Liverpool Academy Coach Reveals Club's Youth Blueprint

Liverpool head of academy coaching Rodolfo Borrell has disclosed what attributes the club look for when selecting the youth stars of the future.

Borrell joined the Reds academy in July 2009 after working for 13 years at Barcelona's much famed La Masia training base where he helped nurture the likes of Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas and Gerard Pique.

Borrell has overseen the graduation of the likes of Andre Wisdom, Raheem Sterling, Jon Flanagan and Jack Robinson during four years at Liverpool, youth graduates who have featured for the club's first team under Brendan Rodgers.

And the Spaniard, who was appointed by Rafa Benitez, says the club's footballing philosophy of a healthy passing game forms the backbone to the decision behind the promotion of many of Liverpool young stars.

"It's about many things," Borrell told BBC News. "It's about the club; you've got to have a philosophy and a style. You need to then look or a certain profile of players.

"Here at Liverpool we are looking at the technical part of the game. Who has the technical ability, the capacity to learn and at the same time is quick. Depending on the positions the profile changes.

"I had the privilege to coach Lionel Messi at Barcelona alongside players such as Cesc Fabregas, Gerard Pique, Giovani dos Santos, Bojan Karkic, Cazorla and many players who are in many leagues around the world," he added.

"It's different realities, different country," he replied when asked about the differences between Barcelona and Liverpool. "It was great obviously, all my family and myself come from Barcelona and I was with them for 14 season before I joined Liverpool football club where I met and had the privilege to coach players like Raheem Sterling and Andre Wisdom."

Since the appointment of Borrell, the subsequent recruitment of Frank McParland as academy director and Alex Ingelthorpe as Under-21 manager, Liverpool's youth system has produced notably impressive results.

The club reached the semi-final of the inaugural Under-21 Premier League last season before being knocked out by eventual winners Manchester United and the last four of the FA Youth Cup but crashed out at the hands of Chelsea.