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Latest News from Kirkby
Ones to watch: Rhian Brewster
Named on the bench for Liverpool FC's Premier League game against Crystal Palace in April, 2017 has already been quite a year for 17-year-old striker Rhian Brewster.
Signed from Chelsea when he was 15, the Londoner scored on his LFC U23s debut in January aged just 16, was an unused substitute in that First-Team game against the Eagles and in May was a key member of the England squad that was beaten on penalties in the final of the U17s European Championships by Spain in Croatia.
Brewster then linked up with the LFC squad that Jürgen Klopp took to Australia for a post-season friendly against Sydney FC and made his First-Team bow, playing the entire second half as the Reds ran out 3-0 winners against the Aussie champions. His rapid progress has certainly caught the Liverpool FC manager's eye.
“Rhian made outstanding steps in the last few months because the talent group is training once a week here at Melwood with Pep Lijnders and I can see them. I’ve followed him for more than a year and as it is for boys of his age they grow, it’s good. Physically stronger, wonderfully skilled boy, real striker, good finisher, fantastic work ethic and all that stuff.
“He’s 17 years old now and already plays U23 youth football. He’ll do this next year also and that’s a wonderful step for him and is the next stage in his development.”
Ones to watch: Glen McAuley
Dubliner Glen McAuley finished as LFC U18s leading goalscorer in 2016/17, netting 16 goals – the joint third most in the U18s Premier League.
A Republic of Ireland youth international who began his career with Dublin-based Crumlin before moving to the Academy during the 2015/16 campaign, 17-year-old McAuley is also a boyhood Red who attended his first match at Anfield in 2006, a 2-0 Liverpool FC win against Reading.
His highlights last season included converting the winning spot-kick in an FA Youth Cup penalty shoot out victory against Crystal Palace and the bubbly striker admits he's all about getting goals.
“I've always played as a striker, always had an eye for goals,” he said. “I always try to get myself in and around the frame of the goal and see what happens from there. That's where most of my goals come from, inside the box."
Ones to watch: Conor Masterson
Appointed as U18s skipper for 2016/17 following Trent Alexander-Arnold's promotion to U23s and First-Team duties, Dublin-born Conor Masterson is a ball-playing centre-half.
Signed from Lucan United in 2012, the Republic of Ireland Under 17 international debuted for LFC U18s in 2014/15 and was selected by Jürgen Klopp as a substitute for the Reds' FA Cup 3rd round tie at Exeter City in 2016, although he wasn't brought on.
Masterson continued to progress at Academy level last season but believes his involvement in that Exeter game has put his development under the spotlight a little more.
“I think it put a bit more focus on me, particularly back home in Ireland,” he said, “but you have to stay grounded and focused if you want to make it. I know I have plenty to do. I'm a ball-playing centre-back but I want to become more dominant and aggressive as well. I need it if I'm going to become a First-Team player some day.”
Academy News
Steven Gerrard begins new U18s role
Steven Gerrard began his new role as Liverpool FC U18s manager at the start of July having returned to the Academy as a coach in February following his retirement from playing.
The 37-year-old, who captained the Reds a Club record 473 times during his 710 appearances for LFC, has also named the backroom staff that will help him to develop the next generation of young players aiming to make names for themselves at Kirkby.
Former Academy defender Tom Culshaw is Gerrard's assistant, Neil Edwards remains as goalkeeper coach, Scott Mason is U18s performance analyst and Jordan Milsom – who worked with Gerrard when he was a first-team player at Anfield – has moved from Melwood to become rehab fitness coach.
“Tommy Culshaw is going to assist me,” revealed Gerrard. “When I started out full-time as an apprentice, Tommy was a year above me so I know everything about him and he knows everything about me. I thought he was the perfect partner to go into it.
“I lost my fitness coach when the U18s fitness coach moved up to Melwood, so I phoned Jürgen and asked him if I could have Jordan Milsom, who I worked with for a few years and is, for me, one of the best in the business.”
Academy News
LFC Academy planning application submitted
Liverpool FC has submitted its planning application for the proposed redevelopment of its Academy site in Kirkby following a public consultation.
The Club wishes to bring its first team and Academy football training operations and facilities together on one site. This means a redevelopment of the Club’s existing first-team training ground at Melwood, the development of an LFC training campus at Kirkby and enhancements to the existing community playing fields and facilities at the adjacent site on Simonswood Lane.
If permission is granted, the developments would provide LFC with first-class combined training facilities and the local community with upgraded football pitches, new changing rooms and associated facilities including car parking, a new pedestrian and cycle pathway, lighting and improved security.
LFC's application for detailed planning permission for the overall proposal and outline planning for the new buildings is expected to be heard by Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council's planning committee later in 2017.
