“Can you create a football story that no one can forget? For me, the story of the Academy players facing a top team and winning is truly extraordinary. It’s definitely never happened before.
Everyone thought we, Liverpool, would lose. But my boys have changed that reality. I love their courage, the people who wrote a wonderful story,” coach Juergen Klopp said after the victory over Chelsea in the League Cup final, thereby helping Liverpool set a record of 10 championship titles.
Going to Wembley, Liverpool lost 11 first team players due to injury. To cope with adversity, Klopp decided to put his faith in Jayden Danns (18 years old), Bobby Clark and James McConnell (19), Jarell Quansah (21) and in goal was Caoimhin Kelleher, who was 25 years old but a Another Liverpool Academy talent, along with Harvey Elliott (20).
Liverpool defeated Chelsea with a group of players from the Academy.
It all looked like Chelsea were up against the U21+ team, featuring Virgil van Dijk, Wataru Endo and Luis Diaz. This also leads to a large difference in transfer value. If Chelsea’s squad costs 521 million pounds, Liverpool’s is only 163 million pounds, with half of it being Van Dijk’s old man.
However, age and transfer money are just numbers. “Klopp’s children” defeated Chelsea to emphasize once again that Liverpool is in the golden era of youth training.
According to Liverpool’s academy director, Alex Inglethorpe, the blossoming of young talent at The Kop is closely related to Klopp. The German strategist always opens the door to the Academy’s products and is ready to give them the opportunity to express themselves.
Liverpool is in a golden era of youth training.
“Klopp did not put young players on the field in the last 10 minutes, when the team was winning 4-0,” said Inglethorpe, “Even at important moments, when looking at the starting lineup with many players In the academy, I was also startled because if I were a coach, I’m not sure I would do the same thing. For example, in the 2022 League Cup final, it was easy for Klopp to choose goalkeeper Alisson. Instead, he She trusts Kelleher”.
However, it is not easy to catch Klopp’s eye. Before considering talent, the German coach always emphasizes personality. They must always be hungry but at the same time, need to be humble. As revealed by the Director of Liverpool Academy, for many years they have been pursuing a policy that goes against the times, but is suitable to create a good football player in the future.
That is, the salary is always limited to less than 50,000 pounds a year, no one is allowed to receive more even if they are top talent. The contract terms also limit cars used to engines with a capacity of less than 1.3 liters. Arriving at the practice field at 8:30 a.m., every player must hand in their phone and then receive it back before going home. They also don’t have free time, as they have to complete lesson plans at home every time they leave the practice field.
Klopp, “sponsor” of Liverpool Academy talents.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, a proud product of Liverpool’s academy, is the clearest example. Inglethorpe said that Alexander-Arnold never wore a designer watch, always drove the same car for many years and came to the field in casual clothes. Now, younger people like Curtis Jones or Jayden Danns are similar.
The son of former Crystal Palace and Bolton Wanderers midfielder Neil Danns, Jayden Danns is currently Liverpool Academy’s top scorer with 21 goals this season. He joined the training camp at the age of 8 after outstanding performances on the futsal field. Danns is now 18 years old, and as Klopp revealed, has only recently been training with the team.
“I loved him from the first moment”, the German coach said. He will certainly give many more opportunities to Danns, as well as the heroes in the League Cup final against Chelsea. Then when Klopp left, the legacy he left behind not only included Cups, but also a new generation of talent ready to shoulder the future.
Thanh Hai
