I think its fair to say that over the last few years or Liverpool has had a huge influx of young talent coming into the youth set up. With many or should i say most not even reaching a first team squad on match day.
i think we have all had our favourites who we thought would make it and be the next best thing since sliced bread. I often wonder how young, most times talented players get to LFC particularly from abroad have dreams of playing for the first team eventually but end being shipped out five years later.
Player i thought who would make it big:
Marvin Purie - German forward looked decent but now plays in the Danish league.
Kristian Nemeth - Watched a lot of LFC TV at the time as was baffled why Andriy Voronin was picked ahead of him.
Mikel San Jose - Now playing For Bilboa, could probably be doing a job for us now.
Jay Spearing
Adam Morgan - Scored a hatful at youth level and now playing in the lower leagues. Honestly thought he would be a 1st team regular, a poacher type forward we had of old... but honestly after watching the one europa qualifier he played in i changed my mind and knew he was just not good enough.
Dani pacheco- Thought he was going to be our fabregas...... :/
Any other favourites of yours that never made it.
Does anyone know the ratio of youth teamers who got at least one 1st team appearance? Probably less than 5 %
Young stars who never lived up to the hype
posted on 26/1/15
Gonzales was absolutely rapid. Couldn't kick a ball but was rapid.
Can't believe I forgot Coady. I thought Connor was going to be THE man.
Rossiter is just shy of 5ft 11in and is 17 so has another 4 years of growing. He'll be fine and has shot up in the past 18 months.
Going back years now but someone mentioning Richie Partridge made me think of Lee Jones.
posted on 26/1/15
Shelvey
posted on 26/1/15
As a lifelong Chelsea fan, the last 20 years have produced a long list of disappointments and wasted talent. I think that pre-Abramovic, the players were more interested in the Chelsea lifestyle than the football pitch - the Kings Road was part of our DNA.
Gael Kakuta
Josh McEachran
Michael Woods
Sam Hutchinson (not his fault)
Mark Nicholls
Jodi Morris
Michael Mancienne
Paul Hughes
There are many many more. All these players were gonna be "big". Never quite got there, whether for attitude, not given the chance, lack of talent maybe or as in poor Sam Hutchinson's case, injury. Your desire to play football has to at least match your desire to be a lad I suppose!
posted on 26/1/15
I thought Morgan would make it, he scored some fantastic goals for the youth team, just didn't have the all round game.
Thought Ilori looked class for the reserves but his career seems to be going nowhere.
Probably wishing he stayed at Sporting now.
I have high hopes for Rossiter, Williams, Ibe, Ojo, Wilson, Kent, Canos, Sinclair. They won't all make it
though, probably only 3 of them at most.
I saw Zaha against Peterborough over 2 years ago and thought he was superb, seemed to have the lot, has barely done anything since.
posted on 26/1/15
McLaughlin was another one I forgot.
He looked brilliant as an attacking right back but seems to be permanently injured.
So many young players have injury problems. Their bodies just can't cope with the amount of stress placed on them while they are still growing.
posted on 26/1/15
Ince jr
posted on 26/1/15
McLaughlin reminds me of Heggem.
Probably have a similar injury record though.
posted on 26/1/15
I remember that young Moroccan El-Zhar we had who scored a worldie at Anfield after Stevie set him up and I thought this boy can play. But he was sent packing shortly after and now plays for Levante. We have some promising youth talents in the academy and U21's - the likes of Ojo, Sinclair and Canos but its very unlikely they'll all make it as so often happens with a good squad of youth players. The difference between making it or not sometimes just comes down to luck and timing for most of these young players.
posted on 26/1/15
Nobodys mentioned chirivella? very talented, valencia where not happy in the slightest that we took him.
Ilori keeps getting injured, played 5 games all season I think
posted on 26/1/15
comment by Robbing_Hoody - I taught Markovic to play wing... (U6374)
posted 3 hours, 24 minutes ago
McLaughlin reminds me of Heggem.
Probably have a similar injury record though.
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I think Heggem every time I see McGlauglin play also.
Pacheco and Suso were the main ones for me. Never thought anything of Morgan. He had serious composure issues. Coady I thought would definitely make it. Robinson also.