players, as they were lured away by bigger clubs.

[redflag123]

With Warnock  an potter given then nod for a few games already could there possibly be another wonder boy ready to come through for us what ive seen of warnock already is prospects for a quality player he got in the box a few times on sunday because hes unknown and the opposition didnt expect this.  Im thinkin back to when owen burst on the scene no one knew him he wasnt marked and started banging goals in for us could we possibly have a replacement in our youth squad that could do the same for us fowler owen gerrard carragher macca all came from our youth look how well they done for us maybe Raffa has seen a talent or 2 there that he aint worried about us gettin new players in just them that are liverpool thru and thru steve highways comments are looking very promising for us :D  And its good to see the kids given a chance afterall they have been training and waiting for this day to come and play for the mighty reds under houllier they had no chance :glare:

HEIGHWAY CONFIDENT OF A BRIGHT RED FUTURE

  Steve Heighway is hopeful that more players will emerge from the Academy now that Rafael Benitez is at the Anfield helm. 
Since taking charge in the summer Benitez has already blooded Academy graduates Stephen Warnock and Darren Potter in the first team and Heighway believes more will follow in their footsteps.
 
In an exclusive interview with Liverpoolfc.tv, he says: "From the discussions I've had with the new manager I see no reason why the Academy boys will not be given a chance and I'm confident that if any boy shows he's got sufficient talent, then he'll get promoted, first into the reserve team then the first team."
 
It's no secret that Heighway and the previous managerial regime did not see eye to eye on certain matters but the director of the Kirkby-based complex foresees no such problems with Benitez.
 
"The early signs are that things have changed for the better. His willingness to talk football with us is a big change from the previous regime and that is good. There's been lots of opportunities to speak with him already and that can only benefit the Academy," he adds.
 
On the subject of which player will be next to roll off the Academy production line, Heighway is reluctant to single out any one individual but he's optimistic that he has a group of quality youngsters making their way up through the ranks.
 
"Between the 16 and 18 age group there are a lot of good players. I don't like to mention names but in the under-16 group alone I'd say there are at least half a dozen with outstanding promise but they're very young and still at school."

I dont think rafa will use the academy as much as heighway hopes, i think warnock and potter were experiments merely to endear himself to the fans, i hope im wrong but rafa is steeped in the culture of spanish football the same way gh was with the french ,its what he knows best and anything else would be a learning curve that time would not allow in this win everything now or else mentality that exists in english football,so face the facts its rafas way or the heighway (PARDON THE PUN).

[115-1073096938]

the fact is if these kids are good enough, they'll get into the team.