Jarell Quansah made to sign strict ‘car clause’ in Liverpool contract that all youngsters must agree to
Liverpool academy director Alex Inglethorpe has revealed that the club’s young players are made to sign an unusual ‘car clause’ to help keep their feet on the ground.
Jarell Quansash is the latest name to have made the jump up to the first team from Liverpool’s academy this season.
The 20-year-old defender scored his first goal for the club during the Reds’ 2-1 defeat to Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League earlier this month.
Meanwhile, he showcased his elite mentality in his post-match press conference, brutally claiming that teammate Joel Matip’s recent ACL injury had gone in his favour.
However, to help keep Quansah and the rest of Liverpool’s younger players grounded, the club have a strict car clause inserted into their contracts which prevents them from driving flashy vehicles to the training ground.
In a fascinating interview with the We Are Liverpool podcast, Inglethorpe expressed his concerns over the pressure placed on young players in the modern game.
“There’s a balance, so what we now do is that the players sign up to a car clause. You don’t want them driving in with a Range Rover,” he explained.
“The reason you don’t want them driving in with something which is too big, too grand, too much of a statement is because it’s not just the manager and staff that might have an opinion on you but it’s the senior players.
“I’m not sure that James Milner, Jordan Henderson, Andy Robertson, the first cars they drove, there would’ve been an element of humility and I use it in a presentation with the boys.
“You can’t go into a race you’re never going to win, I don’t mean with the car, I mean with life, you can’t think ‘I am a first-team player because I have a better car’.
“We could afford to pay them more but we don’t because I don’t think that would be right, there’s something around deferred gratification than instant, you should earn it a little bit and the players know if we don’t approve of their car, they can park it in the David Lloyd [Gym] car park but it won’t be in the Academy.
“I don’t want to be an idiot about it but I don’t want them to work 10 years for an audition and fail it before they’ve even set foot on the pitches.
“I want them to be safe, there are plenty of choices around safety [with cars], you’re a young player in charge of two tonnes of metal, you’ve got to make sure that you take care of that responsibility.”
Inglethorpe also believes social media has been a catalyst in increasing the pressure on young footballers to present themselves in a particular way.
“I just think it’s important, there is a little bit more about image with Instagram or TikTok or how many followers you’ve got, it’s very easy for a young child to get wrapped up in the image of how you look or trying to keep up with a lifestyle that you have to and it’s a race you can’t win,” he added.
“There’s got to be an inner-confidence about how you are and I worry sometimes about the pressures of a young person now where their life is Instagram perfect.”
Topics: Liverpool, Football, Premier League
Roy Keane told to ‘get a life’ as Liverpool legend gets involved in his heated row with Virgil van Dijk
Roy Keane has been told to ‘get a life’ by a Liverpool legend following his post-match row with Virgil van Dijk.
Liverpool and Manchester United played out a goalless draw at Anfield last weekend.
Jurgen Klopp’s side dominated the game but were unable to score a goal as the visitors held on for a much-needed point.
The result and the Red Devils’ tactics frustrated Van Dijk, who claimed his team were the only side trying to win the match as he appeared to aim a dig at their rivals.
“We had most of the ball and created most of the opportunities. There was only one team trying to win,” he told Sky Sports.
“Unfortunately it didn’t happen. That is why it is frustrating because we want to win every game. Especially when you play against a team like them.”
Speaking in the Sky Sports studio following Van Dijk’s claim, Keane hit out at the Dutchman’s post-match interview.
He branded the Liverpool captain ‘arrogant’ and ‘disrespectful’ in a scathing rant.
Virgil van Dijk in action for Liverpool against Manchester. United. Image: Getty
Phil Thompson, who enjoyed a legendary spell at Liverpool, has now got involved in the exchange between Keane and Van Dijk.
He has ruthlessly told the Irishman to ‘get a life’ and defended Van Dijk’s comments.
“I don’t think he was arrogant, I just think he was giving his opinion,” said Thompson via the Mirror. “As Roy gives his opinion, as Gary [Neville] gives his opinion. It wasn’t arrogant by any means. I would say it was frustration.
“I really feel as though, you’ve come off that game, you now you’ve dominated, Manchester United have had that one chance with [Rasmus] Hojlund, and you’ve just felt frustration. Arrogance wasn’t in it.”
The 69-year-old added: “And for Roy Keane to be talking about arrogance in people… come on, do me a favour.
“And I love Roy… but I played that back and he just kept repeating the word. Roy, just get a life!”
Van Dijk’s outburst comes as a result of Liverpool missing the chance to go top of the league as they occupy second place, with 38 points on the board.
As for Man United, they sit in seventh place, with 28 points.
Topics: Roy Keane, Virgil Van Dijk, Football, Manchester United, Liverpool
The genius reason why Liverpool make their young players sign unusual ‘car clause’
Liverpool academy director Alex Inglethorpe has revealed that the club’s young players are made to sign an unusual ‘car clause’ to help keep them grounded.
Liverpool’s academy is known for producing world-class players on a regularly basis, with the likes of Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher all graduating to the first-team in the Premier League era.
Current Liverpool stars Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones also made the step up from the club’s academy in recent years, while there are high hopes for several youngsters currently on the fringes of Jurgen Klopp’s senior squad.
In a revealing interview with the We Are Liverpool podcast, Inglethorpe expressed his concerns over the pressure placed on young players in the modern game.
He said the Merseyside club uses an unusual tactic to help keep the academy prospects grounded and allow them the best opportunity to succeed – using Andy Robertson as well as former players Jordan Henderson and James Milner as examples to follow.
“There’s a balance, so what we now do is that the players sign up to a car clause. You don’t want them driving in with a Range Rover,” explained Inglethorpe.
“The reason you don’t want them driving in with something which is too big, too grand, too much of a statement is because it’s not just the manager and staff that might have an opinion on you but it’s the senior players.
“I’m not sure that James Milner, Jordan Henderson, Andy Robertson, the first cars they drove, there would’ve been an element of humility and I use it in a presentation with the boys.
“You can’t go into a race you’re never going to win, I don’t mean with the car, I mean with life, you can’t think ‘I am a first-team player because I have a better car’.
“We could afford to pay them more but we don’t because I don’t think that would be right, there’s something around deferred gratification than instant, you should earn it a little bit and the players know if we don’t approve of their car, they can park it in the David Lloyd [Gym] car park but it won’t be in the Academy.
“I don’t want to be an idiot about it but I don’t want them to work 10 years for an audition and fail it before they’ve even set foot on the pitches.
“I want them to be safe, there are plenty of choices around safety [with cars], you’re a young player in charge of two tonnes of metal, you’ve got to make sure that you take care of that responsibility.”
Inglethorpe believes social media has increased the pressure on young footballers to present themselves in a particular way.
“I just think it’s important, there is a little bit more about image with Instagram or TikTok or how many followers you’ve got, it’s very easy for a young child to get wrapped up in the image of how you look or trying to keep up with a lifestyle that you have to and it’s a race you can’t win,” he added.
“There’s got to be an inner-confidence about how you are and I worry sometimes about the pressures of a young person now where their life is Instagram perfect.”
Topics: Liverpool, Football
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