Several players have emerged from Liverpool's youth ranks to gain opportunities at first-team level under Jürgen Klopp this term, following in the footsteps of recent graduates such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones and Neco Williams.
The Reds' U18s, meanwhile, are preparing to play at Anfield as they host Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals on Friday night, with Inglethorpe set to proudly watch on from the stands.
We recently caught up with the Academy manager to discuss the 2020-21 campaign in detail, his optimism for the future, and developments taken in Kirkby to care for current and former players.
Read the interview below.
On the past year at the Academy, on and off the pitch…
It has certainly been a strange year. I think that's for everyone, of course, but for academies as well. One of the main achievements is we've been able to have had a programme which looks something like it has looked previously, so having parents back in and managing that, I think they have all played their part. The staff have been tremendous in having to live a year where they are working, they are coaching and then they are not coaching for a couple of months, then they are back in again. I think they have all had to adapt, and the players have contributed to that as well. It has been difficult for everybody but in reflecting on a very unique season, the way everybody has pulled together at the club - and certainly at the Academy everyone has pulled together to allow the programme to continue when we've been allowed to continue it - has been something which has made me very proud.
On the quality shown by all the teams at the Academy in 2020-21…
It gets better every season. There's no question that the technical level is improving, the physical level is improving, and I'm talking about all the age groups because here we operate from pre-Academy from eight years of age right up to the U23s. I can see the style, for me, is definitely getting better and there's a lot of players in each age group who really excite me for the future.
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On how the relationship between the Academy and first-team set-up has changed with the opening of the AXA Training Centre at Kirkby…
It's actually a real shame that the building is not able to be used at the minute as it was probably designed to, where there would be a more natural flow of staff and players being able to have access. For obvious reasons we have not been able to do that. The U23s section of the building, which we have occupied for a while now, is amazing and I love it! I love the way that the staff, the players, the proximity they have there I think is fantastic. I love that they are just a door away from being in the first-team building as well, which is really great, and hopefully in the not-too-distant future the building will be used as it was designed and intended for.
On all eyes being on the players now whenever they train or are involved in a match…
It's lovely having the building there, but it's also fantastic that you never know who is going to pop their head round or appear on the training field. That does add to the level of anticipation and excitement that you feel. I'd like to think the players would train that way regardless, and I suppose it's part of what we do at the Academy to try to create habits. One of those habits is you train in the correct way irrespective of who is watching, but there's no doubt suddenly a figure appearing on the balcony and everyone is aware, even if it's the window cleaner! It's definitely something which will be a benefit for us.
On more Academy players getting their chance in the first team this season…
That's the beauty of football, in it's never really planned and you never quite know when it's going to happen. This year has been unique for the opportunities that have come by for some of the Academy players and I think that, irrespective of how they have performed, they will have learned from it and I think they will grow from the experience that they have had.
On his pride when he sees those youngsters getting opportunities…
I think it's individual for all of them because I am aware of all of their journeys it has taken them to get there. You take someone like Nat [Phillips], who was let go by Bolton and we took him on a trial. We took him to Germany with us and he certainly divided opinion, but I was so delighted that he did sign for us and someone like Nat, you appreciate the bumps in the road that he's had to get over to get to where he is. Rhys Williams would never have been on anyone's radar to be playing this season and he was on loan at Kidderminster this time last year competing for them. Whether it's Curtis [Jones] who has played a few more games, whether it's Trent [Alexander-Arnold] who continues to play, I think the range of emotions is completely different for all of them depending on those particular journeys that they have been on.
On helping players deal with high expectations…
I think that's probably the largest part of the job, which is dealing with players when things maybe don't go according to plan. In life really but certainly in football, when everything is going well you don't need to do anything other than a pat on the back and say, 'Keep going.' I think it's when things don't go quite so well, when there is a change or a disappointment, that's when hopefully you are called into action to help. All I can say for someone like Rhys is the experience that he's had, he's proven that he can cope and proven that he can play, and his profile and his ability to play at that level will be viewed differently now.
On the other side of the job, in telling players they are not going to be kept on at the Academy…
I can honestly say, and it's not some sort of throwaway line, but it is the hardest part of the role having to say goodbye. No matter how many years you have been doing it, you still don't feel like you ever quite find the words that are correct or will make your sentiments any easier for a child or a parent to listen to, but it's heartfelt and it's horrible. You are realising that you are crushing a dream, even though you realise within that you are actually trying to do your best for that child. Sometimes it's better for the child to go and play somewhere else because the opportunity and the pathway might just be a bit clearer for them. It's certainly something that doesn't get any easier.
On the support offered to players by the Academy even if they are no longer with Liverpool…
I think it depends on the age that it finishes. I think we have become pretty good at organising further opportunities for the players in the younger age groups. At the older age we've got an alumni manager. That's a really important role and it's a role that is going to become even more important as the years roll on. I appreciate that when you sign for us you perhaps give up something in the way of further opportunities in education. I don't mean A Levels, BTEC or GSCEs, but probably the ability to go to university and further education in that regard. Our alumni manager, at the minute Phil Roscoe, our player care manager, takes care of that, and his role is to make sure that when a player leaves our Academy, he just keeps in contact with them. It's not an email, it's a phone call and it's a conversation and it's something which I'm very passionate about. I realise that actually they might need help, perhaps it's not when you just leave but maybe when you get to 23, 24 and you are falling out of the footballing pyramid. Maybe that's when you need the real support and that's when you need the guidance around education. Whether that's careers advice or some sort of intervention, or whether it's just that you need to come back in for a cup of tea or catch-up with the coaches. It's a really, really important role and one I believe that in years to come will become even more significant in what we are doing at the Academy.
On an exciting future for the Academy, which continues to go from strength to strength…
We've just got to continue working really hard at what we are doing. I think we've got an incredible situation where we have our manager and his staff are more than willing to give opportunities to younger players. That doesn't necessarily mean they have got a clear flight path into the first team, but what it does mean is they have got an opportunity to at least show what they are capable of doing. It's just a continual quest to become better at what we do - and that's players and staff.