Can we keep hold of our breakthrough youngsters?

It's much easier to hold on to our English youngsters, the pull of Madrid and Barca doesn't quite have the same effect as it does on other players for them. If we go backwards though like we did after we last came second in the league then it wouldn't surprise me if City or Chelsea go hard for our homegrown players when you consider how few English players both teams have.

We've got to pay top dollar and be successful to keep these top young players.

As much as we want them to show loyalty they all, rightly, know it doesn't really exist in football and that if next week the club want you gone you're gone. That's why imo we've got to give them real tangible reasons for staying at LFC not just emotion.

It's much easier to hold on to our English youngsters, the pull of Madrid and Barca doesn't quite have the same effect as it does on other players for them. If we go backwards though like we did after we last came second in the league then it wouldn't surprise me if City or Chelsea go hard for our homegrown players when you consider how few English players both teams have.

That would be the ultimate kick in the balls, seeing talents such as Sterling being courted by City or Chelsea - like knowing someone you hated was someone chasing your gf/wife.

We've got to pay top dollar and be successful to keep these top young players.

As much as we want them to show loyalty they all, rightly, know it doesn't really exist in football and that if next week the club want you gone you're gone. That's why imo we've got to give them real tangible reasons for staying at LFC not just emotion.

Unless there is a drastic change in circumstances I don't imagine LFC will ever want to get rid of players like Sterling and Coutinho. No club wants to see their best talents leave.

But yeah, we need to continue to show ambition and hopefully win some silverware and that will only have positive effects on the youth.

I actually think we will be able to keep hold of our most important young stars (Coutinho, Sterling, Studge, and also the likes of Ibe, Can, and Markovic).  The reason being that BR has a great reputation for working with the young lads and allowing them the opportunity to fulfill their potential.  Just look at Studge and Coutinho.  Neither one could get a look in for their previous clubs, but BR gave them a chance and they have taken it.  I think that they will remember that when things weren't going well for them, LFC and BR were the ones who helped them get back on track. 

Also, the owners have done a magnificent job of giving improved contracts to our most important players and tying them to long term deals.

Finally, I think the players themselves are buying into the system that BR has in place.  We play an attractive brand of football, and with so many talented young players we look like we are on the brink of having an elite team for many years to come. 

It's much easier to hold on to our English youngsters, the pull of Madrid and Barca doesn't quite have the same effect as it does on other players for them. If we go backwards though like we did after we last came second in the league then it wouldn't surprise me if City or Chelsea go hard for our homegrown players when you consider how few English players both teams have.

That's not entirely true mate.

If you are good enough (which the vast majority of Brits just aren't), then the likes of RM and Barca will come calling. I do not think British players have any more loyalty than say your Spanish or Italian players.

Gareth Bale
Steve Mac
Micky Owen
David Beckham

If you are good enough, then the top European teams will come calling. Maybe they just express little interest in British players as they know how awfully overrated most of them have been.

I actually think we will be able to keep hold of our most important young stars (Coutinho, Sterling, Studge, and also the likes of Ibe, Can, and Markovic).  The reason being that BR has a great reputation for working with the young lads and allowing them the opportunity to fulfill their potential.  Just look at Studge and Coutinho.  Neither one could get a look in for their previous clubs, but BR gave them a chance and they have taken it.  I think that they will remember that when things weren't going well for them, LFC and BR were the ones who helped them get back on track. 

Also, the owners have done a magnificent job of giving improved contracts to our most important players and tying them to long term deals.

Finally, I think the players themselves are buying into the system that BR has in place.  We play an attractive brand of football, and with so many talented young players we look like we are on the brink of having an elite team for many years to come. 

Stand out point in that post, mate. This is something which excites me because these players, should we manage to keep hold of them, will be playing their peak years all at the one time (or at least almost). Imagine players like Sterling, Coutinho, Can etc getting even BETTER, playing alongside one another... it just makes me hard so fecking excited!!

That's not entirely true mate.

If you are good enough (which the vast majority of Brits just aren't), then the likes of RM and Barca will come calling. I do not think British players have any more loyalty than say your Spanish or Italian players.

Gareth Bale
Steve Mac
Micky Owen
David Beckham

If you are good enough, then the top European teams will come calling. Maybe they just express little interest in British players as they know how awfully overrated most of them have been.

I know where you're coming from, mate. But in the case of Bale, Spurs were never going to turn down the money they were offered for him, not in a million years, regardless of how much they wanted him to stay.

Owen is a good example. Seemed to make his mind up sharpish that he wanted to leave, Benitez didn't (as far as I am lead to believe) seem to mind as he had his own targets in mind anyway so... Owen was courted by Real Madrid and wasn't going to say no.

Felt this was relevant here:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/liverpool-offer-raheem-sterling-four-4051048

I think it's a pretty safe bet that within two to three years Sterling will be the highest paid player at the club.

And within 5 years he might be the highest paid player in club history.