Damien Comolli has revealed he will use Liverpool's forthcoming trip to China to scout the country's best young talent - and that two U17 players have already been offered trials. The Reds embark on their tour of Asia this Sunday, starting with our first ever trip to China where a friendly will take place with Guangdong. And while the fitness of our current players will be at the forefront of manager Kenny Dalglish's mind, Director of Football Comolli has a busy schedule of trials and games to watch. He told LFCtour.com: "We've organised things in China, organised games to watch, trials to watch, we'll watch young players, and it'll be very interesting for us to see what level there is. "It's a bit difficult to assess China's football because they don't qualify often for the World Cups, the full one or the U17 or U20 World Cups. "As everyone knows, China has got a fantastic basketball player, Yao Ming, they are very good in track and field, so there is no reason we can't find a player there. Obviously in a few days we might not find someone but we'll have a good understanding of the level there is and of Chinese players." Comolli has already had lengthy discussions with Chinese officials and two of the country's most promising young footballers have been invited for a trial at the Academy later this summer. He said: "When we knew we were going to China we got in touch with some Chinese officials and we said, 'Can we have a look at the best players you think you have in the country?' "Some we will look at over there and a couple, who we think are two of the best U17s in the national team, will come and train with our Academy in July. That's going to be very interesting." Despite the country's success in producing well-known names in other sports, Chinese footballers have yet to make a mark on world football - but Comolli thinks it's only a matter of time. "I do expect it to change in the next few years, for three reasons," he explained. "One is numbers - it's just mathematics that someone will come through because there are 1.2 or 1.3bn people living in China. "Secondly, all the conversations I've had with Chinese officials have made it clear that football is the sport developing most quickly. The more people playing, the more chances there will be. "The third reason is because, as a country, they are a lot more sports orientated than before - hence the track and field, the swimming, the basketball." The scouting mission is part of a global search to bring the best young talent to Merseyside - a search which has already identified numerous targets this summer. "We have two scouts at the U17 World Cup and they've identified several targets from all over the world," said Comolli. "Then we've got two scouts going to the U20 World Cup. We try to be everywhere. It's very difficult to be everywhere, but we certainly try to be everywhere where we think there are quality players." Clearly we are looking around the world for the best talent and China is now a country in which we are looking for talent. The commerical gains from having a Chinese player are evident and it would give us another significant foothold in the country. Let's hope the two players that we have given trials to are good enough and can make their mark in this country. Source: http://www.lfctour.com/english/news#Anchor35 Your thoughts?
At the most basic level- this is all about keeping the sponsors happy. I'd be happy to get best players no matter where they are from- but after Standard Chartered telling the media Liverpool needs some Asian players several months back- I take this announcement as just a sign that Liverpool are trying to keep them happy. If signing an Asian star helps our bottom line and the finances of the club- I've no problem with that. As long as we don't overlook better players in the process.
Hello hoke. Agree with what you say about it being more commercial than a need for Chinese youth players,But to be fair Asian football is on the up and LFC have had a huge following in the far east for decades but never truly tapped the wealth by signing players for dough not show as other clubs here have.
Most certainly there is a major commercial element in all aspects of the Asian Tour. With the levels of interest and support that we have out there it would be foolish not to do otherwise. Bringing a few U17 Chinese players over here is just a sweetener. You have to remember that China is still a cenrally controled country and the best youths will be directed to the Academies that the authorities want. Now if Liverpool can offer the Chinese a sound development route then we are more likely to succeed there. In the rest of Asia a more 'usual' route will probably bear more fruit.
I dont disagree with that dave,but my point was that LFC have been huge in Asia for 20yrs or more but we never really used that popularity to our advantage at the start.
I agree. Now we have owners who are expert in sports promotion and a management team that are clued up enough to realise that they have to develop a continual river (not stream) of talent. So we have to maximise our commercial opportunities (which I believe Ayre and his team will be doing) and create a development structure (which i believe Camoelli and the Accademy staff will also be doing. The opportunities for us are far bigger in Asia than they are in Europe or South America. We may have an increased opportunity in the USA due to our access to other companies in FSG group. One thing does worry me though and that is how do we ensure that British (and more importantly local ) kids do not lose out
I don't want us to just buy players for the commerical aspect of the purchase. I want them to be good enough as well.
Its sad but its the way of things in the prem now that the days and ways of geoff twentyman and his network of scouting for british talent have long gone and foreign kids have taken local kids places at our academy.
Chris. The opportunity is at least dual-fold. If the asian youths are as good (or better) than what we already have then bring them over here. For those who are not quite good enough then we develop them in Asia
I agree Chris but we are not yet talking about buying players but taking youth players on. It has to be said though that just as the African nations developed in football quality so will Asia and we have until now not really looked in that direction for talent. So all in all we could unearth a few diamonds and a few million more in shirt sales etc in one fell swoop.
LIP SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you imagine Kenny really seriously looking at Asian players just to keep the sponsors happy? Besides it being bang out of order for them to say anything like that in the first place. I can see several more academies being created across the region, and young kids having trials, but I don't see us moving for Park or the guy at Celtic. I think something like that could really cause friction in the team. Players will be fighting unfair advantages if there is an Asian player in their position.
That's not what he is saying If we can find the next Fowler or Gerrard would you complain? It's NOT about giving Asian kids unfair advantages. It is about increasing opportunity for the club. If so doing also pleases our major sponsor and open opportunities for our owners so much the better.
Liverpool have missed a trick in Thailand for sure in my opinion. We are absolutely huge there, probably the club with the biggest support or at lease on a level with man u. They have now set up their own premier league over there and they have real skill and high fitness levels if not always the stature and tactical awareness (which coudl be taught). Their best team Buriram pea were trying to line us up to play them pre-season so that they could play their first game in their brand new stadium against us, but thye were told we didn't have time in our schedule this year, maybe next year.
I think so and when I say skill, you just have to look at their national sports kick boxing (which Im sure we've all seen) and trakaw which is a ridiculously hard kick ball game... [video=youtube;15asVgf66KI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15asVgf66KI[/video] They definately have more natural skill with their feet than us Westerners imo.
Hi Page Moss, figured I'd check this place out. I'm not trying to suggest there are not talented Asians... just they better be talented if we sign them- and they better not be "instead of someone better". If we miss the "next Gerrard" because we're keeping sponsors happy it wouldn't be good. Now, if the next Gerrard happens to be Asian- so be it. I don't care where the players are from to be honest.
Yes it is to keep sponsors happy but we should of been doing this years ago Our fan base is BIG over there,this Asia tour was a good idea And if we find some class players there that would be a bonus it's a win win situation
