1 year ago
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Trent Alexander-Arnold (right) of Liverpool talks with Academy Director Alex Inglethorpe during the U18 Premier League game at The Kirkby Academy on March 2, 2019 in Kirkby, England. | Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
The Academy product was named Vice Captain ahead of the 2023/24 season
In his recent column for Liverpoolfc.com, Academy director Alex Inglethorpe emphasized how Liverpool vice captain Trent Alexander-Arnold’s achievements can be central for the efforts made in the Academy:
Recently, Trent Alexander-Arnold was made vice-captain of Liverpool Football Club and it’s a tremendous honor for him, his family and all of us here at the Academy.
It is a huge honor and it’s testament to the hard work he has put in and the loyalty he has shown to the club. I would be astounded if Trent saw the role of vice-captain as being the endgame for him because I would have thought he will be relishing the role of learning in that position with the new responsibility, but also to use that at some point in the future to put the armband on for real.
I first came across Trent when he was 13 and it has been fantastic to witness his journey so far. What I can tell you is Trent came in to the Academy to speak to our first-year scholars during pre-season.
I was blown away by the level of thought and the communication he was able to have with them. I found it inspirational and it was a very proud moment for me and also a humbling moment because I wouldn’t have seen the 16-year-old Trent being capable eight years later to be standing there and speaking the way that he did.
How he has evolved from a young person into a man is as impressive as to how he has evolved into a world-class footballer for Liverpool.
Of course, Inglethorpe also had praise for Curtis Jones, who is approaching his important own milestone:
Curtis Jones is now closing in on 100 games for Liverpool and it has also been fantastic to see the way that he has evolved as a footballer and as a person.
I thought Curtis had an outstanding end to last season when he was back from injury and he put a real marker down that he should be taken seriously, both internationally as well as from a club perspective.
He showed everyone what he is capable of, the energy he brings and the level of performance he was able to give the team. He is close to 100 games for Liverpool and I believe there is still much more to come from him so I’m hoping he will be able to continue where he left off.
Curtis has a great attitude. I think there’s a huge amount of self-belief which he’s always had and you need to have that if you want to make it at a club like Liverpool.
He has got this love of football, he wants to play and I think it’s always important for all players to stay close to the nine-year-old version of themselves, that will always be their best coach if you can stay connected to the game and that version of you that lived, breathed and ate football.
Of course, that gets harder as you get older because there’s more distractions and there’s more things to disconnect you from that version of you, but I do think Curtis has still got that love for the game that he always had.
To read Inglethorpe’s full column, which contains information about current performances, farewells to some promising players who have left for other clubs, and an emphasis on the Academy staff who make it all work, check it out here.
