We signed another Brøndby player

[Benitez]

I'm a bit concerned about Rafa's goalie fetish

[Atticus Finch]

I'm a bit concerned about Rafa's goalie fetish

 

Just buys in bulk - look at his centre back fetish in the summer! What position next?

[Benitez]

Just buys in bulk - look at his centre back fetish in the summer! What position next?

 

this is true!

 

He is a very methodical bloke. He is obviously going through our team. Next up left backs

[Bailo]

So we've got:

 

Reina

Carson

Martin

Mr Danish

Harrison (?)

 

Plenty of cover there, can any of them play LB?

[Jezzman]

So we've got:

 

Reina

Carson

Martin

Mr Danish

Harrison (?)

 

Plenty of cover there, can any of them play LB?

 

Mimms

Dudek

[Bailo]

Mimms

Dudek

Forgot about Mimms, though are you sure he wasn't a trialist let go?

 

And Dudek & Kirkland will be off by the end of the month or summer.

[Sara]

Willis? (think that's his name) the under 18 lad as well?

[Atticus Finch]

this is true!

 

He is a very methodical bloke. He is obviously going through our team. Next up left backs

 

I wonder if he is thinking that if he has 3 or 4 at a similar age in each position the competition amongst them will mean they develop quicker and to a better level. Plus the odds of one of them "making it" are shorter, the more you get in.

 

I also see he is focusing on the positions where we haven't really produced many good players through the ranks. [by good I mean good for us ie those that break into the team and stay there eg Carragher - he is the only defensive player in recent times, whereas comparatively we have had quite a lot of attacking talent come through].

[Kahnee]

this is true!

 

He is a very methodical bloke. He is obviously going through our team. Next up left backs

 

Didn't he say he wanted a reserve team of players who could step up if needed? He's clearly just buying a whole new second string. Be interested to see who he goes for up front. Anybody know of any young, s***-hot strikers?

[R A Softlad]

So we've got:

 

Reina

Carson

Martin

Mr Danish

Harrison (?)

 

Plenty of cover there, can any of them play LB?

 

 

Harrison's gone. We'll see if Mr Danish is worth his bacon over time. Maybe another Flying Pig...

[charlie clown]

we all dream of a team of goalkeepers, a team of goalkeepers, a team of goalkeepers.

[CarraLegend]

I wonder if he is thinking that if he has 3 or 4 at a similar age in each position the competition amongst them will mean they develop quicker and to a better level.

 

Could do, you always need more than 1 option anyway, its better to have 3 or 4 kids rather than just buying 1 and waiting 3 years to see if he'd be ready.

[Falconhoof]

Danish National TV are reporting that we've also bought the 15 year old Martin Hansen.

 

He's the Danish National U16 goalkeeper and he will join LFC this Summer (July 2006) when he has turned 16. He will be on a trainee contract until he turns 17. When he turns 17 he will get his professional contract which will run until 2009.

 

 

 

 

Mmmmbop

 

Just realised how gay that sounds. I was just referring to his surname though, in case anyone is wondering.

 

Edited January 12, 2006 by Cardinal Fang

[anny road]

Mmmmbop

 

Just realised how gay that sounds. I was just referring to his surname though, in case anyone is wondering.

 

 

 

so let me get this straight

 

you saw "Hansen" and you thought of the teen band with crap hair....not one of Liverpools greatest players

 

:macca:

[dodgy1]

A kid called Hansen will never make it as a defender for Liverpool. You win nothing with kids.

[fyds]

I think Rafa's thinking is a little more transparent on this - we now have a clutch of keepers (not counting those we know are certainly going to go) who span between no more than six-seven years - the one thing they all have in common is they have all been bar one(?) been brought in by Rafa and they have all impressed him.

 

What you have here, is rolling competion for places over a given time period, terrible loss of form and bad injury allowing for individuals. As the younger ones learn, we are never caught short for decent cover again - or at least for ten years, should all things remain equal and possibly longer. Maybe this is also the thinking with the younger ressies he's brought in Antwe, Calliste, Roque, Anderson, Hobbs, Barragan etc and continues to bring in. Strong kids and ressies (it doesn't speak well of the academy perhaps).

 

It shows signs of a 'master plan' emerging. As this current team loses members through age and injury, after a while, you have an immensly improved chance of someone stepping up and in, with his space taken behind him by another young find already on the books with the under 18's etc, or possibly a homegrown one in time. This is how you compete with the Chavs spending power - by not competing with it, by effectively - even if they are from the four corneres of the world - progressively growing your own. Big money buys would become possible but rare as 'bread-and-butter' and Rafa honed players would already be on tap, and many of the sort of buys you normally would see, possibly no longer needed most of the time.

 

There is an element of a gamble in this - but the odds are for a change perhaps slightly in his favour.

Edited January 12, 2006 by fyds

[alias75]

Thats how i see it fyds, and since all of the young players being brought in are at Melwood they are immediately learning Rafas way of playing. It reminds me a little of how Ajax do things with all their younger age groups playing the same formation, what Rafa is developing is in effect a younger version of the first team. Im sure the young defenders are being taught exactly the same ideas as the senior team and so the transition to the first team is an easier one, because you know exactly what your job is.

 

Competition at the younger age groups is important too and will help the development, the cream will rise to the top and make the step up into the first team. The cost is irrelevant really since 1 or 2 players making the first team will save the club millions and im sure those not making the grade will have received a top footballing education and will be wanted maybe lower down the divisions.

 

No club can compete finacially with Chelsea but this is a good way of bringing in some very talented young players and turning them into Rafa players without risking millions.

[Shadow Moon]

I view all this investment in youth talent as yet another sign of Rafa wanting to be in this for the really long term.

[Bootle Buck]

Young Goalies 'r' us

[Dominus Maximus]

I view all this investment in youth talent as yet another sign of Rafa wanting to be in this for the really long term.

 

Me 2

[fyds]

I view all this investment in youth talent as yet another sign of Rafa wanting to be in this for the really long term.

I think you and alias both make valid additional points there - Ged laid a lot of the original groundwork with the facilities to get this right, and Rafa has recognised this and taken it up a few gears and it does show every indication of being a very long term plan. All this 'I want to be here for fifteen years' stuff he's said may not be just nice talk at all.

[Falconhoof]

so let me get this straight

 

you saw "Hansen" and you thought of the teen band with crap hair....not one of Liverpools greatest players

 

:macca:

 

 

at least I haven't remembered their hair like you obviously have.