Heighway gone?

[JRC]

They have at least one new sensation every year there. Who can forget the brilliant Danny Cadamarteri for instance?

Also that lad Michael something or other (Branch?) - last seen at Chester or somewhere via Wolves. He was the business!

[Jayesh87]

He ain'g goin anywhere for now.....


News


The truth on Euro imports

Jan 11 2007

By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo


LIVERPOOL'S Academy Director Steve Heighway has been overseeing the club's youth development for almost 20 years.

Since 1989, he's nurtured some of Liverpool's greatest talents, including Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher.

However, since the Academy was built in 1999, there has been a dearth of local players making a consistent impact on the senior side.

In recent times, Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has claimed there's a `flaw' in the system, while others have questioned if Academy football is producing players of the necessary character and quality.

Heighway admits he's close to retiring from his crucial position at Anfield, but in this frank, two-part interview, he launched a passionate defence of The Academy, responding to recent criticisms to the ECHO'S Liverpool FC correspondent, Chris Bascombe.

Today, Heighway talks about his future, the relationship between the Academy and Melwood and explains why he believes it's harder than ever for local boys to make the grade.

Steve, there are rumours you're about to leave Liverpool. What's the truth?

"We all leave Liverpool eventually. I'm getting on. I'm nearly 60 now, so I won't be here forever.

"I'm not leaving today, or tomorrow, but I'm getting near to retirement age so it won't be too long."

Why have fewer Academy players established themselves in the first team recently?

"These things go in cycles. When I started here in 1989, the chief executive, Peter Robinson, said to me we haven't produced a local player for 10 years.

"We had a long run with the likes of Phil Thompson and Sammy Lee, going back to Chris Lawler and Tommy Smith in the 1960s, and then a long gap.

"It's frustrating for all of us we haven't provided a superstar for a few years. We'd all love that, but don't forget some players who weren't perceived to be that level have done a good job for us.

"I remember Neil Mellor helping us win games that took us further in the Champions League. His career didn't progress at Liverpool, but he still did it.

"We have a list of players who fell short for Liverpool, but they've good careers in the game to look forward to.

"Callum Woods left Liverpool last summer to play in the Scottish Premier League.

"That in itself is a success because over the last seven years there's been a 75 per cent decrease in the jobs available to English players within the sport.

"Academies are preparing kids better for professional football, but at the end of it there are fewer jobs for English footballers.

"Thirty years ago you'd see the best players getting a chance at 18, and by 21 they had enough experience to get a settled place in the team.

"Nowadays, it's harder for them to get the opportunity to show what they can do.

"The great finishing school for any player is not The Academy or the reserves, it's walking down the tunnel. You don't know until a boy does that if he'll take his chance.

"The managers don't have to take chances. Beyond the starting elevens, there are now eight others with international experience.

"Unless there is an injury crisis, or a lesser tournament, the manager doesn't have to go down to the Academy boys."

So you're saying it's now harder than it's ever been for a local boy to play for Liverpool?

"I'm saying it's harder for any English boy to play for a Premiership club. If you're Gerrard or Owen, you will always play. The gift is so massive. They're obvious.

"After that, you're dealing with players where you're not sure how good they'll become.

"We've always had the players here, but the frustration is you don't know how good they can be if they haven't got the opportunity.

"We won the youth cup last season with some terrific kids such as Lindfield, Spearing, Darby and Threlfall.

"How far they get is not only down to how good they are, but how many opportunities they get. I'm not sure if even I'd get through with things how they are now, and we were speaking to Jamie Carragher recently and he made the same point.

"When I made my debut, 40,000 Liverpool fans were asking who's he? When they threw me in they must have been sitting in the bootroom thinking they only had the kid from Skelmersdale left to play. They could never have known I'd be a player."

Do you feel you're a victim of your early success producing the likes of Fowler, McManaman, Gerrard, Owen and Carragher?

"We're not victims in any way. We've created a fantastic environment for those who are good enough. There are two processes in how someone becomes a top player.

"One is because they're naturally gifted, like a Gerrard. Another is like a Carragher who, when given the opportunity, learns the game once he's in and gets better and better.

"I'd put my own career into that category. Nowadays, it's not only harder to find the gem, but harder to give the opportunity to the boy who might make it.

"English football has to take a long hard look at this. Football isn't about the Rooneys and Owens. It's about the group just below that who become top players."

It seems from this you're in favour of limiting foreign imports into English football?

"There is no-one in the English game other than the managers who wouldn't be in favour of that.

"Equally, there is no one who believes it can happen, so it's hardly worth looking down that road.

"You can't change European community law. But ask anyone in my job, they'll say any way of giving more opportunities to local players is preferable.

"The trouble with English football is no-one tells the truth. If someone is asked this question on Sky TV, they'll say of course foreign players have been good for the English game, but everyone knows that's not necessarily the truth.

"That's why I've done so few interviews over the years. I speak my mind, and sometimes that's not what people want to hear.

"Pundits are earning money by promoting the game, not by telling the truth.

"Even UEFA are asking what effect foreign players are having on the development of young players in each country. They've discussed quotas, but know how difficult it is to impose."

How has your relationships with the first team manager changed since 1989?

"Kenny Dalglish was incredibly interested in every aspect of our work. He'd want to know who the best nine-year-old was. But managers don't have time to run youth departments.

"If you speak to all the other clubs, you'll find the Academy directors are trusted to get on with the job.

"What they want to know is who around the 16 or 17-year-old mark is close to being ready. I've always had to be careful because I worked with a French manager here who had some very strange views of the game, didn't like anyone disagreeing with him, who bought 14 French players who all had to be sold when a new man came in.

"It has been a difficult time, there's no escaping that, and my instinct has always been to tell it the way it is."

Do you think the switch of the youth set-up from Melwood has worked?

"It couldn't have been done in any other way. In an ideal world it would be great if the first team were based in this state-of-the-art facility.

"It's easy to throw the baby out with the bath water. Nine years ago the youth department was crippled by being at Melwood and having constant calls for players to switch from the youth sessions to the reserves.

"Look around this facility. Of course it's better for the boys to be based here, and we work with the staff at Melwood, even if we're not in the same building. Now, we have better planning and programming.

"Under-18 coach John Owens and reserve manager Gary Ablett talk most days, so if Gary needs our players at Melwood we liaise."

Is there any friction between The Academy and Melwood?

"Not at all. Rafa and I chat all the time. The crux of it is there is nothing stopping the better players becoming what they can be.

"At most top clubs there will always be friction somewhere because the first team is all that matters. In some ways it's good we can keep out from under their feet. The manager doesn't have to worry what's going on here. He just needs to know there will be some good players to choose from."

TOMORROW: "Schools and Sunday League football was all about fierce competition, rubbish facilities, massive overplay and generally unruly atmospheres." - Heighway on how the Academy system has transformed the youth game.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0...name_page.html

[AFII]

"Nowadays, it's not only harder to find the gem, but harder to give the opportunity to the boy who might make it."

I agree. They should change it from five to seven subs then some of them would probably get a chance on the bench and may get a chance to play.

[bazza76]

"Nowadays, it's not only harder to find the gem, but harder to give the opportunity to the boy who might make it."

I agree. They should change it from five to seven subs then some of them would probably get a chance on the bench and may get a chance to play.

I think also the fact that we are sadly enough no longer the driving force in English football has alot to do with bringing through or attracting the top English players.

[Parm]

Its a shame about Steve Heighway. From listening and reading about him with some of the younger lads that have come through, they have all spoke very highly of him.

The only kids that we are really talking about are those that we have actually paid for so there must be something wrong within the academy.

must be, something is stopping them making that step up to the first team.

[AFII]

must be, something is stopping them making that step up to the first team.

Money is big part of it. If Rafa used a young player instead of Crouch for example and we then lost the game then that three points may cost us fourth place and a place in the CL. Crouch may not have done any better but we can't afford to take a chance with a young player now with the big money involved.

Wenger is taking a gamble when he uses that many young players and it may cost them a place in the CL.

[Mumsafan]

Wenger just buys them all cheap from Africa.

[desertscouser]

Gerrard is an obvious ommission from your list...and reading Gerrards book it seems that all the players think that Heighway is a great coach and does a fantastic job of nurturing young players.

There are very few clubs who produce more than one home grown first team player every two seasons or so. Even the Mancs have produced very few decent youngsters since their Youth cup winning side containing Beckham/Neville/Scholes etc. went onto the first team. And haven't we just won that same youth cup?

I think the academy does alright, but we need to be signing more 17-18 year olds to improve the squad as arsenal do. Rafa seems to be following this course with the likes of Antwi, Barragan etc. but I'm presuming the source of the dispute between him and Heighway is that Heighway would feel that these imports are blocking his youngsters from the next stage of development in the reserves?

Can't believe I forgot about Stevie.

[Mumsafan]

Can't believe I forgot about Stevie.

Don't worry mate he's easily forgettable

[enema of the state]

posted about this some time ago

http://www.est1892.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=10030&highlight=elias

just a matter of time

[enema of the state]

Rafa has no involvement in the Academy.

total horse****:

the change that will happen at the top of the academy has been HEAVILY influenced by benitez. if youd said little influence on the way heighway works day to day you might have had a point

i'm led to believe he will work much more closely with elias

[enema of the state]

Gerrard is an obvious ommission from your list

and hes the very last person to make the 1st team as a regular

heighway has failed the acid test - time for someone new

end of

[Pacman]

and hes the very last person to make the 1st team as a regular

heighway has failed the acid test - time for someone new

end of

I think you've got the wrong idea of why Liverpool built an acdamy

[enema of the state]

I think you've got the wrong idea of why Liverpool built an acdamy

liverpool built an academy for 1 reason alone: to develop players for the 1st team.

heighway has not fulfilled his "raison d'etre" for a very long time - at least 8 years.

[Pacman]

liverpool built an academy for 1 reason alone: to develop players for the 1st team.

heighway has not fulfilled his "raison d'etre" for a very long time - at least 8 years.

Heighway is a 1st class coach.

The academy was built not only to develop players but to develop local talent. Why do you think Heighway reports direct to the board and not to the 1st team manager? Why do you think that Rafa at the min has very little influence in the running of the Academy?

Liverpool Football Club want to give local lads the chance and give something back to the community. Rafa wants the academy to cast their net over a wider range of the country and abroad but it's Liverpool Football Club who want the academy run like it is now. I think Heighway has bought into Liverpool Football Clubs thinking but if the talent isn't there his hands are very much tied.