The following are two posts, one from Dave Usher (who has followed the youth teams for 10 years and writes for the Echo on it) and also from another follower. I find these posts disturbing, both Houllier before him and Rafa now seem to refused to work with the academy.
FYI: Rafa didn't appoint the current director either, the guy from Ajax was appointed by Parry.
Dave Usher
M.C.
FYI: Rafa didn't appoint the current director either, the guy from Ajax was appointed by Parry.
Dave Usher
Without getting into the debate about the various merits of different players and who is more deserving of a first team place, there is something that needs pointing out here.
Rafa wouldn't work with Heighway, for whatever reason. So he began to set up his own 'academy' at Melwood, bringing in a lot of 16/17 year old players for the reserve side. It was initially complimented by five from Heighway's 'dream team' who were moved up to Melwood a year early (Roberts, Flynn, Threlfall, Lindfield and Darby. Spearing would belatedly follow and Hammill was already there).
The best of the Academy crop moved up to the reserves, and those not quite good enough stayed with the 18s or were released.
However, what we now have, is Rafa once again refusing to work with the Academy director (he has a problem with Piet Hamberg, I don't know what it is), and his own 'academy' at Melwood is growing to the point where it's becoming very, very difficult for players from the 18s to get games with the reserves now.
Only two players were moved up a year early this time, McKay-Steven and Steven Irwin, and neither of those will be first choice for the reserves and will struggle to get many games.
At the moment, Everton have a 16 and a 17 year old in their FIRST TEAM. I realise that's because they are desperate, but a 16 or 17 year old scouse lad at Liverpool is only going to play Academy football. They aren't even in our reserves at that age, because the 'Melwood Academy' that Ablett is in charge of provides all the players for the reserves and players like Eccleston, Amoo, Pepper, Kacaniklic etc aren't involved, even though they'd be playing reserve team football if they were at any other club (and would be getting first team games at some).
Barring very rare exceptions (usually because of injuries or first team call ups to Abletts squad), Academy players don't feature in our reserve side.
Any parent that sends their kid to Liverpool now must be ****ing insane. We've got too many players, and a lot of youngsters have been brought in that never had a hope in hell of being good enough for our first team.
Rafa wouldn't work with Heighway, for whatever reason. So he began to set up his own 'academy' at Melwood, bringing in a lot of 16/17 year old players for the reserve side. It was initially complimented by five from Heighway's 'dream team' who were moved up to Melwood a year early (Roberts, Flynn, Threlfall, Lindfield and Darby. Spearing would belatedly follow and Hammill was already there).
The best of the Academy crop moved up to the reserves, and those not quite good enough stayed with the 18s or were released.
However, what we now have, is Rafa once again refusing to work with the Academy director (he has a problem with Piet Hamberg, I don't know what it is), and his own 'academy' at Melwood is growing to the point where it's becoming very, very difficult for players from the 18s to get games with the reserves now.
Only two players were moved up a year early this time, McKay-Steven and Steven Irwin, and neither of those will be first choice for the reserves and will struggle to get many games.
At the moment, Everton have a 16 and a 17 year old in their FIRST TEAM. I realise that's because they are desperate, but a 16 or 17 year old scouse lad at Liverpool is only going to play Academy football. They aren't even in our reserves at that age, because the 'Melwood Academy' that Ablett is in charge of provides all the players for the reserves and players like Eccleston, Amoo, Pepper, Kacaniklic etc aren't involved, even though they'd be playing reserve team football if they were at any other club (and would be getting first team games at some).
Barring very rare exceptions (usually because of injuries or first team call ups to Abletts squad), Academy players don't feature in our reserve side.
Any parent that sends their kid to Liverpool now must be ****ing insane. We've got too many players, and a lot of youngsters have been brought in that never had a hope in hell of being good enough for our first team.
I had concerns about the Academy as soon as it was announced it was going to be built in Kirkby and not be part of Melwood. The whole structure of it is wrong.
How can a kid who stands out with lads his own age be pulled out of a game and be put in with the reserves or first team squads. Be roughed up a bit, see how he handles things.
The way things are now kids have to wait until there deemed good/old enough to be sent to Melwood where its make or break for them at the club.
As we all know the step up is a huge one and more often than not these lads who have been at the academy since a very early age will be shown the exit door at Melwood.
Kirkby or Melwood needs to go and everything like our neighbours have now done at Finch Farm should be brought together under one roof.
As things stand now the academy is nothing more than a system to produce kids into players and then sell them on.
I picked up an agent last year taking him to Hale (Manchester) Who told me he would never advise anyone on his books to go to Liverpool because the chances of them breaking into the first team were practically zero.
Some people may not know this but when Rafa signed for the club part of the deal and Rafa insisted on this, was that he had full control over how the academy was run. If you want to run the academy Rafa then go to Kirkby and run it.
The warning signs have been there for ages. Steve Highway being one of them. A double FA Youth cup winner and then on the night of his/their greatest win retaining the cup at Old Trafford he announces he's leaving the club he loves while the kids where still doing the lap of honour with the cup. Anyone remember what he said about the kid who he thought was good enough to play for the first team. Cant recall the lads name but did he ever get the opportunity.?
Someone asked a question on here a while back about a youth players progress and would he make the breakthrough. (again cant recall his name) I answered There was no chance as he wasn't foreign. Lets just say I wasn't agreed with.
The whole set up is a joke. I wonder how were going to pin this one on the Yanks.
How can a kid who stands out with lads his own age be pulled out of a game and be put in with the reserves or first team squads. Be roughed up a bit, see how he handles things.
The way things are now kids have to wait until there deemed good/old enough to be sent to Melwood where its make or break for them at the club.
As we all know the step up is a huge one and more often than not these lads who have been at the academy since a very early age will be shown the exit door at Melwood.
Kirkby or Melwood needs to go and everything like our neighbours have now done at Finch Farm should be brought together under one roof.
As things stand now the academy is nothing more than a system to produce kids into players and then sell them on.
I picked up an agent last year taking him to Hale (Manchester) Who told me he would never advise anyone on his books to go to Liverpool because the chances of them breaking into the first team were practically zero.
Some people may not know this but when Rafa signed for the club part of the deal and Rafa insisted on this, was that he had full control over how the academy was run. If you want to run the academy Rafa then go to Kirkby and run it.
The warning signs have been there for ages. Steve Highway being one of them. A double FA Youth cup winner and then on the night of his/their greatest win retaining the cup at Old Trafford he announces he's leaving the club he loves while the kids where still doing the lap of honour with the cup. Anyone remember what he said about the kid who he thought was good enough to play for the first team. Cant recall the lads name but did he ever get the opportunity.?
Someone asked a question on here a while back about a youth players progress and would he make the breakthrough. (again cant recall his name) I answered There was no chance as he wasn't foreign. Lets just say I wasn't agreed with.
The whole set up is a joke. I wonder how were going to pin this one on the Yanks.
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