‘Oh my God’ – Jurgen Klopp heaps praise on Liverpool’s ‘kids’ after first pre-season friendly

KARLSRUHE, GERMANY - JULY 19: Juergen Klopp, Manager of Liverpool, gestures during the pre-season friendly match between Karlsruher SC and Liverpool FC at BBBank Wildparkstadion on July 19, 2023 in Karlsruhe, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Jurgen Klopp has praised the performances of Liverpool’s ‘kids’ during the 4-2 friendly defeat of Karlsruher on Wednesday.

A number of the club’s Academy graduates featured for the Reds in Germany and will be eager for more minutes when we face Greuther Furth on Monday night.

Ben Doak is one of the names Liverpool fans will be familiar with after his impressive showings last term but our German tactician also named the other youngsters that impressed when out on the pitch.

“We saw the kids how good they were. James [McConnell] never played a six before and today he played there and it was so nice to watch, to be honest. Bobby [Clark] first half did really well,” said Klopp (as quoted by This Is Anfield).

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“Ben Doak, oh my God, it’s much fun to watch these kids. Calum [Scanlon] I’ve known him only nine days, he was injured before and now he was there. [Lewis] Koumas came on, Conor Bradley really good.

“The kids are really good and the others are really good already, we know that. Some of them might need to get through little holes here and then now because it’s really tough for them of course.”

With the signings of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai this summer there is plenty of reason for optimism heading into the new campaign.

But with the Academy players also impressing when they’re called upon the long-term future is also being taken good care of.

Credit must be given to all the staff and coaches both with the first team and at Academy level with the likes of Caoimhin Kelleher, Tyler Morton, Stefan Bajcetic, Conor Bradley and Doak just some of the players that have showed they can perform at senior level already.

The future is looking bright for the club and long may it continue!

#Ep76 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Liverpool Transfer Committee Show!