Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MOWBRAY’S CRECHE COURSE!
Rovers boss entrusted with looking after Reds’ latest Golden Child Elliott
TONY MOWBRAY has to make sure 17-year-old Harvey Elliott does his maths homework and always gets him a taxi so he reaches home safely.
Mowbray has been entrusted by Jurgen Klopp to look after one of Liverpool’s new jewels and understands the weighty responsibility.
The Blackburn boss said: “Elliott is going to be a huge asset for Liverpool. They need to make sure he is in the right environment, and if they don’t think that is the case, they will take him out.”
Klopp is on the phone weekly to see his teenage superstar is getting what he needs on a season’s loan. Mowbray signed midfielder Elliott in the last window, and the youngster scored a simple goal at the end of a magnificent move for Rovers’ third in the thrashing of Coventry.
“I hope Elliott’s with us because Liverpool trust us with their young players,” said Mowbray. “Liverpool watch his games and are coming in this week to talk about him.
“Lots of clubs asked about Elliott and it’s because we are in the north west, and he doesn’t have to stay in digs or live in a hotel, that tipped the balance for us.
“He doesn’t even drive yet. He comes in a taxi every day. Like tonight, when we drop him off, we have to make sure he gets in his taxi and the driver is there waiting for him.
“We had Liverpool’s education people on this week. He is still a second-year scholar and so you have to make sure he does his maths homework or his English essay.
“In terms of his football, Elliott is an adolescent, but the talent is there for everyone to see.”
Elliott has only played two games for Rovers, a 3-1 defeat at Watford and this thumping of Coventry.
”Klopp really likes Elliott, but we are talking about European and Premier League champions. At 17, it is very difficult for him to impact that team,” added Mowbray.
And the Rovers boss revealed that Elliott gets a text or call from Klopp ever y week. “It doesn’t surprise me. Klopp has amazing human qualities – what you see on TV is what you get in your office.”
Coventry were down to 10 men f o l l o w i n g Mi c h a e l R o s e ’s 14th-minute sending off. Adam Armstrong got Rovers’ first two goals – including a penalty, Sam Gallagher grabbed their late fourth.
Elliott said: “I had a message from the gaffer (Klopp) before I came to Blackburn and he was 100 per cent confident in me coming here. Hopefully, I can show what I can do.”
The Sky Blues need key injured players back quickly or their return to the Championship will be short.
“It was a lesson in what this league’s about,” said boss Mark Robins. “We’ll get on with the next one at Middlesbrough on Tuesday.”