As I edited above, there was a Spanish CB too that had a decent career in Spain. Think he's died now (Could be wrong). Something like Mikel Jose? (Definitely wrong)
Are we talking those who have left us or those who have not? A) in the intervening say 12 years between Gerrard and recent times not many local youths. B) susos made impact at ac Milan. C) san jose in Spain, athletic Bilbao. D) sterling has been mentioned. E) Warnock was not quite Gerrard age. He won fa cup with Wigan. Played well for a few clubs and in prem. F) special mention to derby and clearing. Fa youth cup winners and locals both firmly league 1. G) ibe, 15mil player. H) Martin Kelly, palace for years. Solid but average. I) Tom ince. J) now... Trent, that's a major impact. K) won't mention the 5 or 6 kids who might make an impression. So..... there are a few trends here. A lot were bought not locals. Most were rafa era buys including sterling. Trent, woodburn, jones will be the best hope of local youth coming through. We are bringing a lost of interesting talent in too. Brewster was one. A few others have come in but I want to now point in tagseth as one to watch I pointed out Jones for 2 years. You all can see why. Now I want to point out this young lad as a centre midfielder. From Norway.
There were two Mikel san jose plays for athletic bilbao Miki roque is the poor lad who died of cancer. 5 years ago now.
The only reason Ince has made an impact is because of the talking his dad does. He's ****e. Hence everytime he gets a Prem move he ends up back in the Championship the next season. Gone from Hudders Ibe hasn't pushed on, pretty average Warnock is a lower league journeyman Sterling still can't shoot, but was already accepted as having an impact San jose is having a solid unspectacular career, hardly anything to rave about. Same with Kelly Trent and Sterling (and maybe Suso) are the only ones to really do anything. As to the future, that wasn't the point
We're talking about hype, Not just 'did they go onto have a career?' I'd expect most of our u18-23s to have solid careers after leaving, they've had excellent youth coaching. We've had a lot of young players with a lot of hype around them, but how many have gone on to reach that level or somewhere near that level. Gerrard was the example used originally.
Ok so I must have confused Flanagan getting mentioned with "next big thing" If it's hype then we have only had a few hype players. Owen had huge hype and was waited for about 3 years min... and thats with debut at 17. The thing about Gerrard is that locally everyone knew about this lad but he wasn't half as hyped as Owen. Pacheco was first of the social media ones and driven in large part by the club's own website. Sterling was absolutely huge hype before debut. I distinctly remember crowds doing what happens now with salah such was anticipation of his pace on his debut. Tbh since then there hasn't been one hyped hugely. Woodburn, not so much... maybe it's just every player is so over exposed. Even brewster who has done just ok hasn't been hyped and none of the current crop have much hype Not every year can have a massively hyped player as a kid. Every 2 or 3 years maybe. Anyway.....Jones is just good. Tagseth imo has a chance.
Btw... for me academies should be making league standard players,but even that is an achievement. 90% go nowhere.
I think it has something to do with lfc tv as well. Pacheco and others like nemeth, linfield at that time were shown a lot on lfc tv which was free to watch so a lot of people were seeing them on constant basis and hyping them up from that. Since then with lfc tv no longer free you barely see much of youth games unless you’re s member on website and see games and follow it closely which 95% of fans just don’t do.
Ibe to me always looked like more raw talent than Sterling. His main problem was always dribbling himself into a corner. I don't know what went wrong with Ibe. Peaked too early, not enough drive, coaches let him down, or just his technique only works at lower levels.
zero end product. same as Ryan Kent. lovely lad. people go here is a player! then nothing comes. contrast to Harry Wilson. just about everyone, klopp included doesn't fancy him as any sort of athlete then he scored 20 goals.
