Liverpool FC Forum

[hello_red]

Ok im not to sure how it is set up at the minute and how it will shape up now that Rafa will take more involvemnet in the academy so could someone with more3 understanding explain to me (if you can be bothered) the set up and how people see it forming.

This genuinely interests me but obviously i dont no much about it.

Ian

[destro]

I was wondering the same thing, surely Rafa has enough on his hands with the senior squad. He will, i guess probably oversee the young players he has brought in, but i would of thought it would make more sense for him to have 'his own guy' running it and then reporting back to him ?

Makes it all the more strange how S.H got the boot, i got the feeling from what he said that 'people' wanted to get involved in the running of things and he wasnt entirely happy with that

Maybe Rafa has got someone else to run it, im not to sure i havent heard that much about it since SH left. The new owners seem happy to let Rafa have the final say on everything so i guess we just have to wait and see what develops. He has to have some sort of involvement because he has spent a fair bit of money on ( hopefully) some up and coming young stars

[mungi]

academy is not producing th eplayers it had before such as owen gerrard etc. rafa's spending on youngsters shows this. i also believe the standard/ technical ability of the youngsters at the academy is not up to rafa's standard

[cpc4eva]

i thought steve H had decided to retire

and that the club still wanted him to be involved in some capacity in some shape or form ?

what was the difference between the academy that brought us the likes of owen, fowler, mcmannaman and todays academy ?

[Sabre]

Well I wish I could help Hello_red, but I'm in the same position as him, I know little about the old ways in the academy, and I have no idea of what's the plan of Rafa for the academy, so whoever can bring info about the former or the latter would make me a big favour.

[tubby]

The most important thing at the end of the day is to make sure we have youngsters there that ARE one day capable of not just playing in the Premiership but playing for us. Im dont give a rats about youth fa cups, what good are they if they are only fringe players at best for us?

[mungi]

it been a couple of years since we produced a first team player from the academy. obviously i don tknow what happened but rafa is acting on it now and the acdemy must improve in order for liverpool to be the best club in europe in years to come

[monkey 20]

as rafa said...its not about throphies at that young level...its about producing youngsters that are going to break into the first team and make and impact!!!

[monkey 20]

im sure SH retired....he wasn't given the boot 

[Zi-Dan Agger]

He jumped before he was pushed basically from what i understand.

[cpc4eva]

The most important thing at the end of the day is to make sure we have youngsters there that ARE one day capable of not just playing in the Premiership but playing for us. Im dont give a rats about youth fa cups, what good are they if they are only fringe players at best for us?

Three of Liverpool's Youth Cup winning squad from last season will make the step-up to Melwood during the summer with Jay Spearing, winger Ray Putterill and goalkeeper Martin Hansen making the move from the Academy. 
Wirral born Spearing, a utility player who has been used as a holding midfield player for Gary Ablett's reserve team, captained the Academy side to youth cup glory last season.
 
Left winger Putterill caught the eye with some outstanding performances during the youth cup run while Danish goalkeeper Hansen also impressed.
 
Fellow youth cup starlets Charlie Barnett, Jimmy Ryan, Michael Burns and goalkeeper Josh Mimms will stay on at the Academy next season as third years.
 
Meanwhile former Academy goalkeeper David Roberts will be looking for a new club after his release from Melwood. The Academy have also announced that Paul Barratt, Lee Woodward, Ryan Wignall, Jon Pringle and Stephen Behan have been released.

[JoeTerp]

I really hope Jimmy Ryan earns his spot at Melwood next year. Last year the only third year player was Paul Barratt and he is still looking for a club.  But last year I think I remember a lot more players getting a shot to move to melwood  from the acadamy: Hammel, Anderson, Lindfield, Antwi, Threlfall, Darby, Guthrie, and Flynn. Plus that team had Hobbs even though he was already at melwood. Both teams won the fa youth cup so I hope to see Barnett and Jimmy Ryan improve to make it 5 players from this years fa youth cup team plus possibly Astrit moving up at the end of next year too

[mungi]

spearing is looking good

[stmichael]

the sad thing is, we've won the youth cup two years in a row yet i can guarantee that nbot one of that side will break through into the first team.

[JoeTerp]

It could end up being a make or break summer training for all of the FA youth cup winners of 2006 who got loaned out for the 2nd half of 2007.  I hope that at least a couple prove that they are worth sticking around and at least playing in the cup games or earning bench spots against the "weaker" teams