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FRANK McPARLAND: What does it take to be a Liverpool player? Personality... we had one German lad who said: 'I've had a look at my wage slip and I want to opt out of this tax thing!'
By THE FOOTBALLERS' COLUMN
PUBLISHED: 12:00, 9 January 2013 | UPDATED: 12:47, 9 January 2013
The Footballers' Football Columns, MailOnline's new exclusive series, are about the beautiful game, written by people who play it, coach it and run it. Frank McParland is Liverpool’s Director of Academy and Player Development. He is based at their academy in Kirkby, outside Liverpool, and has been with the club for nearly 20 years. McParland liaises with technical director Rodolfo Borrell and reserves coach Alex Inglethorpe as they target new recruits and assess which players are ready to move up through the ranks in the hope of impressing manager Brendan Rodgers...
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People often ask what makes a Liverpool player? Talent and ability is the obvious first point of attraction but we want a winning mentality, a strong character. Someone who puts their personality on a game.
Andre Wisdom has personality, Raheem Sterling has it - you know he is on the pitch. We heard about him when he was 14 and on the bench at QPR and even saw him on Soccer AM doing the Skills School, where he was brilliant.
We watched him in the England U15s set up, put the intelligence together and knew he was for us.
We study players from the age of five.
At that age you are looking for someone who stands out in terms of co-ordination, maybe he is very quick or very athletic. We invite mini clubs to come in so it also creates a feelgood factor with strong community spirit. The local clubs feel an affiliation with us.
Scroll down for video
Andre, meet Mr Wisdom: Jamie Carragher (right) is Andre Wisdom's mentor at Liverpool
Youth club: Liverpool's Conor Coady (left) and Raheem Sterling walk across the pitch before their 2-1 FA Cup third round win at Mansfield on Sunday
VIDEO: Pounds Sterling... Raheem on Soccer AM's Skill Skool
Five-year-olds often all chase the ball together so we break that up and give them little training exercises. Even at five we are looking to see if they can play with right and left feet.
Some may just be good at every sport they try. Raheem, for example, is also great at table tennis and that can give you an indication.
We'll keep inviting different groups in of five, six, seven and eight-year-olds, inviting some back, and we go through thousands of players. Everton and Manchester United do the same.
If you don't do it then when it comes to the time you can sign a player, at nine, you won't know who the best ones are and they could sign for other clubs.
Academy director: McParland runs Liverpool's youth set up at Kirby
More from The Footballers' Column...
The manager Brendan Rodgers and I have a regular monthly meeting and we speak three or four times a week.
I always make sure I call him 'the boss'. It sets an example for the lads to follow and it’s something I’ve always done with Roy Evans, Gerard Houllier, Rafa Benitez, Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish.
To be manager of Liverpool Football Club is a massive role with huge responsibility and that should be reflected with respect. He is the boss and that's how players and staff should address him.
The manager gives fantastic support to the young players, that’s evident with who has figured in the first team this season. We've had six academy players involved this season not including Raheem as he was involved last year.
If I want a player the manager and I go over it. He asks how he will fit in, watches a DVD of the player and then if we pursue it will spend an hour with the parents and with the boy.
Young players at Liverpool are treated as one of our family, one of our own. We are their surrogate family if you like and it’s important we educate them, not just in football but in life.
Gone are the days when apprentices were cleaning boots or toilets and baths but there was an important side to those chores.
We make sure our lads visit Alder Hey Children’s Hospital not just at Christmas but monthly. We want them to empathise with the young children there and realise just how lucky they are to have the life they have.
While we there, one of the organisers said that Conor Coady, one of our England U19 internationals, was one of the nicest people they have ever had visit the hospital because of how he helped out, got involved. That gives us a sense of pride that we are doing the right things.
Four managers, four bosses: McParland has worked under Kenny Dalglish (clockwise from above, left), Rafa Benitex, Roy Evans - consoling Jason McAteer after the 1996 FA Cup final - and Gerard Houllier
We send the lads to the Liverpool Homeless shelters also to help out, not in their tracksuits; in their civvies. We don’t want anyone thinking they are anything other than normal teenagers.
Some of the things we do, your average fan would laugh at. We have to teach the foreign lads how to shop, how to iron a shirt, work a washing machine. We even give them a small car maintenance course so they can change a tyre or spark plug.
We had one funny moment when one of the German lads came in and queried his wage slip. He said: 'Excuse me but I want to opt out of this tax thing. I have looked at may wage slip and they are taking too much money off me!'
We had to point out that was a way of life here, sadly.
Net gains: McParland and his team start looking for talent when boys are at the age of five
As footballers’ careers improve they have to do less and less in life but if they don’t progress they need to know how to cope in the big wide world.
We are aware of people’s perceptions and the trappings for young players with money.
We always tell them to make sure their first car is a small one and we bring the police in to talk to them about safe driving.
Sadly, we’ve heard of it so many times of kids in cars speeding and getting involved in accidents.
It happens so we have to make sure our lads get the right message.
Phil Roscoe and Clive Cook do an unbelievable job looking after this aspect of their education.
Before last night's NextGen Series game against Inter Milan - which we won 4-1, the lads put in a marvellous performance to go through to the knockout stages - we had a friendly match on Saturday morning at Kirkby between our Under 18s and reserves.
Marc Pelosi, a German-born American left-sided midfield player who has been with us for about a year, and our Hungarian striker Krisztian Adorjan both did well.
Rodolfo Borrell, who is very hands on, myself and Alex Inglethorpe had a discussion and both will play at St Helens on Tuesday.
Making his Marc: Liverpool's Marc Pelosi competes with Magnus Blakstad of Rosenborg during the NextGen Series match at Langtree Park, St Helens in November
Latin flair: Joao Texeira in action for Portugal's U18sThe NextGen Series has been fantastic for us. The lads experience what it is like to go to the next level.
You are travelling across Europe like the first team do. Spending time at airports, on planes, in hotels, coping with the downtime, playing top European teams such as Sporting Lisbon.
It’s a brilliant learning curve. Even in the games you have different referees and formations to adjust to. For the likes of myself it allowed us to scout one or two players too.
One that was outstanding last year was Joao Texeira at Sporting.
We knew when we saw him he was one for us and when we got the chance to sign him the manager backed me and we spent a considerable sum on him.
The trouble was when we got to the medical his back was in a seriously bad way. We questioned going ahead with it but he was worth the risk.
He was put in a back brace for six months and after some fantastic work by the physios he is starting to play again. He is going to be a top, top player.
The scale of this club was brought home to the players when we went to Singapore prior to Christmas. The support Liverpool has in the Far East is amazing.
We played in a tournament and it was beamed on TV to 50 countries. You could see it was difficult for some of the lads to comprehend but it's all part of the education. Welcome to being a player at Liverpool Football Club.
FRANK McPARLAND: What does it take to be a Liverpool player? Personality... we had one German lad who said: 'I've had a look at my wage slip and I want to opt out of this tax thing!'
By THE FOOTBALLERS' COLUMN
PUBLISHED: 12:00, 9 January 2013 | UPDATED: 12:47, 9 January 2013
Play Video
People often ask what makes a Liverpool player? Talent and ability is the obvious first point of attraction but we want a winning mentality, a strong character. Someone who puts their personality on a game.
Andre Wisdom has personality, Raheem Sterling has it - you know he is on the pitch. We heard about him when he was 14 and on the bench at QPR and even saw him on Soccer AM doing the Skills School, where he was brilliant.
We watched him in the England U15s set up, put the intelligence together and knew he was for us.
We study players from the age of five.
At that age you are looking for someone who stands out in terms of co-ordination, maybe he is very quick or very athletic. We invite mini clubs to come in so it also creates a feelgood factor with strong community spirit. The local clubs feel an affiliation with us.
Scroll down for video
Andre, meet Mr Wisdom: Jamie Carragher (right) is Andre Wisdom's mentor at Liverpool
Youth club: Liverpool's Conor Coady (left) and Raheem Sterling walk across the pitch before their 2-1 FA Cup third round win at Mansfield on Sunday
VIDEO: Pounds Sterling... Raheem on Soccer AM's Skill Skool
Five-year-olds often all chase the ball together so we break that up and give them little training exercises. Even at five we are looking to see if they can play with right and left feet.
Some may just be good at every sport they try. Raheem, for example, is also great at table tennis and that can give you an indication.
We'll keep inviting different groups in of five, six, seven and eight-year-olds, inviting some back, and we go through thousands of players. Everton and Manchester United do the same.
If you don't do it then when it comes to the time you can sign a player, at nine, you won't know who the best ones are and they could sign for other clubs.
Academy director: McParland runs Liverpool's youth set up at Kirby
More from The Footballers' Column...
- CAROLYN RADFORD: Suarez a cheat? I'd like to think one of my players would own up but football's not like that... And the secret to a swinging Mansfield party: Elvis and Bob Marley (of course)07/01/13
- THE FOOTBALLERS' FOOTBALL COLUMN - KEVIN BETSY: Why my boss Hill is the non-league Harry Redknapp... And these lads are hot - the best lower league talent available this transfer window04/01/13
- THE FOOTBALLERS' FOOTBALL COLUMN - MARTIN ALLEN: I can't believe people pay £70 for Premier League football, it's like watching chess... Diving? I did it all the time, 'course I did21/12/12
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- VIEW FULL ARCHIVE
The manager Brendan Rodgers and I have a regular monthly meeting and we speak three or four times a week.
I always make sure I call him 'the boss'. It sets an example for the lads to follow and it’s something I’ve always done with Roy Evans, Gerard Houllier, Rafa Benitez, Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish.
To be manager of Liverpool Football Club is a massive role with huge responsibility and that should be reflected with respect. He is the boss and that's how players and staff should address him.
The manager gives fantastic support to the young players, that’s evident with who has figured in the first team this season. We've had six academy players involved this season not including Raheem as he was involved last year.
If I want a player the manager and I go over it. He asks how he will fit in, watches a DVD of the player and then if we pursue it will spend an hour with the parents and with the boy.
Young players at Liverpool are treated as one of our family, one of our own. We are their surrogate family if you like and it’s important we educate them, not just in football but in life.
Gone are the days when apprentices were cleaning boots or toilets and baths but there was an important side to those chores.
We make sure our lads visit Alder Hey Children’s Hospital not just at Christmas but monthly. We want them to empathise with the young children there and realise just how lucky they are to have the life they have.
While we there, one of the organisers said that Conor Coady, one of our England U19 internationals, was one of the nicest people they have ever had visit the hospital because of how he helped out, got involved. That gives us a sense of pride that we are doing the right things.
Four managers, four bosses: McParland has worked under Kenny Dalglish (clockwise from above, left), Rafa Benitex, Roy Evans - consoling Jason McAteer after the 1996 FA Cup final - and Gerard Houllier
We send the lads to the Liverpool Homeless shelters also to help out, not in their tracksuits; in their civvies. We don’t want anyone thinking they are anything other than normal teenagers.
Some of the things we do, your average fan would laugh at. We have to teach the foreign lads how to shop, how to iron a shirt, work a washing machine. We even give them a small car maintenance course so they can change a tyre or spark plug.
We had one funny moment when one of the German lads came in and queried his wage slip. He said: 'Excuse me but I want to opt out of this tax thing. I have looked at may wage slip and they are taking too much money off me!'
We had to point out that was a way of life here, sadly.
Net gains: McParland and his team start looking for talent when boys are at the age of five
LIVERPOOL U19 4-1 INTER MILAN U19
Reds storm into NextGen knockout stages
Liverpool (Coady 30min Pen, 77 Pen, Yesil 35', 65'), Internazionale 1 (Benassi 61')
Liverpool reached the last 16 of the NextGen Series with a well deserved 4-1 victory against holders Internazionale last night.
The Reds knew they needed three points to qualify for the last 16 of the tournament and they started very confidently.
Captain Conor Coady led his team from midfield and dictated play from the outset. Coady opened the scoring from the penalty spot on thirty minutes shortly before Samed Yesil slotted past Dawid Smug to take the home side into the break 2-0 up.
Inter came out fighting in the second half with Marco Benassi finding the net on sixty-one minutes but Liverpool responded almost immediately with German U21 International Samed Yesil grabbing his second goal on the night with a fine finish.
Ryan McLaughlin won his second penalty of the game ten minutes from time which Coady converted to end the game at 4-1 and send his side through to the last 16.
The result means all but one team have officially qualified for the last 16 - Chelsea will qualify should they avoid a 12-goal defeat away to Ajax later this month. Should that happen, Marseille will qualify.
Generally, we're helping them grow up, train them for life. We don’t just want good footballers we want good, rounded men. Reds storm into NextGen knockout stages
Liverpool (Coady 30min Pen, 77 Pen, Yesil 35', 65'), Internazionale 1 (Benassi 61')
Liverpool reached the last 16 of the NextGen Series with a well deserved 4-1 victory against holders Internazionale last night.
The Reds knew they needed three points to qualify for the last 16 of the tournament and they started very confidently.
Captain Conor Coady led his team from midfield and dictated play from the outset. Coady opened the scoring from the penalty spot on thirty minutes shortly before Samed Yesil slotted past Dawid Smug to take the home side into the break 2-0 up.
Inter came out fighting in the second half with Marco Benassi finding the net on sixty-one minutes but Liverpool responded almost immediately with German U21 International Samed Yesil grabbing his second goal on the night with a fine finish.
Ryan McLaughlin won his second penalty of the game ten minutes from time which Coady converted to end the game at 4-1 and send his side through to the last 16.
The result means all but one team have officially qualified for the last 16 - Chelsea will qualify should they avoid a 12-goal defeat away to Ajax later this month. Should that happen, Marseille will qualify.
As footballers’ careers improve they have to do less and less in life but if they don’t progress they need to know how to cope in the big wide world.
We are aware of people’s perceptions and the trappings for young players with money.
We always tell them to make sure their first car is a small one and we bring the police in to talk to them about safe driving.
Sadly, we’ve heard of it so many times of kids in cars speeding and getting involved in accidents.
It happens so we have to make sure our lads get the right message.
Phil Roscoe and Clive Cook do an unbelievable job looking after this aspect of their education.
Before last night's NextGen Series game against Inter Milan - which we won 4-1, the lads put in a marvellous performance to go through to the knockout stages - we had a friendly match on Saturday morning at Kirkby between our Under 18s and reserves.
Marc Pelosi, a German-born American left-sided midfield player who has been with us for about a year, and our Hungarian striker Krisztian Adorjan both did well.
Rodolfo Borrell, who is very hands on, myself and Alex Inglethorpe had a discussion and both will play at St Helens on Tuesday.
Making his Marc: Liverpool's Marc Pelosi competes with Magnus Blakstad of Rosenborg during the NextGen Series match at Langtree Park, St Helens in November
Latin flair: Joao Texeira in action for Portugal's U18s
You are travelling across Europe like the first team do. Spending time at airports, on planes, in hotels, coping with the downtime, playing top European teams such as Sporting Lisbon.
It’s a brilliant learning curve. Even in the games you have different referees and formations to adjust to. For the likes of myself it allowed us to scout one or two players too.
One that was outstanding last year was Joao Texeira at Sporting.
We knew when we saw him he was one for us and when we got the chance to sign him the manager backed me and we spent a considerable sum on him.
The trouble was when we got to the medical his back was in a seriously bad way. We questioned going ahead with it but he was worth the risk.
He was put in a back brace for six months and after some fantastic work by the physios he is starting to play again. He is going to be a top, top player.
The scale of this club was brought home to the players when we went to Singapore prior to Christmas. The support Liverpool has in the Far East is amazing.
HAPPY CHILDREN CHARITY
Frank McParland supports the Happy Children Charitable Foundation.
For more information, click here:www.happychildrencharitablefoundation.org
We took our U19s yet there were thousands at the airport to greet us. They even had banners with Adam Morgan's name on them. Frank McParland supports the Happy Children Charitable Foundation.
For more information, click here:www.happychildrencharitablefoundation.org
We played in a tournament and it was beamed on TV to 50 countries. You could see it was difficult for some of the lads to comprehend but it's all part of the education. Welcome to being a player at Liverpool Football Club.
