Brendan Rodgers

[Darkon]

Players we are constantly in fear of leaving?

I know what you are saying though. But local players are more loyal in my mind. Therefor a world class local player is more likely to stay than someone else.

Are they really though? Mcmanaman left for free, Owen (WC at the time at least) left, Gerrard was really really close to signing for Chelsea, agreed terms and only a signature away, but thankfully choose to stay in the end. I'm not sure world class local talent will stay particularly loyal if we don't start winning stuff on a regular basis again.

Like Rooney who left for trophies, and like most of Everton's talents do in the end...

90% of local players are only as loyal as their ambititions, and then there is the odd one that will stay no matter what.

I'm all for local players, and think it's great we have many breaking through these days, but if it keeps us from keeping the real world class talents because we don't challenge then...

[Mattshark]

Players we are constantly in fear of leaving?

I know what you are saying though. But local players are more loyal in my mind. Therefor a world class local player is more likely to stay than someone else.

Edit: Anyway Matt we are talking about Youth level here. Not fully fledged internationals like the ones you mentioned.

Did we not have fear of Gerrard leaving? And didn't Owen and Macmanaman leave?

[Alex]

Ok, Owen and Mcmanaman left us. That's because we were circling the drain when they did. Not really winning much at all. (Owen isnt local BTW) Im not saying they all will be. Of course they wont. But at least we are not in the situation Arsenal find themselves in with players like Fabregas wanting to go back and play for someone else.

Also, on the Gerrard topic. Yes he nearly left. But he didn't. He went on to become one of our greatest all time players.

[baitman]

smithdown road

[Mattshark]

Ok, Owen and Mcmanaman left us. That's because we were circling the drain when they did. Not really winning much at all. (Owen isnt local BTW) Im not saying they all will be. Of course they wont. But at least we are not in the situation Arsenal find themselves in with players like Fabregas wanting to go back and play for someone else.

Also, on the Gerrard topic. Yes he nearly left. But he didn't. He went on to become one of our greatest all time players.

So would you not have a player Fabregas' quality because he might leave? That should not be a concern. Far better than having Jay Spearing.

[Darkon]

Fair enough on Owen, but just saying players are not more loyal than their ambitions/talent really, and I mentioned the Gerrard saga to show how close a call it was, and he really is the exception to the rule.

The Gerrard or Le Tissier is the rarity tbh.

[Alex]

So would you not have a player Fabregas' quality because he might leave? That should not be a concern. Far better than having Jay Spearing.

Im clearly not saying that. Im saying that given the choice of two youth team players of the same ability. Id choose the local lad every time. Im not saying that we should only look local. Thats mental.

Fair enough on Owen, but just saying players are not more loyal than their ambitions/talent really, and I mentioned the Gerrard saga to show how close a call it was, and he really is the exception to the rule.

The Gerrard or Le Tissier is the rarity tbh.

But we have 2 of these raritys in the team. Utd have a couple. Even Chelsea have Terry. Its only rare nowadays because of the money involved. But if we are competing at the top. I cant see why it would hurt us.

[The_weatherman]

The premier league isn't just for english audience anymore, it's international wheather the brits like it or not, much, if not most of the revenues are international and the best players come from other countries. Think it's a mistake if they are sacrificing quality youngsters for local ones.

I think the best way is to make the club look appealing to all youngsters, which is happening by playing them and giving them chances.

[Mattshark]

Im clearly not saying that. Im saying that given the choice of two youth team players of the same ability. Id choose the local lad every time. Im not saying that we should only look local. Thats mental.



But we have 2 of these raritys in the team. Utd have a couple. Even Chelsea have Terry. Its only rare nowadays because of the money involved. But if we are competing at the top. I cant see why it would hurt us.

It hasn't been all that common for a player to spend their whole career at one club for a long time.

A player being local doesn't mean they'll be more loyal. A players origin should never be a factor.

Do you think Gerrard would still be here if we had not been so good under Rafa btw? I don't. Same goes for Scholes at United and Terry at Chelsea

[Fredo]

A local player wouldn't have the acclimatisation issues a lad from say Argentina, with the language etc .... That's the only advantage of favouring a local lad if all other things are equal ability wise.

[dww]

Im clearly not saying that. Im saying that given the choice of two youth team players of the same ability. Id choose the local lad every time. Im not saying that we should only look local. Thats mental.



But we have 2 of these raritys in the team. Utd have a couple. Even Chelsea have Terry. Its only rare nowadays because of the money involved. But if we are competing at the top. I cant see why it would hurt us.

In a lot of ways I think you have to view the comments in the context that what we do want to do is have young players from an early point and form their football ideals and hopefully make them feel a connection to the club. The ideal is clearly La Masia - a production line of exceptional talent that even if they leave Barcelona always look to come back as the pinnacle of their career. For a variety of reasons I think that is more of an achievable goal for us with English and specifically Liverpudlian youth (it much easier to imagine the best young players in South America dreaming of a future living in Barcelona than it is the north west of England).

I think talk of targeting local players is PR for our local recruitment - we improve our chances of recruiting players against competition from United , City et al if players think they will be more likely to get a chance of first team football with us.

[Darkon]

But we have 2 of these raritys in the team. Utd have a couple. Even Chelsea have Terry. Its only rare nowadays because of the money involved. But if we are competing at the top. I cant see why it would hurt us.

Carragher have never really been a target of transfers IIRC, so I don't really count him tbh. And I think United and Terry are not the cases as they have been in highly succesfull teams both of them, and hence they are as loyal as their ambitions/talents. They could hardly have won more at any other team. And that's my point. Gerrard is the exception to the rule, but most other WC talent will leave sooner or later for the chance of winning some major trophies - fans or not.

[Alex]

I suppose I have more of a romantic view of football than I should still have. Which kinda makes me sad in a way.

[red g]

Rooney is the only local player they have had through their system I'd have had.

Leon Osman?

[Mattshark]

Leon Osman?

No.