Liverpool FC Forum

[GYBS]

and enjoy work

[GYBS]

Nobodies come back yet on my question of unknown foreign kids, you know the type "Sparta Pragues best youngster, scored 107 goals in their youth team last season, the new (insert famout Czech player her) Milan Baros, there you go" etc etc. All the clubs sign them, me old man is onto me every week about some Finn they've signed who Jari Littmanen says is better at 16 than he was at 22, or some Spaniard who Real Ovidevo or whoever the feck it is say is the best left back in Europe who hasn't started shaving yet. Nanny will know the drill from her old man, they sign one of these blokes every week. 

We all sign them, but apart from Fabregas at Arsenal, who's made it as an absolute top player? Arsenal have a few arguables, Clichy, Toure etc etc but I'm talking specifically about 16 and 17 year old kids who have gone to England and really become top class players. Any offers over Fabregas (who incidently I think is a wonderful player).

I think our kids wont start to flourish just yet mick , some if not most are around 19 or so with a couple just in their 20s now so will have to give them a year or so to see what happens. arsenal had the jump start on getting young foriegn kids early and then watching them go - players like anelka was bought at 18/19 ? for half a million and look how he turned out . He also got flamini and he is now at AC Milan . We got a couple like Pacheco,Bruna,Jose who have been plucked from Barce and Ajax who could easily turn out as good as fabregas who knows , they get more of a chance at Arsenal due to Wengers small squad .

Most of the young Argentinians and Brazillians seemed to get snapped up by the spanish and Italian Clubs - which is more down to cultural reasons more than anything . But just look at the outstanding teenagers or early 20s future talent or world stars - how many of them are english ? Not many .

[bigmick]

I think Annelka had already broken through at Paris St Germain although I may well be wrong, if I am then he qualifies as a "next Zidane" who did actually prove to be very good. Flamini may or may not have broken through before they signed him from whoever the feck they signed him from, but for me he was only ever a functional midfielder anyhow. I'm talking players who were signed as unknowns but the next big thing, and who actually made it. We've signed numerous young superstars over the years who've never been heard of again, like I say Fabregas (and I might concede Anelka) stand out as a couple of the very few who've actually made a telling contribution in England.

On the other side of the coin you've got kids like Theo Walcott, who absolutely everyone knew about once he exploded onto the scene at Southampton. He disappeared for a bit but would probably get into every team in the country now with the possible exception of Man Utd for the next half dozen matches. A year before Arsenal signed him though, absolutely nobody had heard of him. Curiously, you could probably include everyone connected with Southampton in that generalisation as well.

[GYBS]

I think Anelka was a bit like Ngog - was on the fringes of the first team etc but who had heard of Anelka before Wenger bought him ?Flamini may of looked functional but i reckon with him in their team they would be up there with us chelsea and man utd fighting for the titleright now . fabregas was Barce biggest talent - there biggest hope for the future along with Bojan and Dos Santos . its hard to be unknown at 17 now if your very very talented at football cause no doubt some bit of the media would of picked up on it . For our kids that we have bought that have been touted as great prospects i guess we will have to wait out and see how they develop.

With regards to the young english kids that get touted - thats all down to the media - they are desperate for the next big thing - the english messi or ronaldo etc so any kid with some promise or talent gets that label early then has to live up to it after getting snapped up by a big club for millions.

[GYBS]

And as for young superstars (the ones being touted for great futures)we have bought over the years - a lot we have still got and still developing or are out on loan getting experience .

[tubby]

Fact of the matter is he simply wasnt good enough in the end. If he was then we all wouldn't be having this conversation. I have faith in Rafa's scouting but it takes time. It took Fergie 5 years before his system yeilded 1 quality player - Giggs. Insua has broken into the 1st team and looks settled too so im really pleased with that.

[Reg]

Give over. If he were good enough to walk into most top ten sides, then he would have played more games for us.

He's not good enough. He had tonnes of early potential which he has never realised.

Reread my post Lando: Surely he could walk into any top 10 club and most first teams in the premier league?

He could get into a top ten club (not necessarily the first XI from day one) and a far better first team than Leicester.

[Reg]

when players like

Michael Owen
Danny Murphy
Stephen Warnock
Steve McManaman
Jason McAteer
Steven Gerrard
Jamie Carragher

Most of that list is ancient history Lakes.

[GYBS]

Give over. If he were good enough to walk into most top ten sides, then he would have played more games for us.

He's not good enough. He had tonnes of early potential which he has never realised.

Reread my post Lando: Surely he could walk into any top 10 club and most first teams in the premier league?

He could get into a top ten club (not necessarily the first XI from day one) and a far better first team than Leicester.

from what i have seen of him reg he wouldnt get in ahead of most cbs in the prem as a starter so playing for a farily big club like leicester in the championshio will be a good test for him .

[lakes10]

when players like

Michael Owen
Danny Murphy
Stephen Warnock
Steve McManaman
Jason McAteer
Steven Gerrard
Jamie Carragher

Most of that list is ancient history Lakes.

right i am back from running one course and just time for this post before i am off to run another till 8pm.

yes my list is histry and that was my point, there was apoint in time that we had loads of good young kids, my point is that they have not stopped being born , we have just stopped working with them or looking for them or giving them the chance.

all the names in that list started someing in england, it said "hey look or young kids are just as good as over seas players" and that why the likes of Joe cole Rooney got given their chance to show what they could do.

not untill we start to give our young english kids a chance will we find another Steven Gerrard or God.

[GYBS]

Players like Gerrard or any other english player will stand out lakes - so far no english players lately have stood out head and shoulders above other players .

[Toffeehater]

No keep him , and keep loaning him out till he is 22 or 23 years old than bring him back and ease him into the side , could be a long term replacement for sami .

[GOAT]

Well if Rafa is planning on getting rid then evidently he isn't good enough for us