23 Jun 2015

Done Deal: 'Excellent' 22-year old signs long-term deal with Liverpool. Better than Brad Jones?

More exciting transfer news! After the unbelievably exhilarating signings of James Milner, Adam Bogdan, Danny Ings, and Joe Gomez, Liverpool goalkeeper Danny Ward - who in three years has never kicked a ball for the club - has signed a new long-term deal with the club.

According to the Official Liverpool FC website:

"[Ward] has officially committed his future to the Reds by penning a new deal today. Ward has been a regular fixture between the sticks for the club's U21 team since making the switch to Merseyside in January 2012".

Ward - recently hailed as 'excellent' by Liverpool U21 boss Michael Beale - clearly has very little ambition as he's basically signing a deal to basically train for the next 3+ years.

He's not even the club's number two, and unless there's an unprecedented goalkeeping catastrophe at Anfield, Ward will struggle to make the match-day squad most weeks.

At least Brad Jones got to play occasionally.

It's pointless being a young goalkeeper at Anfield as the chances of making the breakthrough are negligible, but he retains hope of being given a chance in the first team. Last season, he told the Liverpool Daily Post:

"We are blessed to have a manager like Brendan Rodgers who does believe in youth and giving them a chance.

"He has proven in the past he has given a lot of the young lads their chance in the first team. Hopefully in the future I will get may chance".


Good luck with that! The brutal truth is that if Rodgers had any real faith in Ward, he would've promoted him to be Simon Mignolet's understudy.

Instead, the Reds bought another goalkeeper, which fits with the historical pattern.



More than any other position, Liverpool buy-in goalkeepers instead of developing/promoting them.

Indeed, in the last thirty years, no young goalkeeper has ever made it through the youth system to become a first-team regular, and I doubt that Ward is going to buck the trend.

Good luck to him, though.

Author: Jaimie K


86 comments:

  1. Whisper it quietly but might we just might we be signing Firminio... If we pull this one off I will be incredibly happy. Get him in, Clyne, Kovacic and possibly even Bacca or Rondon get rid of the dead wood and I will actually be excited again.

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  2. I'm ready and waiting for confirmation. I've stripped down to my undercrackers, poised to do a naked lap of celebration around the neighbourhood that takes in the local primary schools and church halls.

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  3. *Looks up from applying a coat of green and yellow paint to his naked torso*

    *nods in confirmation*

    *returns to task with renewed vigour*

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  4. I'm trying not to get excited about all of these rumours, but what the heck I'm excited! Firminio, Bacca / Rondon, Illaramendi and Clyne would be fantastic, but we've been here before...

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  5. Shhhhhhhhhhh...........LVG may pick up the phone and call again

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  6. Shhh. That was a result of last year's 'naked lap of dejectedness' following our failure to sign Sanchez.

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  7. Firminio, Bacca, Rondon, Illarramendi, Kovacic and Clyne you'll be doing the 1500 meteres

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  8. I remember seeing your picture in the Echo the next day, under the headline "I blame Glen Johnson".

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  9. no no! you are doing it wrong. you need to hide all exitement in to cloud of doom and gloom.

    we will miss out again!

    this way it doesnt sting too bad when we fail to sign Firmino, and if we actually pull the coup on this one it will be twice as sweet=)

    im pretty exited that we are targetting bacca and firmino, for a while i thought the club is unable to recognice talent

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  10. Find a reason to whine, and then do it. Jesus H christ, give us a break already... What is it with all this doom and gloom and castrating of any player LFC have dealings with... I am becoming so tired of hearing it....Danny Ward signs a new deal, so he must have no ambition.... If he turns round and says he expects to challenge for a starting spot, he'll be called delusional and arrogant....The site should be called "The I hate LFC website for Critical everything.."

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  11. i thought we sold him three years ago. was that not John Glenson who was playing for us after the sale?

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  12. Don't three goalies usually permanently train with the 1st team? If so good luck to him.

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  13. I have a fresh pair of boxer shorts by my side in readiness....

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  14. this comment is going to be cencored in three, two, one

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  15. No ambition? isn't ambitious that he signed and is looking to become a regular at large club rather than going to play in a lower team?


    Is it just me that thinks its ambitious of young players to try and step there way into a large high caliber club rather than play for a small team. Cause isn't the saying "they may be a big fish in small pond but how will they cope dealing with big time expectations with big time fish and big time pond?" whenever we buy from a "small" club?

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  16. Jesus F Christ.

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  17. Of course, word of the month, "friggin"

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  18. I won't be reading your articles until you stop the S*n advertising on your site.

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  19. Jesus F Christ any relation to John F Kennedy and James F Millner?

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  20. Ah yes! I forgot myself :-). 'We'll never sign him as long as Rodgers is here - we'll probably end up with some Swansea reject...'

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  21. He'll be doing something... bet it ends with standing in front of a judge.

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  22. If Danny Ward reads this article he will be down hearted. I read somewhere else recently that he was not ready as yet to step up as understudy but definitely one for the future. The guy needs a break it seems to be the trend that a lot of people are so negative about everything that goes on at Liverpool. Such negativity breeds even more. I notice most of the comments are on another subject..... What ever happened to hope in your heart!

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  23. You mean Swansea will sign him like Ayew....Cause word is, they beat us to Ayew...

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  24. id be willing to bet that our scouting team doesnt even know who Ayew is.

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  25. I think it's ??

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  26. Professional Ice Skating?

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  27. Outstanding.

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  28. some next seasons swansea reject we are gonna sign

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  29. Well if he didn't sign one he'd be a mercenary, right?

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  30. I think we've cracked it...

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  31. He can't be worse than Brad Jones.

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  32. Jules Winnfield4:45 pm, June 23, 2015

    We have a goalkeeper that has let in over 100 goals in league and cup over the last 2 seasons as our first choice keeper. If rumour is to be believed, Arsenal will be signing Petr Cech, probably one of the top 5 goalkeepers in the world. We sign Adam Bogdan! Seriously, does Brendan Rodgers seriously believe that Mignolet is a top goalkeeper. All the top teams of the past without exception from all countries have had a goalkeeper who is in the top ten in the world. Mignolet isn't, period. Reina is a better keeper and we sold him for peanuts last season. I don't mind that wsign young keeper from the ranks, but to not address one of our major problem areas in the first team is unforgiveable.

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  33. how did you not get banished already? mine was not so direct and i lost my free speech for a week within 10mins

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  34. That is it then, Mignolet, Bogdan (shiver) and Ward as our GK's next season.

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  35. We signed Bogdan a no 2 GK from a struggling Championship side. Problem solved :-o

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  36. Ward signing a new contract doesn't trouble me at all. He will be 3rd choice keeper at the end of the day so how often would he be used? I agree we needed another goalkeeper capable of putting pressure on Mignolet and I can't see Mignolet being that bothered by the pressence of Bogdan breathing down his neck, but one thing I will say about Mignolet is that he has a great attitude and it was proven when Rodgers dropped him, Mignolet held his hands up and improved greatly from an error strewn begining of the season keeping 13 clean sheets 2nd only to Courtios so I respect him for the turn around and his humble attitude. We did need another Goalie to put pressure on Migs and keep him on his toes but unfortunately Rodgers thought otherwise.

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  37. I strongly believe we would see a slight improvement from Migs if we had a proper GK coach. His distribution needs working on and obviously nothing is being done to correct this. Shot stopper of note but also look at our inept defence.


    Guess what, we need a defenisve coach too otherwise it won't matter how rubbish or good the GK is. Defensive midfielder? Oh dear.

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  38. Well to be fair Stan, he backs up his assertion on every freagin occasion with factual evidence, so it's just not doom and gloom.

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  39. We did see a strong improvement in the second half of last season.


    But I have my doubts (as I'm sure you do as well) that he could play that well for an entire season and beyond.

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  40. I have my doubts any GK is going to play well for us an entire season and beyond in our current situation.

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  41. Honestly Robo, it's only a small tattoo; still can't believe they managed to zoom in on my arse in such detail.

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  42. Ash don't let anyone see what is under 'your' crackers mate it is part of the Jacob's Cracker rule book! I have cheese and pickle usually but not necessarily in that order sometimes I like to spice things up with a bit of pickle and cheese but if I really want to push the boat out it's a bit of cream cheese and salmon.............And as for naked laps mate best keeping the scrote firmly tucked in the skids

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  43. Couldn't be less enthused.

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  44. THe thing is that we're still being linked to keepers. Probably not true, but if we bring in say Casillas or that Olympiakos guy, Bogdan would be #3, and Ward #4. But Ward is what, almost 23? He shouldn't be staying if he has any ambition...

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  45. If we do it, credit should go where it's due, and by that I mean Coutinho NOT Rodgers!

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  46. wow. thats a new low.


    not only did suarez do it all the year before last but now everything is down to countinho.

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  47. We could've done a lot better with Suarez. Imagine how Suarez must have felt when he was paired up with first Carroll and then Borini. Gutted.

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  48. True we do need a GK coach to work on his distribution, and I do have reservations but I like his attitude and willingness to learn. I totally agree that we need someone to teach the players how to defend as well as we have conceeded pathetic amounts of goals so the 13 clean sheets Mignolet has kept seem even more amazing

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  49. I may have misread your comment!, so if you think Rodgers has convinced Firmino to join, you couldn't be more wrong, that's one task Rodgers isn't skilled at.

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  50. Just one Q; Shouldn't we have given Pepe another chance before Napoli?

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  51. Which keepers are we being linked with?


    Ward has just signed a long term contract to send him on loan and then bring in another GK?


    Ward has to be super ambitious if he is knew signing a long term contract means he is 4th choice.

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  52. That ship has sailed.


    Doubt even FSG will allow him back after his open letter.

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  53. I guess, but though he would be happy to challenge Mignolet now actually after his emotional return he had a point to prove.

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  54. He made his bed. Whored himself to Barca and then when the club allowed him to leave he moaned about it.


    There is a saying that goes, you get what you give.


    He is also not thee same keeper he used to be so better not to look back.

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  55. Thx Orme, really informative;)

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  56. I think Mignolet deserves a clear run at being no1. I thought after getting dropped he looked reasonable, his punching & command or area improved.


    I dont think he's in the top tier of keepers, but he'll do for another season. A decent threat to him is going to be around 10m, much rather throw that at strikers

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  57. In that case, why bother even putting someone in between the sticks. Just play with an extra defender.

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  58. Or 11 midfielders ;-)

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  59. I don't think we ever had more than a slight interest in Ayew. He was more interested in us than we were in him. He has said many many times in interviews LFC are his dream club, to suggest Swansea beat us to him is well wide of the mark we simply didn't want him.

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  60. It was a quick question so I thought..

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  61. Whatever happened to the Matthew Ryan rumours..?!

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  62. Well considering how we only buy players who can play 3 different positions ok instead of players who can play 1 position great, none of our players would be out of position if they all played midfield!

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  63. where is your evidence? i mean undeniable facts

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  64. Moe evidence than Rodgers' atrocious performance in the transfer market? None of his signing were of that ilk.

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  65. Coutinho, you know the guy your crediting for this possible transfer, isn't of the same ilk? How about Sturridge?

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  66. Yes, I know them garfield but they were simply 'Inter and Chelsea reject' at the time, not established international stars (i.e., Firmino)

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  67. Firmino is literally just now getting a chance internationally, so not established. but good try.

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  68. yeah, that's why utd's after him... remember we beat off competition from saints to sign cout..

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  69. oh yes, man utd now makes him an established international. very logical. they only sign established internationals, and the press tells nothing but the truth.

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  70. Prior to joining LFC:


    PC: 92 games played 12 scored
    RF: 206 games played 61 goals


    Seriously, there' just one way to look at it.

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  71. Thats great but it doesn't mean BR can't sign him. you have not factual proof that he can't.

    You claimed it was players of that ilk, I proved you wrong.

    You claimed it was "established international" you were wrong again.
    All your stats show is he is a good player. Lallana, Lambert, Lovern, Balotelli. All had great stats in their respective postions prior to their tranfers, 2 of the 4 were far more established internationals than Firmino. Again, your wrong. Again you have a hatered of BR and look to slate him at every possible chance. So, again get over yourself.

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  72. I'll be happy to be proven wrong once Firmino say ' I had a chat with Rodgers and he instantly convinced me' , can't see it though.

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  73. convient cope out.

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  74. we shall see, we call it a day his first interview to see who's right.

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  75. oh since this guy has true potential it couldn't possibly be BR right? again your just trying to slate BR you have no proof and never will. he doesn't have to say anything about BR, as a matter of fact he would have to sign for another club and specifically state he rejected LFC because of BR for you to be right.

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  76. Kinda my point mate.....

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  77. Anyone of us could focus on the misery and find facts to support it.... It takes a better journo to find something other than the easy whiney doom and gloom stuff..... After all... LFC aren't all doom and gloom... thats just their fans.

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  78. I'm getting sick and tired of your constant moaning about the site. The whole point of this website is a critical approach to LFC; if you can't handle that, please go elsewhere. Please stick to discussing football; any further posts containing sniping/moaning about the site will be deleted.

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  79. So you are complaining about someone being critical about a site that prides itself on being critical?

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  80. What about Laurence Vigoroux we bought frm tottenham...he looks better than Ward

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  81. hmmmmm....imagine that BR signed him. i just can't possibly understand, you were so sure.
    welp, I was right, Sorry I'm not sorry?!

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