Rising Reds

Liverpool's most accomplished academy product, Steven Gerrard, may have called time on his Anfield career, but Reds fans can look forward to a bumper crop from the production line at Kirkby.

That's the view of Liverpool's 346-goal record goalscorer Ian Rush.

Jerome Sinclair, 18, was the latest Reds youth product to make his Premier League debut against Chelsea on May 10, featuring alongside Raheem Sterling, 20, and Jordon Ibe, 19.

Last season, Brendan Rodgers also blooded Jordan Rossiter, 18, and Joao Teixeira, 22, while Jon Flanagan had an impressive 2013/14 before his progress was curtailed by injury.

On the sidelines of the Standard Chartered Trophy Final at Anfield in May, Rush told The New Paper: "Sometimes, a magic group comes through. At one point, Liverpool had Gerrard, (Jamie) Carragher and (Michael) Owen.

"But it takes time for these (good crops) to come through. Then it's down to the manager. I think Rodgers is a good manager because (to him) if you're good enough, you're old enough. 

"A lot of the managers before wouldn't put these young boys in... at the moment, we've got Ibe and Sinclair coming through.

"Good generations don't come along very often, so you got to make full use of it."

Liverpool's production pipeline seemed to have been reduced to a mere trickle since Gerrard made the grade in 1998.

Sterling, who was signed from QPR in 2010, was the most exciting youngster to emerge in recent seasons, before his acrimonious departure to Manchester City earlier this month.

Former Reds defensive stalwart Alan Kennedy believes that it is rare to get a golden generation of youth products like Manchester United's in the early 1990s and the club should focus on the odd player or two making the step up.

He told TNP: "There's been a big gap (since Gerrard), hasn't there?

GOLDEN GENERATION

"When David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Gary Neville came through (at Manchester United), they were a bunch of players coming through in a good team, and they came through all together.

"What we're finding now is we get the odd one coming through. Like (Raheem) Sterling whom Liverpool developed into the player he is today.

"Liverpool will never stop developing players."

Meanwhile, former Reds wing wonder John Barnes believes the talent drought was a result of successive managers being burdened by the weight of instant success.

He explained: "Idealistically, the academy system is what every club want... But realistically, the problem we have here in England, not so much now because we have (players like) Ibe coming through, but previously - between Gerrard and Ibe for example - is that managers are under so much pressure to deliver instant success.

"They can't afford to bring kids through the academy.

"If you are a manager and you say, 'I've got some great kids at the academy. Give me three years, but we're not going to win anything in the meanwhile', you're going to lose your job.

"So what do you do? Stick with the kids in the academy or just sign a player for £20 million ($42.2m)."

Like Rush, Barnes feels that Rodgers deserves credit for being unafraid to blood the youngsters.

He said: "You have to support managers like Rodgers, who's got a good philosophy of bringing players through.

"But here we are now, despite last season, questioning his position. Give him time and he can bring these young players through."

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HARRY WILSON

Nationality: Welsh

Age: 18

Position: Winger

Did you know?

When Wilson became Wales’ youngest international at 16 in a friendly against Belgium two years ago, he earned his grandfather £125,000 ($264,000).

Pete Edwards backed his grandson to play for Wales to the tune of £50 at odds of 2500/1 when the Liverpool youngster was just 18 months old.

What they say:

"If he fulfils his potential, there is another good player on our hands... He’s been brilliant in training. He is full of enthusiasm and has shown some lovely touches."

- Wales manager Chris Coleman (above)

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JORDAN ROSSITER

Nationality: English

Age: 18

Position: Central midfielder

Did you know?

Dubbed the next Steven Gerrard, Rossiter became the Reds’ second youngest scorer after Michael Owen, with his goal in the Reds’ League Cup third-round match Middlesbrough on Sept 23 last year, when the Reds drew 2-2 and won 14- 13 on penalties. Followed the senior team in their recent pre-season tour.

What they say:

"Big shout but potentially, a young Stevie G."

- Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler (above)

"I like the look of him. He’s got a bit of character and steel that me and Stevie have had. He’s a great talent."

- Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher

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PEDRO CHIRIVELLA

Nationality: Spanish

Age: 18

Position: Central midfielder

Did you know?

Chirivella was nicknamed "The Computer" by Liverpool's former academy director Ray McParland for his reading of the game and ability to chose the right pass.

The Spain U-18 captain, who was signed from Valencia, was also in the squad that recently toured Asia and Australia.

What they say:

"Just talking about Pedro Chirivella gives me goosebumps. In England, there would have to be 100 Pedro Chirivellas in order to revolutionise English football. Chirivella is football, he is intelligence, control, technique, personality. I expect great things from him."

- Liverpool’s Spanish chief scout David Vizcaino

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JEROME SINCLAIR

Nationality: English

Age: 18

Position: Striker

Did you know?

Reds striker Daniel Sturridge described Sinclair as one of his "three lil bros", along with Raheem Sterling and Jordon Ibe, as the trio were on the field when Sinclair made his debut in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea on May 10. However, his Anfield future is in doubt after rejecting a new deal.

What they say:

"(Jerome) is a massive talent... and I’m sure we’ll see a lot more of him."

- Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana (above)

"I think it’s a big ask for Jerome to go straight into the Liverpool first team... He needs to go out on loan, get games under his belt and prove himself in men's football."

- Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher