With all these youth players coming in........

[einar]

I think another factor in this is that managers in the future want to rely less on the superstars and produce a team of close to equal players that will make a better team then if there was one big name player on the pitch.

How often has Rafa said balance and options when he is talking about his team?

You cant anymore buy one player to win things for you a la Napoli and a team of like minded players of simular quality is probably gonna be a better team anyway.

Problem is you cant buy all these players with simular thinking and ability so you have to produce at least some of them.

[tomasjj]

Exactly, you only get a "run in the first team" if you are good enough and want it enough, it isn't a "gimme"

But it really isn't that simple is it?

Since we bought them they must have had enough talent.
And these young players need games to build confidence and to develop their talents. There are many examples of players struggling their first 20 games or even first season, then turning into top PL players.

[lfc4ever]

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N154709070116-1351.htm

OWENS HAILS DEBUT BOY HANSEN
Mark Platt 16 January 2007

Academy coach John Owens has hailed the debut performance of 16-year old goalkeeper Martin Hansen in Saturday's Youth Cup victory over Chelsea.
The promising Dane, signed last summer from Brondby, made his youth team bow as the young Reds continued their defence of the trophy with a 2-0 fourth round win at Anfield.

A first year Academy scholar, he's yet to play for the under-18s in the league but replaced the injured David Roberts and caught the eye with a series of impressive saves.

Owens said: "Martin Hansen came in for his first game and looked the part straight away. He's only played in the U16s before, which as a first year keeper he can do. It was a very pleasing debut."

Owens was also delighted with the performance of Ray Putterill. The Liverpool-born left-winger missed almost all of last season through injury but capped a fine individual display by grabbing the decisive second goal.

"Ray was out with a back problem and was one that doesn't take to treatment and needs a lot of rest. It needed physiotherapy and he came back and needed the start of the season to get properly fit. But now he is starting to get his pace back. He has got that and it is such a threat. He is a wide player, but he is scoring goals and looks back to his best," he explained.

Overall it was a very satisfactory afternoon for Owens who is now looking forward to a fifth round tie against either Coventry or Reading.

"On the day it was an excellent result, which we deserved," he added. "I had seen Chelsea and felt if we started well we could get on top of them. And we did that as a team. Nine of our players have played together since they were 10, so that is a credit to the Academy system, bringing through its own players. The only others were Hansen in goal and Ryan Flynn, who has been with us since he was 16.

"So they had been together for a while and that was the edge we felt we had over them. They, of course, as with the first team have collected a lot of star players. But we still felt we had enough good players, but the team work was a plus and that is what happened for the first 20 minutes when we scored."

[Morph]

Why do we always seem to be okay in the keeper department, look around the prem and you've got - Kirkland, Carson, Friedel, James, Reina - That's 5 past and present L'pool keepers, thats a quarter of the prem. Could even add Westerveld to that list, for that brief spell he had.

[lfc4ever]

add another:

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=442305&CPID=8&clid=14&lid=3&title=Reds+eye+Hungarian+starlet

Liverpool have given a trial to Hungarian starlet Andras Simon, according to reports in Hungary.

The 17-year-old, who plays for Budapest-based side MTK Hungaria, is regarded as one of the country's brightest talents.

Simon is believed to be heading to the Merseysiders to spend a few days training with the Premiership giants.

Liverpool are always scouting for Europe's up-and-coming talent and have already agreed a deal for 16-year-old Swedish striker Astrit Ajdarevic.

Rafa Benitez and his coaching staff will now assess Simon's attributes with a view to making his Anfield stay a permanent move.

Simon would become Liverpool's second Hungarian to play for the club behind defender Istvan Kozma, who played for The Reds during the early 90s.

[einar]

Well, one of them is bound to become a star.

Right?

[AFII]

I wonder if we will get another one....

Nathan Porritt's Middlesbrough future is again looking uncertain, it has emerged.

The England youth international turned 17 at the start of this month, but he has not yet been signed to a professional contract at The Riverside.

It is believed the club are keen for him to remain on Academy terms until the summer, but this means he could then sign for another club - with any fee decided by tribunal.

Porritt is regarded as one of the most promising players of his generation and he rose to national prominence, when it was revealed in a television documentary earlier this season that he was the subject of approaches from Chelsea and Liverpool - behind Middlesbrough's back.

Now, though, after a string of impressive displays in the FA Youth Cup - which has included goals in the last two rounds against Walsall and Wolves - Porritt is again causing a stir amongst some of the Premiership's big guns, who are alerted to the fact he is not yet signed on professional terms.

Liverpool and Chelsea are already known admirers along with North East rivals Newcastle, but most of the Premiership are aware of Porritt - who is seen as one the real prized assets of Boro's famed academy.

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?...l+starlet+deal

[lfc4ever]

And one out on loan:

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=442322&CPID=14&clid=329&lid=3&title=Pars+line+up+Reds+youngster

Liverpool teenager Adam Hammill is primed to join Dunfermline Athletic on loan.

The winger has yet to make his senior debut for The Reds, but is due to head to the SPL for the remainder of the season.

Pars manager Stephen Kenny confirmed the club are pushing through a loan deal for the 18-year-old.

"We have signed two wingers - Jim O'Brien, Bobby Ryan - and are in the process of signing Adam Hammill to give us the cutting edge in wide areas that we need," Kenny told the club's official website.

Hammill, who turns 19 next week, was promoted to the first-team squad from the Academy in February 2006, but is still waiting for his chance under Rafa Benitez.

[Biff]

But so will Arsenal, Probably chelsea as they are buying them all as well. Not sure what Scums youth policy or youngters are like

Scums youth policy must be cloning...how else can you account for the ugliness of the nevilles...

[Iceman]

Wasnt Istvan Kozma a winger.........not a defender?

[tomasjj]

Wasnt Istvan Kozma a winger.........not a defender?

Winger.

[Iceman]

not going senile just yet then ?

[Mattshark]

Wasnt Istvan Kozma a winger.........not a defender?

TBH it is a bit much actually calling him a footballer.

[Iceman]

TBH it is a bit much actually calling him a footballer.