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

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

Great shout. Remember him coming on against Maccabi Haifa and scoring thinking 'this guy is going to be quality'. Never got better for him than that moment sadly. Ridiculously fast player as well.

Always liked having Sinama Pongolle in the squad even though he never truly broke through to the first team. Some excellent contributions from him from the bench namely against Olympiakos (got the ball rolling that night) and against Luton in that EPIC 3rd round cup tie. Also scored against Betis away in our first CL group match of the 05/06 season as well. Part of an attacking line up that, while not exactly glittering in star dust, did a solid job that year. Compared to his fellow countryman that complete dud N'Gog, who we signed a couple of years after Sinama Pongolle left, he was positively Godlike in comparison.

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

Now that's a player who had some pace about him!

If I remember rightly Mark Gonzalez got injured against I think it was either Arsenal or Fulham, I was at the game and remember him getting stretched off and I don't think he ever bounced back when he returned from injury. The lad had great potential.

Finally, my biggest ever disappointment was Robbie Fowler.

WUM or just a bit 'special'? Hmm

I wonder if Otsemobor could have done better?...
....Isn't someone here a friend of his?

Sound knowledge of fellow posters for someone who only registered in August (for the first time??)

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.

As a famous tennis player once screamed 'you cannot be serious' ,

Your disappointed in Robbie. 'GOD ' Fowler f***in hell mate, I've heard /seen some some total sh*te down the years but I've never heard anyone say they were disappointed in Robbie, the man is a living legend FFS,
And Jan Molby too, alongside Alonso is/was there a better passer of the ball, he was never blessed with pace but play him in and around the centre circle and he'd put a ball on a gnats arsehole,

Incredible to think that your disappointed in those pair, really is ?
Oh and BTW, Robbie was ' The Toxteth Terrier'

YNWA

Your disappointed in Robbie. 'GOD ' Fowler f***in hell mate, I've heard /seen some some total sh*te down the years but I've never heard anyone say they were disappointed in Robbie, the man is a living legend FFS,
And Jan Molby too,  is there a better passer of the ball, he was never blessed with pace but play him in and around the centre circle and he'd put a ball on a gnats arsehole,

Incredible to think that your disappointed in those pair, really is ?

YNWA

You only have to look at the FA  Cup final against Everton to see the skill Jan Molby had,I have got a feeling Ian Rush scored from a pass from Molby who was near the halfway line when he gave an inch perfect pass.I think it was the 1986 Final,I still have a Higsons beer mat  that commerates that final,it has Liverpool on one side and Everton on the reverse,just looking at it  brings back so many memories when we were winning every cup going.

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.

Seriously - what the F**k?

You're either a WUM or a F***ing whopper.

Probably both.

Seriously - what the f**k?

You're either a WUM or a f**king whopper.

Probably both.

It actually made me laugh

 

Seriously - what the f**k?

You're either a WUM or a f**king whopper.

Probably both.

It is sad when a Liverpool supporter critisizes a player of the stature of Robbie Fowler,American Plant must surely realise that Robbie only left the club due to a bust up with Phil Thompson after he hit Phil with the ball in a training session.Houllier demanded that Robbie apologise to Phil but Robbie refused as he claimed it was an accident.In this day and age I would not mind a couple of Robbie Fowlers in the team that is for sure.

Maybe AMERICAN Plant overlooked the fact that Robbie may have lost a bit of pace due to his incredible ability. It was that which forced opponents to continually hack and chop at him. Another player who came of the pitch covered in bruises after most matches. Rarely complained, and replied the only way he knew how. He scored another sublime goal.   Dissapointing ?..... my arse.
 And Jan Molby, one of the best midfielders I ever watched. Controlled a game from the centre circle. Drop a ball on a two bob bit from 50 yards.  tw*t.

Mark Gonzalez has done well for himself. We got rid a bit too soon, could have been given another chance after the injury he had.

I still remember when we signed Gabriel Paletta and Daniel Agger, if not in the same transfer window, perhaps in consecutive transfer windows. They were both young and promising central defenders. Paletta was more of a 'physical', 'tough' CB, and was compared to Carragher; Agger, on the other hand, as the more technically gifted of the two, was seen as a future replacement for Hyypia. After a few good pre-season performances, I remember people raving about Paletta - at the time, it seemed he was the better one of the two young defenders, which, of course, never turned out to be the case at LFC.

Paletta is now playing for Parma in the Serie A, which is not so bad, but in hindsight it's clear that Agger is head and shoulders above him.

Paletta is now playing for Parma in the Serie A,

Wasn't he linked with a move to another Serie A team for something ridiculous like £30mill?

Wasn't he linked with a move to another Serie A team for something ridiculous like £30mill?

I remember some rumour about him going to Milan but I don't know if there was any truth in it. Can't recall anything about fees though!

Wasn't he linked with a move to another Serie A team for something ridiculous like £30mill?

Inter and Juve were both linked but the Parma CEO said it would take an offer in the region of €35m to get him, apparently. I don't suppose it would take THAT much in reality.
Still, shows the lad is doing ok for himself.

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.

Quoting this because it's probably the most important post in this thread, especially that last sentence.

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.

Not sure what Ruddock is doing in this thread, nor what "signed as a homegrown youngster" means either. Wayne Harrison or Mark Kennedy were both record fee transfers for players of their age. Hutchison was nicked from Hartlepool. Jan is Danish.

And Robbie Fowler is one of the greatest strikers to ever play for Liverpool

You have made an unholy mess of this thread.

As for the original question, "talented youngsters who never made it at LFC", there's so many to choose from it's hard to know where to start, because of all the "talented youngsters" we've had over the last 20 years, the only ones who have actually been really talented are the ones who have made it into the first team and been fantastic, namely: God, Gerrard, McManaman, Carra, and Owen. And Redknapp, depending on if you want the "homegrown" bit thrown in.

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

Yeah, Everton got Dave Watson, we had Alex Watson. Who I saw play once and he made Dave look like Franco F***ing Baresi.

Oh and BTW, Robbie was ' The Toxteth Terrier'

YNWA

Oh and btw, no he wasn't.

F***ing hell, this thread is a slow-motion car crash.

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.

Exactly. We haven't let the next God or Owen or Gerrard "slip through our fingers".

There hasn't been one.

I'm beginning to think Adam Morgan could belong in this thread soon. I had high hopes for him when he was at the Academy, he was even being touted as the next Fowler, then had a bit of a scoring drought if I remember correctly.

I can't see him getting too many chances at senior level, a loan deal followed by a move is the most likely option in the future.

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.

Congratulations, you win stupidest post of the year.

 

I'm beginning to think Adam Morgan could belong in this thread soon. I had high hopes for him when he was at the Academy, he was even being touted as the next Fowler, then had a bit of a scoring drought if I remember correctly.

I can't see him getting too many chances at senior level, a loan deal followed by a move is the most likely option in the future.

Adam's a natural goalscorer mate in the old fashioned sense of he'll get you goals but not offer much else.  He got found out/shafted when asked to play out wide, drop deep, be creative etc. and his natural game suffered.

I'm not sure if he fits with Brendans style as he's not versatile enough but who knows with a decent spell away somewhere he may find his scoring shoes again.