S Gillespe, P Harrison, A Flyn, A Wright and J Massie will be released from the academy, at the end of the season. S Vaughan and M Smith will have their profesional contracts terminated at the end of the season. Since SG broke into the first team, no youth from the academy have broken into the first team. As GH is ment to be a top man devoloping youth players, this is an area LFC must approach urgently !
What needs to happen is they need a fair chance and i'm not sure they get it. Houllier will always play his signings ahead of the academy players and 25 bad minutes in a crap team performance (Ostemobor) and you won't get another chance. These players who've been released would never have made our team I suppose but hopefully the youngsters kept on and training at Melwood will get a fair crack of the whip. But if John Welsh can't get a game then what chance has anyone else got? If you're not an exceptional talent like Gerrard or Owen you won't get a chance.
Gillespe has had a good season, but for him to advance to the first team is a very tall order.LFC over a ten year period have brought some fantastic talent through the ranks. Fowler, MacMannaman, Gerrard and Owen are the most successful ones. But over the last four years we haven't continued to do so. It coinsides with GHs leadership, one can't put the blame solely on GHs shoulders. But this is a broblem LFC must urgently face up to and get it sorted.
The best you can realistically hope for is to get one player through every couple of seasons, though as you say the only youngsters who seem to get a look in nowadays at Anfield are French . . . :
We'll have one, worked with Nolan eh. I recently found out that he supports Man Utd, no wonder he was released by Liverpool...
Ive got a close eye on it all too, with a young lad from my estate doin nets for the U19 side most likely next year (Paul Willis). What most people have been saying here is right tho, a kid will only get one chance in the Liverpool first team. Up until the age of around their early 20's, confidence and morale is what their game is all about, if they are low in both they will not have a career, if they are high in both they will either make an impact at junior level or at a club on loan like Danny Murphy did and come back... Houlliers policy is certainly not spot on, IMO Le Tallec and Pongolle should be tarred with the same brush as Welsh and Otsemobor... However do we know how these players perform at Melwood or what their general attitude is like?
It'll be Under 18 next year mate, the reason for the mass cull is that the under 17 & 19 Leagues are being scrapped in favour of one Under 18 league. Another cracking decision from the FA. :
well tbh most of our u19s are playing for the reserves already and the u17s for the u19s so it makes some sense... also it brings the leagues in line with the age limit for the fa youth cup
