Stronger squad should do better
Aug 19 2005
Academy Football With Chris Wright, Daily Post
THE image of Steven Gerrard lifting the European Cup last May has pride of place in the Liverpool Academy and shows what can be achieved by the youngstes following in his illustrious footsteps.
With Gerrard still at the club all the players in Liverpool's under-18s squad, who start the new FA Premier Academy League season at Cardiff City tomorrow (kick-off 11am), have an inspirational figure to aspire to.
U18s coach John Owens is looking forward to tomorrow's opener against Cardiff and hopes his squad are inpired by those who have gone before them.
He said: "Obviously you can't have all 11 players from the Academy but it is always good to see players breakthrough. It is good that we have kept Steven Gerrard because he is always there as a major advertisement for us.
"Jamie Carragher also and obviously we would all like to see Michael Owen come back.
"But Stephen Warnock, Zak Whitbread, Darren Potter have been given chances and taken them when they have came."
But for now Liverpool will be looking for an improvement on last season when they finished bottom of the table in the North West section with just four wins.
There were reasons for that, including a small squad whose star performers were used more at reserve team level. But Owens is hoping for an improvement, starting at Cardiff.
He said: "We have to try and improve. But it is not like the first team, where you see areas where you are weak and you go out and buy them. You work with the players you have got."
Owens added: "From the first year group Michael Nardiello, Craig Lindfield and Lee Woodward are all players who have the ability and will get the experience as they go along.
"Adam Hammill is also a possibility. He had a good tournament against the Spanish and we will see how he develops."
For now, though, the focus in on Cardiff, although Liverpool know little of the Welsh side, who they will face for the first time in the Academy.
Robbie Threlfall and Michael Nardiello to shake off groin and hamstring problems respectively and take their place in a fully-fit squad to tomorrow's clash in Cardiff.
