Former Liverpool youth trainer Michael Beale has disclosed that he understood Trent Alexander-Arnold would develop into a first-team footballer in the minute he saw him playing centre-back for the Reds’ Under-14 side.
Having played his role in a childhood program that dominated both domestically and around the continent throughout his period in Cobham, Beale saw the premature growth of Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Tammy Abraham at close quarters.
And he considers Alexander-Arnold could have been a fantastic match in Chelsea’s powerful academy of this mid-2010s while showing the currently -England global full-back has surpassed the expectations he had of him.
“I watched him on my first day there at the Under-14s as a central defender and that he was different to anybody we [Chelsea] had,” Beale informed Goal.
“On my very first day in Liverpool they asked me what players did I enjoy. I said I enjoyed Trent and I presumed he’ll play at the first team since when I looked across the pitches, he excited me since he had been standing out over everybody else.
“Liverpool was distinct to Chelsea but he’d have got into some of our Chelsea teams.
“I did not know he’d make it and sometimes I thought possibly I stated that too premature as he certainly had things to operate on. He’s blessed to have a fantastic support network around him together with his mommy Diane. His brothers really help him.
“He maintained his service community little which can help keep out sound and sway aside from his loved ones and the folks who live in the club. I believe there was lots of work he needed to perform. Rather compared to now, what’s he now?’.
“He’s surpassed my expectations currently. What my information on Trent would now be which you’ve attained a good early, but it’s just five percent of everything you wished to attain. It’s necessary that his success makes him hungry and that I believe it will. He’s got the exact same look in his eye he needed at 16 he is hungry and he needs to have better. He makes me grin.”
Beale, who currently works at Rangers as Steven Gerrard’s first-team trainer, left Chelsea for Liverpool partially because of loopholes in the lack of opportunities for the young players in West London.
In Liverpool, Beale functioned as the club U-23s director under Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp, both of whom were generous in giving debuts to kids.
“Steve Cooper has been the U-18s trainer who has gone manage Swansea City now. Alex Inglethorpe came from Tottenham therefore it was a very exciting moment. I had been actually good friends with Pepijn Lijnders, that arrived from Porto and he’s currently Jurgen Klopp’s assistant.”
“I moved from one surrounding with fantastic people into another. The effect of this first team I received in Chelsea dripping down in the likes of [Jose] Mourinho and [Carlo] Ancelotti was great, but I had been nearer to Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp since the reserve team manager.
“I worked with an excellent group. There were additionally Conor Coady and Suso.
“There were a few excellent players around at that moment. It was a club full of development. It’s distinct to Chelsea. It’s a more compact town that’s in love with the group.
“London is larger and you do not need as much evolve around the bar. We had a ton more ex-players, supporting the team that was distinct to Chelsea at the moment. It was amazing. Being reserve team manager, I had been near the initial team and that I had access to first-team players that improved me as a mentor too.”
Following a spell working with legendary Brazilian goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni in Sao Paulo, Beale returned to Liverpool, where time Gerrard had retired from playing after a spell in LA Galaxy and was the director of the Reds’ U-18s.
Beale chose to remain from Gerrard’s way in order to not step on the mythical midfielder’s feet, though he got the call to visit Ibrox to function together with the first time senior trainer.
“When I moved to Liverpool, Steven was director of this U-18s and I attempted to remain out of his manner. I didn’t wish to be there since a former U-23’s trainer when he was studying. I mentored the younger coaches, therefore that I did not use him until he encouraged me .”
