da brdice： Liverpool’s season has already become something of a pantomime. Six points from seven games, the deadline day fiasco, a controversial TV documentary, another injury to Lucas and now just one senior striker available after Fabio Borini went and broke his foot on International duty.
da realbet： Lady luck has definitely not made a visit to Anfield in the past 18 months. But in an amongst all the drama, one positive has emerged which has been the sudden influx of talented academy graduates.
But in an and amongst all the hype surrounding the likes of Suso, Shelvey, Sterling and Andre Wisdom, Liverpool’s first pantomime moment of the season has almost been forgotten, surprising as it holds such links to the youth set up.
Eyebrows were first raised at Anfield on the eve of the new Premier League season, when news emerged that Jose ‘Pep’ Segura had quit his post as Liverpool’s Academy Technical Director, leaving a gaping hole in the management structure of the clubs youth set up.
Segura- who spent 13 years working with Barcelona’s youth set up – was bought in by former manager Rafael Benitez in 2009 in a bid to overhaul the academy at Anfield. One criticism of Benitez had been his failure to bring through a first team regular from the youth set up during his six-year tenure.
But once Segura stepped in alongside fellow coach Rodolfo Borrell, there was almost an immediate improvement. Players such as Jay Spearing, Martin Kelly, John Flanagan and Jack Robinson started to break into the first team during the second half of the 2010/11 season, whilst this season has seen the likes of Shelvey, Wisdom, Suso and Sterling flourish.
With the emergence of these players being seen as Liverpool’s only bright spark this season, it begs the question as to why the man who played such a huge part in their development was allowed to leave so cheaply?
Segura was understood to be an integral part of the academy set up, so much so that his coaching philosophy has been implemented across the entire age range of the academy. It is thought the Spaniard had drawn up a long term plan with Borrell in a bid to provide the first team with talented academy graduates for years to come.
He was rumoured to have quit his position having being angry at being overlooked for the promotion to first team coach. Brendan Rodgers opted to choose Mike Marsh for the position, despite the former U-18 coach being lower in the Anfield heirarchy.
Segura is understood to have seen this as a big snub, having previously thought the position was his. With the obvious talent at Rodgers disposal courtesy of the work done by Segura and his team, you wonder why Liverpool didn’t do more to keep him?
The Spaniard was regarded as one of the best in the business, and with the apparent focus at Anfield now being on youth development, it makes you wonder just how much of an impact his early season departure could have later down the line.
Liverpool still have some excellent people in charge of the academy, Borrell has stuck around and Frank McParland is very highly thought of at Anfield.
Only time will tell, but with such positivity surrounding the next generation of young talent, you hope it is sustained and the early season mistake from the clubs hierarchy with regards to Segura continues to go almost unnoticed.
Do you think Liverpool will live to regret their decision to allow Segura to leave so cheaply? Follow me on Twitter @LukeGreenwood89 and let me know your thoughts.