Playmaker raves: My 'future' is 'at Liverpool' and I 'dream' of 'Anfield'

Last month, A.D. Sanjoanense - a club in Portugal's illustrious third division - announced that Liverpool had agreed to sign Paulo Alves (aka Paulinho) one of the club's rising stars, and with Alves due at the club's Academy soon, the 17-year old has been waxing lyrical about his excitement at the prospect of playing for LFC.

In May, a statement on Sanjoanense's website confirmed the deal:

"The agreement [with Liverpool] comes after a trial period at the legendary English club, and should be formalized in the coming days".

Some further info re the deal:

* Paulinho has reportedly spent 3-weeks on trial at Liverpool.

* He has already passed a medical, and signed a deal with the Reds.

* Alves is nicknamed Paulinho ('little Paul') on account of his small size.

When asked this week about the transfer, Paulinho raved about the club's 'spectacular' training facilities, and seemed enthusiastic about the prospect of 'training regularly with the first team'. He also added:

“Since I knew that my future is at Liverpool, my dream has been to play at Anfield. I hope someday to achieve it. I just have to grab the opportunity and demonstrate quality"

Given Sanjoanense's lowly status in Portuguese football, it's understandable that Alves would jump at the chance to come to Liverpool, but in my view, it's the worst possible move he - or indeed any 16/17 year old - can make.

Alves is still a child, and the best thing for him to do is continue his development in his home country, alongside friends and family.

If he's that good, he opportunities will be there, but is it really worth sacrificing an entire way of life to toil away in Liverpool's youth system on the way to almost certain failure?

Two dispiriting facts to consider:

* In the entire history of Liverpool FC, no young, foreign, attacking player has ever made it through the youth system to become a regular in the first team.

* None of these aforementioned players have ever left Liverpool's youth system to become stars elsewhere.

If someone can name a young, foreign attacking player who came through LFC's academy, left the club, and then went on to become an established star in another top team, then I'm listening (!)

It's ridiculous, really, as the club has acquired so many exciting young attackers over the years, but like Suso, Nemeth, Leto, and countless others, they never seem to make it, and I'm sure Canos, Teixeira et al will go the same way.


On the subject of Teixeira: his experience at Anfield should serve as a cautionary tale for Alves.

* Teixeira - now 22 - has been granted an insulting 8 minutes of first-team football in 3.5 years.

* He's trained with the first-team many times, yet that hasn't made a difference to his chances of getting first team football.

8 minutes of game-time in 3.5 years? That's absolutely pathetic, and makes a mockery of the idea that Rodgers gives young players a chance at Anfield.

Sorry, a slight correction: British youngsters are given opportunities; overseas youngsters are largely ignored.

This is the reality. Why is it suddenly going to change now?

Good luck, Paulinho - you're going to need it.

Author: Jaimie K