Klopp: We have a responsibility to produce top talent

Joe Williams

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed his targets for producing young talent at Anfield.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Klopp spoke of his admiration for the club’s academy staff, before speaking about the importance of English players.

Klopp made a point of singling out local players, believe that there should be a pathway from the academy to the first-team squad.

“First of all it’s about football. It certainly makes sense that we have a big number of English players,” Klopp said.

“And if there’s a player who is a Scouser and can play football then we should go for him 100 per cent. But it’s not the first thing we should think about.

“They need to know about the possibility. To say it is one thing, to show it is completely different.

“These guys know now that if they improve and make the next steps then they will have a real future here.

“Even when they don’t have a future here, Liverpool has to create a situation where players who don’t progress to play in the first team, get to play minimum in the Championship and have the potential to play in the Premier League. The Championship is an unbelievable league with intense football.

“It’s not that we have 20 players in one age group and 15 of them are only going to be able to play in League Two.

“It’s our responsibility to help the boys. We judge them. They stay here because they are good but we have to help them go on to have a real career, whether that’s at Liverpool or somewhere else.”