With Liverpool lying second in the league and having all it takes to mount a serious push for a top four finish this season, it is happy times at the club. Qualification for the Champions League will not only boost Liverpool’s finances but set the foundation for the future of the club. If Liverpool can consistently play in the Champions League from now on, the young players coming through the Academy will reap the benefits of the current generations hard work. And if you look at our current young crop of players, they will not look out of place in the Champions League.
Liverpool are currently one of the few Premier League clubs which are giving its youth players an opportunity in the first team. Since Brendan Rodgers arrived the likes of Henderson, Sterling, Suso, Wisdom and Kelly have been give opportunities to play in the first team and I am sure many more will be given their chance.
In the summer, Liverpool bolstered the youth academy by signing 16-year old Sergi Canos from Barcelona. The Spanish giants were keen to keep hold of Canos but could not offer him a full-time contract until he was 18 and thus the Reds quickly moved in to sign him.
Canos has however not been able to play competitively for the Liverpool Under-18’s as he was waiting for international clearance. The paper work finally came through and the Spanish forward made his debut at the weekend as the Under-18’s beat Stoke 3-1.
As you would expect, Canos was very happy with his debut:
Finally I have the international clearence and so happy for my first debut with Liverpool FC. Great win today against Stoke 3-1?? #LFC #YNWA
— Sergi Canós Tenés (@sergicanos) November 9, 2013
Liverpool’s Under-18 manager Neil Critchley was very happy that Canos could finally play in a competitive game for the Reds.
“His clearance came through which was brilliant news for him and us,” Critchley told the Liverpool Echo.
“It has been a difficult period for Sergi with not being able to play.
“We would be preparing for games and he would have to watch.
“He kept himself fit but there is no substitute for match fitness. So it will be a period of time to build his fitness up.”
Canos was dubbed a wonderkid at Barcelona and it is no surprise that the Spanish giants wanted to keep him. But with their no under 18 rule, this provided an opportunity for Liverpool to capture one of Spain’s biggest prospects. The key now is for him to be managed well, and to make sure that he lives us to be full potential of becoming a first team regular in the next four to five years. And hopefully he does not turn out to be another Dani Pacheco!
He’s very keen, unafraid of Stokes bully boys, I can’t wait to see him fully fit and getting a full 90mins.
A future side of Canos, Suso, Coutinho will be amazing for the reds.