Sami Hyypia sends words of advice to Liverpool youngsters during pre-season tour
Sami Hyypia has issued a few words of advice to the plethora of young players who are currently with the Liverpool first-team squad on their pre-season tour to USA.
The former Reds defender has also flown out with Arne Slot and co in an ambassadorial role for the club, and he stressed the importance of this period of games for the youngsters looking to break through to the senior side and establish themselves at Anfield.
Speaking to Matthew Baldwin of DK Pittsburgh Sports, the 50-year-old said: “I think all of the youngsters have the opportunity to maybe earn more minutes on the field in the Premier League as well.
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“Trent is a good example in Jurgen’s time. He got his chance and he did very well, and now he’s one of the main players in the team. These kinds of games and these kinds of trips with the youngsters, it’s a great opportunity for them to show [what they can do].
“I remember when I had a change of manager or head coach or that, sometimes you wonder if he likes you and all the experienced players. They have to show as well that they are worthy of being in the starting XI when the Premier League kicks off and it’s not like somebody has their place already. They need to show the new head coach that they are worth the place as well.”
Having successfully made the leap from academy to senior football in his native Finland before going on to become a Champions League winner at Liverpool, Hyypia knows what’s required to go from being a young prospect to an established first-team presence.
He rightly points to Trent Alexander-Arnold as the perfect case study for any youngster at Liverpool with ambitions of making the grade at Anfield, and others such as Curtis Jones, Jarell Quansah and Conor Bradley have followed suit in recent years.
Even for the more experienced squad members, Slot’s arrival leaves them needing to make an impression on the new boss after so many years under Jurgen Klopp, so they too have a point to prove between now and the start of the season.
The likes of Trey Nyoni, Stefan Bajcetic and Luca Stephenson all put their best foot forward when called upon in Liverpool’s win over Real Betis on Friday night, and if they can build upon their respective performances and do the right things in training, it’ll surely leave a lasting impression on the coach.
Even if regular first-team competitive minutes don’t come straight away, the efforts that the youngsters put in now may well stand to them in the long-term and open the door for senior game-time once the season begins next month.
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