Who were the seemingly talented youngsters who never made it at LFC?

After reading one thread about the future of our team, I do wonder how many of those youngsters are actually going to make it to that next level. Nowadays, it seems as if young players are expected to blossom by the age 20, which in my opinion is complete nonsense. Then again, there are those youngsters who at a ridiculously young age seem to be that next big thing, yet fail to fulfil their potential.


One name that springs to mind is Dani Pacheco. Signed in 2007 from the youth ranks of FC Barcelona, I was of course as excited as any to see him make the trip over to Anfield. The youth academy of Barcelona creates many world class players, and he was considered to be the rising star during his time there.


Why he never made it was beyond me. Maybe someone could educate me as to why. Was it his attitude? Was it his small physique and lack of pace? Did he just not have the natural ability at the next level? I don't know, but a huge disappointment to see how his career has just stagnated like that. He's now 22 (still young) and is playing his trade in the Segunda Division for AD Alcorcon. This is something I didn't see happening and I for one hope this doesn't end up happening to any of our current group of youngsters at the club (Suso, Texeria, Sterling, Wisdom, etc).


Who else failed to cut the mustard here from a young age?

I thought Nemeth would make at about that time at least have the ability to play at the top end, but it seems he has vanished.  Dalle Valle the guy we sold to Fulham as part of the Konchesky deal.  I thought he would do well too.

Kacaniklic (?) was another who was promising. He wasn't even the best player in our youth side at the time but moved on and got first team football at a PL club. Seems a decent player.

Hammill, Anderson, Hobbs and Ayala all on the fringe of the first team. None of these lads given a crack.

Funnily enough i would of rated all of them a better first team player than Sterling who has got more time here than all of them combined.

I thought Nemeth would make at about that time at least have the ability to play at the top end, but it seems he has vanished.  Dalle Valle the guy we sold to Fulham as part of the Konchesky deal.  I thought he would do well too.

Yeah with ya on Kristian Nemeth & Dalle Valle KK, I thought those two were going to break thru, wasn't there another young striker around the same time who got farmed out, can't recall the lads name for the life of me,

Another Kristian I like is Adorjan not sure who he is with currently but I hope he can make the step up.

YNWA

Stephen Darby had a bit of promise about him but then seemed to rapidly go down hill

Its a hard question. So I'm gonna cheat a little with my answer, and shift the emphasis
Obviously some on this list certainly DID make it, to a high level. But I think they could have gone even higher.


On Pacheco, I always thought his small frame would make it harder.


Don Hutchison could have been a much better player, but sh*te attitude. Redknapp reached a high level, would have been higher again, if not for injuries. Matteo might have become a better player, but he was never that wonderful.


Mark Kennedy and Wayne Harrison were pretty hyped up. But I never expected anything from them, as I never really saw them. Martin Kelly, I think could still be a very good player, if he can recover from his injuries. I wonder about Suso, whether he will be a Joe Cole (ie unfulfilled) or a better player. I know he wasn't home grown, but I wonder if Anelka had the atitude, he could have been utterly incredible.

Finally, my biggest ever disappointment was Robbie Fowler. The young Fowler, still with his pace, was an INCREDIBLE PLAYER. Even today, I dont know anyone in world football who could finish like him at his peak. Its hard to think, he used to be called the Toxteth Whippet. As his skills progressed his pace and mobility and attitude seemed to wane. Early on, he was incredibly agile and fast too. You'd see a goal and think "but that shouldnt happen, what he did was basically impossible in normal footballing logic". He was leagues above his opponents. Things like the hatrick in the 1st 4mins v Arsenal. He could have been one of the truly greatest ever players, alongside Pele and the like. If the early mobility had continued to match the ridiculously high skill level. He could have been Kenny and Rushie rolled into one. AND some ontop.

PS OK Ruddock wasn't signed as a homegrown youngster. But if, he'd had the attitude, I think he could have been incredible. Say like Koeman, but better. Likewise Jan Molby, could have been one of the world's all time greatest ever.

Dalle Valle definitely had a chance here if the Owl hadn't shipped him out in the Konchesky deal.

I wonder if Otsemobor could have done better? He was nonsensically fast. But ofcourse thats never enough on its own.


When someone gets shot up the arse on a night out, you might wonder about his commitment... :/
Isn't someone here a friend of his?


There's also Ged's duds. Pongolle, le Tallec and Traore. 1st 2 were worldbeaters in, was it, the World Youth Cup?


And there was a midfielder in the past few yrs who suffered thro injury. Was it David Mannix? Wound up facing a betting scandal...


Another one, Antonio Barragan. He looked good for his age, early on.

I can't actually think of anyone who was shipped out as a youngster who then has gone on to perform at a level that would have the club wishing they had kept them on, can anyone else?

Tom Ince could arguably go on to be one of those players but until he is banging in goals for one of our rivals you can't really come to that conclusion.

I'm hoping Suso is not the one to do it though. I've got a feeling he may be on his way next summer but he absolutely should be brought back after his year loan spell finishes or we may live to regret it.

But for the most part the club gets rid of players because they are not good enough. Their future careers almost always prove this to be the case. We as fans are guilty of over hyping players as i've probably just done with Suso and as a result we bemaon the lack of opportuinities for some of them. Seeing players like Adam Hammil mentioned as deserving mmore opportunities is weird because the proof is surely in the pudding? He was a bright little player but he hasn't really made it stick anywhere of note. He had a nice little spell down my direction at Saints and was doing ok at Wolves but i couldn't tell you where he plays now so he clearly wasn't good enough otherwise we'd all be kicking ourselves.

I think it's worth remembering this the next time we're screaming for the likes of MaClaughlin or Ibe or whoever to get their opportunity in the first team.

Little Davy Thommo.

Alun Evans

Was there in the Kop on his debut v Leicester.



Born in Kevin Turvey land. 

I think there's a world of difference between getting some games and actually ever being good enough for LFC. I mean yes, Ibe has looked promising. But there is so much that makes a good footballer. Will a player continue to develop or will opponents learn how to play vs him?


I look at Raheem and wonder how he will improve. Will he fill out and lose his pace? Will he ever develop enough strength? Will he develop trickery and the tactical side, or will teams neutralise him? Will his hunger stay? I mean some thought Jermaine Pennant was gonna become a star with his PL debut at I think Notts Cty? (hattrick v Arsenal I think). But he's just moved around as an average winger...


It really annoys me when someone hypes up the latest kids as some superstars in the making. I actually think that top clubs should see their academies as something to produce talent, to offset against the stars they need to bring in. Its rare that you can get a top player who is wholly home grown. I think picking young players from other clubs is prob more likely to bear regula results.

I can't actually think of anyone who was shipped out as a youngster who then has gone on to perform at a level that would have the club wishing they had kept them on, can anyone else?

Tom Ince could arguably go on to be one of those players but until he is banging in goals for one of our rivals you can't really come to that conclusion.

I'm hoping Suso is not the one to do it though. I've got a feeling he may be on his way next summer but he absolutely should be brought back after his year loan spell finishes or we may live to regret it.

But for the most part the club gets rid of players because they are not good enough. Their future careers almost always prove this to be the case. We as fans are guilty of over hyping players as i've probably just done with Suso and as a result we bemaon the lack of opportuinities for some of them. Seeing players like Adam Hammil mentioned as deserving mmore opportunities is weird because the proof is surely in the pudding? He was a bright little player but he hasn't really made it stick anywhere of note. He had a nice little spell down my direction at Saints and was doing ok at Wolves but i couldn't tell you where he plays now so he clearly wasn't good enough otherwise we'd all be kicking ourselves.

I think it's worth remembering this the next time we're screaming for the likes of MaClaughlin or Ibe or whoever to get their opportunity in the first team.

The last glaring examples I think were actually from our 70s/80s golden years. Sheedy was plagued with inuury then moved to Everton and got them sorted. David Watson was so so at Everton after leaving us.


John Gidman was so so at the Mancs.


One I never knew, until reading this link below was Rickie Lambert. But in fairness, he's probably the latest developer ever.


Maybe Mikel San Jose is an ok player at Bilbao?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_F.C._Reserves_and_Academy

Bottom line, I think is that an academy drawing local players is extremely unlikely to contribute a lot.
Barce and Ajax have gigantic catchment areas and few if any rivals. Even then, they tend to buy other clubs players young. Whereas we have 3 big rivals in just the nearest 40miles or so.

The reality is that nine times out of ten when people say "Such and such should be playing, he's boss in the reserves" they are miles off. The gulf between the reserves and even the football league is big, between the reserves and the Premiership it's a gulf.

There's also Ged's duds. Pongolle, le Tallec and Traore. 1st 2 were worldbeaters in, was it, the World Youth Cup?

Never rated Le Tallec or Traore but was always hopeful something would come of Pongolle and he did have an eye for goal and put in a few good performances for us. Think he should have been given more of a chance. However, that said, he's hardly setting the world alight nowadays.

Never rated Le Tallec or Traore but was always hopeful something would come of Pongolle and he did have an eye for goal and put in a few good performances for us. Think he should have been given more of a chance. However, that said, he's hardly setting the world alight nowadays.

I think le Tallec struggled particularly because he couldn't make time on the ball at the higher level. Traore just had zero footballing brain/awareness despite his athleticism.


Pongolle was certainly the pick of the 3 IMO. But didn't become much. I think it shows that you need the skill, the awareness AND a physical ability vs your opponents. I mean compare C Ronaldo to Ronaldinho. The latter is still more skilful, but CR is a way better player because he had the physical side.

This is a problem when predicting how a kid will perform 5 or 8 yrs later.

The reality is that nine times out of ten when people say "Such and such should be playing, he's boss in the reserves" they are miles off. The gulf between the reserves and even the football league is big, between the reserves and the Premiership it's a gulf.

Neil Mellor.

Neil Mellor, that goal against Arsenal was just pure quality. Defiantly one of my favorite moments, was at that game aswell.

Bruna, Nemeth, San Jose, Hobbs, Antwi, Anderson, Barragan, El Zahr Adjaraveic, Duran Leto Huth, Ayala, Amoo, Plessis,
 
Im going to stop there because that's ridiculous. They all signed between 04 and 08 and not 1 remains here or made any major impact on the first team. That's not right
 

Wasn't Bruno Cheyrou supposed to be the next Zidane?

Bruna, Nemeth, San Jose, Hobbs, Antwi, Anderson, Barragan, El Zahr Adjaraveic, Duran Leto Huth, Ayala, Amoo, Plessis,
 

 

I really liked the look of Astrit Adjaraveic, very talented kid plus a big physical player who could have been well suited to the EPL. Evidently his attitude sucked though, I know he had some time at Leicester after leaving the reds but I don't think it worked out.

So basically to answer the question in the OP the answer is a resounding no! Nobody got away, everyone who has been released has failed to go on to anything that meets or extends above the level that LFC have been playing at.

Mark Gonzalez. Awesome potential. Something obviously went wrong behind the scenes.

Alun Evans

Was there in the Kop on his debut v Leicester.



Born in Kevin Turvey land. 

skip I think Alun Evans did make it but he threw it away with nightclubbing and chasing the old crumpet.I recall him being dropped by Bill Shankly  then brought back to the first team to play in a European match at Anfield he scored a hat-trick that night.