Liverpool U21 watch: will this young talent save the Reds millions?
Striker Adam Morgan may be stealing headlines for his goals with Liverpool's U21s, but in defence Belfast-born Ryan McLaughlin's hard work and classy displays on the right have given Kopites reason to be excited.
He signed a three-year contract at the start of the current season after joining the Reds academy in 2011. Here, talkSPORT's Talent Spotter takes a closer look at a potential successor to Glen Johnson.
Name: Ryan McLaughlin
Date of birth: 30/09/94
Born: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Club: Liverpool
Position: Right-back
The nitty gritty:
1) In the club's most recent U21 Premier League match, Liverpool saw off Spurs 5-0, with McLaughlin heavily involved in defence and attack. He won a penalty that led to Adam Morgan putting the Reds 1-0 up and then scored the club's third goal.
2) When first team manager Brendan Rodgers was forced to play with four centre-backs in the 1-0 defeat to Southampton at Anfield earlier in the season, many used the club forums to say that McLaughlin should have been given a chance at full-back.
3) McLaughlin is so focused on progressing at Liverpool that he turned down the chance to play for the senior Northern Ireland team. Revealing the player's request to not be considered for the nation's U21 side and seniors, manager Michael O'Neill said in August: “Ryan feels at this moment in time that coming away on international duty will be detrimental to his progress at Liverpool.”
4) This season he has played four U21 games and has yet to lose, featuring in games against Man United, Leicester, Man City and Tottenham. He's a solid defender who has played on both the right and left, but is equally confident running at opposition defences and delivering accurate crosses into the box. His tireless running and good movement usually sees him in plenty of space on the flanks.
What is being said?
He says:
“I hope to just be playing well and hopefully the performances can impress the first-team manager.”
They say:
"He's a really good kid and very highly talented. Talent alone is not enough, though, and he needs to maintain the hunger and attitude to want to get better, which he's already shown. He's got to have the ability and mindset to work hard and if he does all those things, then he'll have a terrific chance of having a good career.”
- Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers
Video evidence:
Which Liverpool youngster do you think will have a good chance of making the first team?
He signed a three-year contract at the start of the current season after joining the Reds academy in 2011. Here, talkSPORT's Talent Spotter takes a closer look at a potential successor to Glen Johnson.
Name: Ryan McLaughlin
Date of birth: 30/09/94
Born: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Club: Liverpool
Position: Right-back
The nitty gritty:
1) In the club's most recent U21 Premier League match, Liverpool saw off Spurs 5-0, with McLaughlin heavily involved in defence and attack. He won a penalty that led to Adam Morgan putting the Reds 1-0 up and then scored the club's third goal.
2) When first team manager Brendan Rodgers was forced to play with four centre-backs in the 1-0 defeat to Southampton at Anfield earlier in the season, many used the club forums to say that McLaughlin should have been given a chance at full-back.
3) McLaughlin is so focused on progressing at Liverpool that he turned down the chance to play for the senior Northern Ireland team. Revealing the player's request to not be considered for the nation's U21 side and seniors, manager Michael O'Neill said in August: “Ryan feels at this moment in time that coming away on international duty will be detrimental to his progress at Liverpool.”
4) This season he has played four U21 games and has yet to lose, featuring in games against Man United, Leicester, Man City and Tottenham. He's a solid defender who has played on both the right and left, but is equally confident running at opposition defences and delivering accurate crosses into the box. His tireless running and good movement usually sees him in plenty of space on the flanks.
What is being said?
He says:
“I hope to just be playing well and hopefully the performances can impress the first-team manager.”
They say:
"He's a really good kid and very highly talented. Talent alone is not enough, though, and he needs to maintain the hunger and attitude to want to get better, which he's already shown. He's got to have the ability and mindset to work hard and if he does all those things, then he'll have a terrific chance of having a good career.”
- Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers
Video evidence:
Which Liverpool youngster do you think will have a good chance of making the first team?
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