Liverpool

Frank McParland praises Brendan Rodgers

By Paul Gorst, Reporter | 27 January 2013

Liverpool's academy director Frank McParland praises Brendan Rodgers for his willingness to thrust first-team football on his young players.

Liverpool academy director Frank McParland has praised Brendan Rodgers for his handling of young talent at Anfield.

The Reds boss has not been shy of fielding youngsters since his arrival at the club, and McParland has lauded the former Swansea City manager's actions.

"We're lucky enough to have a young manager like Brendan Rodgers who has worked at every level," he told Goal.com.

"He's got a real empathy with what we're trying to do and he loves working with young players. It's important that the manager has a major influence on the Academy."

Rodgers's stint in charge at the club has seen the promotion of Raheem Sterling, Suso and Andre Wisdom to the first team and McParland believes that the Northern-Irishman's methods make his own job easier.

"For us [at the academy], it's a dream to have a manager who wants to play young players because when you're trying to sell the club to kids you can tell them there's a massive pathway for them," he added.

"We worked out the other day that we played in a Youth Cup game two years ago and seven players [Jack] Robinson, [Jon] Flanagan, Wisdom, Sterling, Suso, [Conor] Coady and [Adam] Morgan - have all played in the first team."

Liverpool travel to Oldham Athletic for their fourth round FA Cup clash today.