Jose Segura – The brains behind Liverpool revolution?
It seems like too long since a great player emerged from the youth ranks at Liverpool Football Club and went on to be a club legend. The likes of Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler all emerged most recently and then who? Stephen Warnock who never made it properly at the club? Neil Mellor who’ll be remembered solely for one cracking strike against Arsenal? The fact is that Liverpool’s academy has not brought through any players who’ve made it at the club in over a decade but that could be about to change.
No I don’t mean it’ll change because the owners are too cheap to give Rafa Benitez the money needed to sign first team players and thus make him rely on youngsters, I mean because of this summer’s addition of former Barca youth coach Jose Segura. Segura worked with the likes of Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, Gerard Pique and Mikel Arteta – to name a few – during his tenure at Barca and since leaving can boast league and cup wins as a manager in Greece. Impressive career to date as it is, Segura signed up as technical manager for Liverpool’s academy this summer to the delight of compatriot Benitez who proclaimed
“He’s worked with some of the top young talent in Spain and knows the challenges faced in bringing through players to the first team set-up. He’s also got experience at the top, after his success with Olympiacos, and I’m delighted that he’s agreed to join us.”
And Segura’s presence is already being felt with youngsters looking capable of making the step up to the top level: Daniel Ayala and Martin Kelly have already impressed in the first team this season whilst Nathan Eccleston is believed to be one of the brightest young strikers in the country, Christopher Buchtmann is being hailed as a great prospect and Krisztian Nemeth, who’s been freescoring for the reserves for what seems like years now, has impressed on loan at AEK Athens and could be ready for a go in the first team when he returns to the club. Top talents from all over the world have arrived at the club and who better than Segura to help them achieve their potential?
Obviously there’s no guarantee that any of these players will make it at the club but, at a time when those fans who are quick to act like headless chickens are proclaiming a crisis, the first team could do with strengthening and that could well come from within – giving these youngsters at least a chance at making it in the big time. Frank Arnesen made a big difference at Tottenham’s youth academy to the degree that Chelsea wanted to pay big money to steal him away, Segura can have the same level of influence at Liverpool. With his experience joining a talented team surely there can be someone coming through soon to bring praise upon the academy once again – fans love nothing better than a player who’s come through the ranks at their club and the passionate Liverpool fans are no exception and are just waiting for a hero to emerge. Segura can make that hero.
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Segura is the technical director of the Academy, not the reserves.
If any youth players come through this season, it will have little to do with Segura.
You say that but don’t you think that Segura would’ve been asked to help the reserves out as well seeing as they’re still young and could benefit from his experience? Plus if anyone’s a good judge of young talent at Liverpool then Segura’s the man and he’ll have advised Rafa on who’s good enough to make the step up
Excellent article and feel his experience will be a massive influence at the football. As well as the players mentioned he also brought through the likes of Busquets, Krkic and Dos Santos brothers through, therefore if he can bring at least one or two of them through then it will be fantastic for the club.
Great piece – Yep agree with Kopstar here as this guy is incredibly prolific at spotting young talent and he could end up saving us a fortune by spotting these youngsters early and develop them accordingly. Exciting times ahead and some genuine quality at last coming through the ranks
Getting rid of Steve Highway seemed like a bad idea at the time but with Segura’s proven track record and how he and Daglish have Liverpool’s youth and reserve set up buzzing, they will reap the rewards.
To say:
Segura’s presence is already being felt with youngsters looking capable of making the step up to the top level: Daniel Ayala, Martin Kelly, Nathan Eccleston & Nemeth is wide of the mark, these players made the break through from the academy before he arrived.
In response to your reply to my post, the accademy is in a different location to where these train, and the likes of John McMahon and other coaches would be much better positioned to give this advice than Jose would.