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Liverpool kids benefit as club leaves Academy politics behind

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King Binny

Part of the Furniture
Honorary Member
By a certain Chris Bascombe

HERE is a fairly decent pub quiz question: Who was the last Liverpool manager to win a trophy?

"That would be Rafa Benitez in Cardiff in 2006, you idiot. Call yourself a Liverpool FC correspondent?" you all instantly shout.

To which I, with a hint of smugness, point out that is wrong.

The last Liverpool manager to win a trophy was Gary Ablett. He led a young reserve team to their title in 2008. A year earlier, former Academy Director Steve Heighway won the FA Youth Cup for the second successive season.

It is understandable that even the most staunch Kopite would overlook these successes. After all, certain elements of Liverpool Football Club ignore it ever happened.

It does not fit the current argument that everything good at Academy level at Anfield between now and eternity is a consequence of Heighway's departure.

When Heighway retained the Youth Cup in 2007, some members of the senior staff were utterly dejected. They'd spent years portraying him as a dogmatic dictator.

That's why Heighway left, sick of the politics and the undermining of two decades of work.

Under the management of both Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez, the clash of personalities and philosophy made Liverpool's youth system unworkable. The control of youth affairs eventually switched to Benitez in 2009.

There was resentment that Heighway had so much control over the coaching, scouting and recruitment of young talent, while players of the calibre of Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler had stopped coming through.

Heighway (left) argued such things ran in cycles.
Both Liverpool and Manchester United produced several world-class players in the late 80s and this dried up a decade later.

He also felt in the latter stages of his reign that even when good players were offered to the first-team manager, he chose to ignore them for political, rather than football, reasons.

Heighway left on a high and a low, clutching his third FA Youth Cup but so disillusioned he made an uncharacteristic public rebuke to his own club, demanding his Under-18 captain Jay Spearing be instantly promoted to the first team.

He felt Spearing was being ignored because the senior staff did not want to undermine their own arguments that not ONE youngster was good enough to progress.

A strong body of opinion within the club felt Heighway's demand for his inclusion contributed to Spearing being snubbed for far longer than was fair.


This view, inevitably, is contested by the management staff at the time, but it cuts to the heart of why there was so much distrust and why changes had to be made.

Since Kenny Dalglish took over, Spearing has looked the player those closest to him believed he could be. A sort of Scouse Javier Mascherano, reading the game expertly, breaking up opposition attacks but also using the ball intelligently.

Those who've followed Spearing's career don't see him as a late developer, more as someone who could have been a victim of the rabid internal divisions of the old regime.


Alongside teenagers John Flanagan and Jack Robinson (so impressive in recent games against Manchester City and Arsenal), Spearing represents the real difference between the Liverpool Academy of today and three years ago. Every player emerging through the ranks now feels he has a genuine chance of getting picked.

That would also have been the case had Benitez stayed. Having assumed control of the Academy, he would inevitably have taken pride in players who could back up the claims that his reforms worked.


He gave Robinson his debut, making him Liverpool's youngest ever player on the last day of last season. It was clearly too early, but he did symbolise the potentially thrilling new era ahead Benitez was leaving behind.

In recent weeks, praise has been rightly heaped on the appointments of Academy Director Frank McParland (who used to work with Heighway) and ex-Barcelona technical staff Pep Segura and Rodolfo Borrell.

They have reignited the youth system and the reports from Kirkby highlight all levels playing with panache and dynamism. Liverpool are on the threshold of exciting times, shrugging off the crippling shackles they'd put on themselves since the late 90s.

But in the rush to assign credit, let's be historically accurate and fair to all involved.

Spearing, Robinson, Martin Kelly and Conor Coady (another who could make his debut this season) have been at Anfield since they were nine. They were all signed on Heighway's watch.


To suggest Heighway's departure ALONE was a possible catalyst for another period of greatness - as many who should know better insist on doing - is contrived, factually invalid and disrespectful nonsense.

He had to go when he did, and plenty of criticism of him was fully justified, but it his overall contribution to Liverpool FC deserves better than the current levels of ignorance.

This was the man, after all, who has been thanked by Gerrard, Carragher, Owen, Fowler and Steve McManaman for guiding them through the youth ranks.

It is no coincidence that the last wave of great Scouse talent began with Heighway working in unison with Dalglish in the late 80s. Liverpool enjoyed the same sense of unity then that they have now.

Don't let the squabbles which pre-empted Heighway's departure make anyone believe that before he left there was no one coming through the system.

The players were clearly already there at 14, 15 and 16. They just needed the right guidance and coaching. And they needed the confidence to believe they will be judged solely on merit and talent, not hindered by internal politics.

The notion Spearing and Robinson, for example, were not seen as potential first-team players until a mass sacking of former Academy staff is a carefully-constructed lie.

These lads have been the best in their age group for virtually a decade. A player like Flanagan, who has rapidly developed in the last two seasons, is reaping the rewards of new coaching vision.


In the race to pat everyone on the back, we should also make another point abundantly clear.

If these lads do make it, most credit does not go to ex-coaching staff, new coaching staff, ex-managers, new managers or future managers.

Most credit will belong to the players themselves.

Carragher and Gerrard (right) have long argued that to be a top professional requires 90 per cent talent.

The other 10 per cent comes through good coaching, application and a bit of luck, avoiding injury and having a manager who will give you the opportunity amid fierce competition.

What is most reassuring for those at Liverpool's Academy is there were a multitude of reasons to explain why a youngster who was good enough to progress might still fail to make the grade two years ago.

Today, there are hardly any.
 
[quote author=Chris Bascombe link=topic=45091.msg1321129#msg1321129 date=1303669469]
HERE is a fairly decent pub quiz question: Who was the last Liverpool manager to win a trophy?

"That would be Rafa Benitez in Cardiff in 2006, you idiot. Call yourself a Liverpool FC correspondent?" you all instantly shout.

To which I, with a hint of smugness, point out that is wrong.

The last Liverpool manager to win a trophy was Gary Ablett. He led a young reserve team to their title in 2008.
[/quote]


Seems his smugness is misplaced.

John McMahon won the Senior Lancashire Cup in 2010.
 
Calling Spearing (whom I rate) "a sort of Scouse Mascherano" isn't going to do the lad any favours. He's still well short of that level and will probably remain so. Just let him be himself.
 
If the kids were so good and denied opportunities through politics as the article suggests, why aren't they playing Premiership football for another team?
 
[quote author=KopKing link=topic=45091.msg1321170#msg1321170 date=1303676267]
If the kids were so good and denied opportunities through politics as the article suggests, why aren't they playing Premiership football for another team?
[/quote]
Touché...

Hammill is though.
 
[quote author=Modo link=topic=45091.msg1321172#msg1321172 date=1303676525]
[quote author=KopKing link=topic=45091.msg1321170#msg1321170 date=1303676267]
If the kids were so good and denied opportunities through politics as the article suggests, why aren't they playing Premiership football for another team?
[/quote]
Touché...

Hammill is though.
[/quote]


If wolves keep being shit he won't be for much longer!
 
[quote author=Fabio link=topic=45091.msg1321200#msg1321200 date=1303680515]
[quote author=Modo link=topic=45091.msg1321172#msg1321172 date=1303676525]
[quote author=KopKing link=topic=45091.msg1321170#msg1321170 date=1303676267]
If the kids were so good and denied opportunities through politics as the article suggests, why aren't they playing Premiership football for another team?
[/quote]
Touché...

Hammill is though.
[/quote]


If wolves keep being shit he won't be for much longer!
[/quote]

Touché x2, happy birthday btw.
 
[quote author=KopKing link=topic=45091.msg1321170#msg1321170 date=1303676267]
If the kids were so good and denied opportunities through politics as the article suggests, why aren't they playing Premiership football for another team?
[/quote]

Cause they were too good to let go? Politcs is in everything and it's a pain in the arse.
 
as someone who has watched the reserves for a while, the reason the reserves weren't given more chances is because they weren't very good, simple as that. there has been a sharp increase in quality in the last 2-3 years. if the quality was there rafa would have used them, rafa was stubborn not stupid.
 
[quote author=KopKing link=topic=45091.msg1321170#msg1321170 date=1303676267]
If the kids were so good and denied opportunities through politics as the article suggests, why aren't they playing Premiership football for another team?
[/quote]

Because I suspect few teams scout Liverpool reserves.

Anything which could be seen to resemble mild criticism of Benitez and his regime and you're on it in an instant. Crazy.
 
i know some of the current players were quite vocal to Heighway's pleight.. Which i just found quite odd... Obviously the young players had a bond with Heighway and the 'issues' of promotion to the first team would no doubt have been used as a bonding tool.

Im glad the system has changed... Everyone needs to work together in the understanding that the kids are being groomed for one purpose.. First team Football. Any political agendas need to be kept well away from the players.

i rejected first team football several times due to the bond i had with the players in the reserves. This bond was strengthened through the adversity we were facing on a regular basis. The first team coach was very disrespectful to the reserves coach and in turn the reserves coach was highly protective of his players.

i look back and regret staying with the reserves.. The seperation between the squads was destructive and in the end all the managers moved on due to the politics. the players were left without any coaches/managers, bemused and regretting wasting energy on political goals that no longer had any relevence.
 
Not sure Spearing's lack of playing time in the past was due to politics.
Liverpool had invested money in Alonso, Mascherano, and Lucas, not to mention Gerrard's presence in the team. Before that we had Didi.

And didn't Benitez use a few youth players, particularly in his first season?
I remember a couple of them beig useless.
 
[quote author=juniormember link=topic=45091.msg1321292#msg1321292 date=1303698456]
Not sure Spearing's lack of playing time in the past was due to politics.
Liverpool had invested money in Alonso, Mascherano, and Lucas, not to mention Gerrard's presence in the team. Before that we had Didi.

And didn't Benitez use a few youth players, particularly in his first season?
I remember a couple of them being useless.[/quote]

Spearing was still only in his mid-to-late teens when Didi and Xabi were bossing the midfield. I think the ammunition was fueled when we went out and got Lucas. The fact that despite the honours he earned in South America, Lucas took two and a half seasons to finally settle and show his improvement made it harder for folks to swallow the notion that the same playing time wasn't accorded to Spearing. At the time, I also felt that Guthrie got shafted because of Lucas.

It is arguable where Spearing and Guthrie would've been in their development/careers now had the same time and rope given Lucas been given to those two.
 
[quote author=studsup link=topic=45091.msg1321305#msg1321305 date=1303701525]
[quote author=juniormember link=topic=45091.msg1321292#msg1321292 date=1303698456]
Not sure Spearing's lack of playing time in the past was due to politics.
Liverpool had invested money in Alonso, Mascherano, and Lucas, not to mention Gerrard's presence in the team. Before that we had Didi.

And didn't Benitez use a few youth players, particularly in his first season?
I remember a couple of them being useless.[/quote]

Spearing was still only in his mid-to-late teens when Didi and Xabi were bossing the midfield. I think the ammunition was fueled when we went out and got Lucas. The fact that despite the honours he earned in South America, Lucas took two and a half seasons to finally settle and show his improvement made it harder for folks to swallow the notion that the same playing time wasn't accorded to Spearing. At the time, I also felt that Guthrie got shafted because of Lucas.

It is arguable where Spearing and Guthrie would've been in their development/careers now had the same time and rope given Lucas been given to those two.

[/quote]

well said mate
 
You could say that Lucas should never have been bought. If the new policy is not to block talented youth then it might be said that buying Lucas was always going to impede Spearing's progress into the first team.

AHH: Edit: Studsup has made this point.
 
[quote author=studsup link=topic=45091.msg1321305#msg1321305 date=1303701525]
[quote author=juniormember link=topic=45091.msg1321292#msg1321292 date=1303698456]
Not sure Spearing's lack of playing time in the past was due to politics.
Liverpool had invested money in Alonso, Mascherano, and Lucas, not to mention Gerrard's presence in the team. Before that we had Didi.

And didn't Benitez use a few youth players, particularly in his first season?
I remember a couple of them being useless.[/quote]

Spearing was still only in his mid-to-late teens when Didi and Xabi were bossing the midfield. I think the ammunition was fueled when we went out and got Lucas. The fact that despite the honours he earned in South America, Lucas took two and a half seasons to finally settle and show his improvement made it harder for folks to swallow the notion that the same playing time wasn't accorded to Spearing. At the time, I also felt that Guthrie got shafted because of Lucas.

It is arguable where Spearing and Guthrie would've been in their development/careers now had the same time and rope given Lucas been given to those two.
[/quote] I recall around the time that Lucas was making the occasional appearence for Liverpool and nearly always being shit while Guthrie was pulling up trees while on loan with Bolton defending him saying that if Lucas got as much game time as Guthrie then he too would more than likely progress similarly.
Initally anyhow it doesn't appear that Lucas impeeded Guthrie's developement and the reason why he was retained at Liverpool and brought in at the first instance was because Guthrie wasn't deemed to have enough potential to become a Liverpool regular. And so it appears to have ben proved to be
 
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=45091.msg1321284#msg1321284 date=1303693031]
[quote author=KopKing link=topic=45091.msg1321170#msg1321170 date=1303676267]
If the kids were so good and denied opportunities through politics as the article suggests, why aren't they playing Premiership football for another team?
[/quote]

Because I suspect few teams scout Liverpool reserves.

Anything which could be seen to resemble mild criticism of Benitez and his regime and you're on it in an instant. Crazy.
[/quote]

No what's crazy is criticising him without any bearing on the facts. He played Mellor, Spearing, Kelly and made Jack Robinson the youngest ever player to play for us.
 
I will say that him playing Ayala when we were stuck last season, when *everyone* knew that Kelly was by far the superior player struck many of us as strange. It did seem that the Spaniard that had been ushered into the academy under Rafa's new revamp was being preferred over someone who had come up through the club's extant youth development scheme.

I think Hammill wasn't given a chance either. He proved himself wherever he went, came back to the academy, stood out even among the newly acquired starlets and still was sold for a pittance.
 
[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=45091.msg1321403#msg1321403 date=1303729592]
I will say that him playing Ayala when we were stuck last season, when *everyone* knew that Kelly was by far the superior player struck many of us as strange. It did seem that the Spaniard that had been ushered into the academy under Rafa's new revamp was being preferred over someone who had come up through the club's extant youth development scheme.

I think Hammill wasn't given a chance either. He proved himself wherever he went, came back to the academy, stood out even among the newly acquired starlets and still was sold for a pittance.
[/quote]

True.

Hammill was available in the January window but our current management weren't that interested either. Some have said that Hammill is lacking in the tactical aspects of the game. Tracking back, positioning etc. He's somewhat of a ball hog as well.
 
Good post studs up.

Doctor Mac..I think Kelly was injured..

Keeping El Zhar and selling Hammill was a baffling decision..I agree with that...

On of the negatives of the GH reign was the breakdown of communications between Heighway and GH. GH used the play Biscan, Traore, and other signings in the reserves. I dont think we can place the blame on the managers alone as Heighway seemed to be a difficult person to get along with. Rafa did not agree with Heighway's philosophy and the way academy was run and that lead to more issues. One of the issues was that the academy focused on developing teams whih won the youth FA cup and did not give enough emphasis on individual player development.

Finally Heighway was the casualty and it seems he was replaced with Piet Hamberg and Malcol Elias, whom Rafa did not agree with. Until we got Pepe Segura and Borrell and the King, there was no proper link between academy and first team.

In some ways kudos to Rafa for identifying this as a problem and working to resolve it. We have a great set up now with some very promising youngsters. But it is a shame and I am disappointed with all parties, GH, Rafa, Heighway, that politics was bought into this. It is symptomatic of the dysfunctional nature of the club over the last few years. If we had a strong management, we could have gotten all parties into a room and resolved this issue.
 
[quote author=Avvy link=topic=45091.msg1321402#msg1321402 date=1303729537]
Sucks when everyone sees right through you, doesnt it Nob King?
[/quote]

How mature.
 
[quote author=KopKing link=topic=45091.msg1321398#msg1321398 date=1303729108]
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=45091.msg1321284#msg1321284 date=1303693031]
[quote author=KopKing link=topic=45091.msg1321170#msg1321170 date=1303676267]
If the kids were so good and denied opportunities through politics as the article suggests, why aren't they playing Premiership football for another team?
[/quote]

Because I suspect few teams scout Liverpool reserves.

Anything which could be seen to resemble mild criticism of Benitez and his regime and you're on it in an instant. Crazy.
[/quote]

No what's crazy is criticising him without any bearing on the facts. He played Mellor, Spearing, Kelly and made Jack Robinson the youngest ever player to play for us.
[/quote]

They had games here and there, but they were never given a run in the team. Insua was the only player who you can say that about, and that was solely because Rafa made a right mess at LB.

He did well to gain the power over the youth system and revamp it, that's without question, and now we're starting to see the benefit. But the fact that not one decent(ish) young player came through in his six years here is a key and noteworthy point.

Until recently there was no clear path for youth players into the first team. It all seemed a right old muddle.
 
[quote author=KopKing link=topic=45091.msg1321407#msg1321407 date=1303730594]
[quote author=Avvy link=topic=45091.msg1321402#msg1321402 date=1303729537]
Sucks when everyone sees right through you, doesnt it Nob King?
[/quote]

How mature.
[/quote]

Indeed.

Being so far away has made me very juvenile.
 
[quote author=peekay link=topic=45091.msg1321406#msg1321406 date=1303730515]
Good post studs up.

Doctor Mac..I think Kelly was injured..

Keeping El Zhar and selling Hammill was a baffling decision..I agree with that...

On of the negatives of the GH reign was the breakdown of communications between Heighway and GH. GH used the play Biscan, Traore, and other signings in the reserves. I dont think we can place the blame on the managers alone as Heighway seemed to be a difficult person to get along with. Rafa did not agree with Heighway's philosophy and the way academy was run and that lead to more issues. One of the issues was that the academy focused on developing teams whih won the youth FA cup and did not give enough emphasis on individual player development.

Finally Heighway was the casualty and it seems he was replaced with Piet Hamberg and Malcol Elias, whom Rafa did not agree with. Until we got Pepe Segura and Borrell and the King, there was no proper link between academy and first team.

In some ways kudos to Rafa for identifying this as a problem and working to resolve it. We have a great set up now with some very promising youngsters. But it is a shame and I am disappointed with all parties, GH, Rafa, Heighway, that politics was bought into this. It is symptomatic of the dysfunctional nature of the club over the last few years. If we had a strong management, we could have gotten all parties into a room and resolved this issue.
[/quote]

Good post Peekay, but I'm pretty sure Kelly was fit when Ayala was called in to the squad. It certainly was cause for some debate on here as to why Kelly wasn't being given his chance.
 
[quote author=Avvy link=topic=45091.msg1321409#msg1321409 date=1303731016]
[quote author=KopKing link=topic=45091.msg1321407#msg1321407 date=1303730594]
[quote author=Avvy link=topic=45091.msg1321402#msg1321402 date=1303729537]
Sucks when everyone sees right through you, doesnt it Nob King?
[/quote]

How mature.
[/quote]

Indeed.

Being so far away has made me very juvenile.
[/quote]

Grow up this is a thread about the youth system, not an opportunity for you to try and point score with your inane drivel. Get over yourself and keep on topic. Failing that don't post. I care not what you think of me, I don't think of you at all. That's my last word on that matter so if you want to name call, your on your own.
 
Please forgive my racism.
And if I may add, it was a thread about youth.

Which you as usual stupidly interpreted as an opportunity to gird your Rafa shields.

Look to yourself ,NK.
 
Racism?

I think some of the points being made in this thread are over the top, but yeah, despite obviously valuing the importance of youth for a club, Rafa didn't seem too quick to plan his squad for their inclusion nor give them an opportunity when one could be given to some useless senior clogger.
 
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