GERRO’S GOING BACK TO BASICS
Stevie will teach kids ugly side of game too
STEVEN GERRARD will go back to basics ahead of his first foray into coaching at Liverpool.
Gerrard, 36, is chomping at the bit to influence the young stars of the future at his beloved club. And it is clear what ideas he already has after being named Liverpool’s Under-18s boss yesterday. Gerrard believes the influence of computer games and young players taking too much notice of Premier League stars has led to tricks being more important than learning the trade. “There is a showboating mentality through academies. A lot of kids that play the game think they have to do 10 lollipops or Cruyff turns to look good or stand out,” said Gerrard. “We all love a bit of skill and talent but the other side of the game is huge. I have to try and prepare them for careers. “Not all of them will play for Liverpool’s first team, but if I can help them to compete in the other side of the game it will help their careers. “Where does it come from? I don’t know, computer games? “There are a lot of skilful players in the game that young players try and emulate, probably too much instead of trying to be themselves and playing to their own strengths. They try and ® emulate other players in the game like a Ronaldo or that type of player.”
Gerrard is one of the finest products of Liverpool’s academy having made his firstteam debut in 1998. He went on to make 710 appearances. But he is also a product of the old school academies where kids cleaned boots and took buses to get to training.
He added: “The kids in our academy are coming into an unbelievable place to work.
“The full-time lads get a lot more money now than we got when we first started.
“They get a little bit too much, too soon. They get into that comfort zone of working in a lovely place and then it is a big shock for them when they have to move on or get released.
“That is what you have to drive into players, that while they are here you have to make sacrifices and don’t get too comfortable.
“I’ve seen a lot of players who have come out of the academy with huge reputations and go into the Melwood dressing room. It is sink or swim – and a lot of them sink.”
Gerrard will begin his job immediately as he tailors his pre-season plans and prepares for his first step on the management ladder.
He added: “It is a place where I can go and make many, many mistakes because that is what I’ve been told I am going to do – and I probably will.” FOOTBALL Man City (0) ............... 0 Man Utd (0) .............. 0 CRICKET Royal London One-Day Cup – Group A – Chester-le-Street: Northampton: New Road: DARTS Betway Premier League – Week 13 RUGBY LEAGUE Leeds ...................... 12 Huddersfield ............ 31 Leeds – T: G: Huddersfield – T: G: DG: SNOOKER Betfred World Championship – semi-final
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