Alexander Kacaniklic (centre) celebrates scoring Liverpool's second goal at Anfield.
Saturday, 25 April, 2009
Hugh McAuley reflects on Liverpool's victory.
Liverpool 3-1 Birmingham City Dalla Valle 17, 58, Kacaniklic 53 (6-1 on agg) Sammons 44 The FA Youth Cup, sponsored by E.ONSemi-Final Second Leg7pm, Friday 24 April 2009Anfield, Liverpool FCLiverpool's Youth Team manager, Hugh McAuley answers our questions after guiding his side to another FA Youth Cup Final... How happyu are you on reaching The FA Youth Cup Final? It's very pleasing. It's a long Youth Cup campaign but I think we deserved the right to play in The Final. We've had some excellent games and the team has improved as we've gone along in the competition and we've seen the emergence of some excellent young players, which is the highlight and the feature of The FA Youth Cup.History tells you that the top players have inevitably come through that way. Particularly at this football club, The Youth Cup provides that stage for young players to develop. It's a fantastic development programme for them.There was no complacency in the game despite holding a 3-0 first leg lead...It was only half-time. Birmingham played well and put us under pressure from the start. We had to compete with their long ball game which we did do particularly well, our back four, and got the all-important goals to put the game beyond doubt.How does it feel to be involved in another FA Youth Cup Final?It's fantastic for the boys, it's fantastic for the football club. It gives us that high profile situation where our boys can be be show and hopefully do well. Big clubs like Liverpool Football Club will benefit ultimately for us being in The Final.I was lucky enough to be the manager in 1996, when we had Michael Owen, Jamie Carragher and David Thompson in the team and we were successful against West Ham. A good few years on from then, it's good to manage the team again.Speaking of Michael Owen, what are your thoughts on Lauri Dalla Valle?Typically like Michael in that he's a goalscorer. Always instinctive, always looking to get on the end of passes, always looking to run in the box and cause problems for the opposing defence. Very, very quick, very sharp in the penalty area. A lot of similarities of Michael; he's a poacher, he loves scoring goals and half chances and loose balls in the penalty area he latches on to very quickly. It's important he gets the right development and The Youth Cup has given that development to push on and improve his game. He's an excellent prospect for the future.You now face Arsenal in The Final...I'm sure the games we play against Arsenal will be good football games. We played them last year in The Youth Cup here and were fortunate to beat them 1-0. There's some excellent players on show. Hopefully we can get our homework right.
Liverpool
3-1
Birmingham City
Dalla Valle 17, 58, Kacaniklic 53
(6-1 on agg)
Sammons 44
The FA Youth Cup, sponsored by E.ONSemi-Final Second Leg7pm, Friday 24 April 2009Anfield, Liverpool FCLiverpool's Youth Team manager, Hugh McAuley answers our questions after guiding his side to another FA Youth Cup Final...
How happyu are you on reaching The FA Youth Cup Final? It's very pleasing. It's a long Youth Cup campaign but I think we deserved the right to play in The Final. We've had some excellent games and the team has improved as we've gone along in the competition and we've seen the emergence of some excellent young players, which is the highlight and the feature of The FA Youth Cup.History tells you that the top players have inevitably come through that way. Particularly at this football club, The Youth Cup provides that stage for young players to develop. It's a fantastic development programme for them.There was no complacency in the game despite holding a 3-0 first leg lead...It was only half-time. Birmingham played well and put us under pressure from the start. We had to compete with their long ball game which we did do particularly well, our back four, and got the all-important goals to put the game beyond doubt.How does it feel to be involved in another FA Youth Cup Final?It's fantastic for the boys, it's fantastic for the football club. It gives us that high profile situation where our boys can be be show and hopefully do well. Big clubs like Liverpool Football Club will benefit ultimately for us being in The Final.I was lucky enough to be the manager in 1996, when we had Michael Owen, Jamie Carragher and David Thompson in the team and we were successful against West Ham. A good few years on from then, it's good to manage the team again.Speaking of Michael Owen, what are your thoughts on Lauri Dalla Valle?Typically like Michael in that he's a goalscorer. Always instinctive, always looking to get on the end of passes, always looking to run in the box and cause problems for the opposing defence. Very, very quick, very sharp in the penalty area. A lot of similarities of Michael; he's a poacher, he loves scoring goals and half chances and loose balls in the penalty area he latches on to very quickly. It's important he gets the right development and The Youth Cup has given that development to push on and improve his game. He's an excellent prospect for the future.You now face Arsenal in The Final...I'm sure the games we play against Arsenal will be good football games. We played them last year in The Youth Cup here and were fortunate to beat them 1-0. There's some excellent players on show. Hopefully we can get our homework right.
It's very pleasing. It's a long Youth Cup campaign but I think we deserved the right to play in The Final. We've had some excellent games and the team has improved as we've gone along in the competition and we've seen the emergence of some excellent young players, which is the highlight and the feature of The FA Youth Cup.History tells you that the top players have inevitably come through that way. Particularly at this football club, The Youth Cup provides that stage for young players to develop. It's a fantastic development programme for them.There was no complacency in the game despite holding a 3-0 first leg lead...It was only half-time. Birmingham played well and put us under pressure from the start. We had to compete with their long ball game which we did do particularly well, our back four, and got the all-important goals to put the game beyond doubt.How does it feel to be involved in another FA Youth Cup Final?It's fantastic for the boys, it's fantastic for the football club. It gives us that high profile situation where our boys can be be show and hopefully do well. Big clubs like Liverpool Football Club will benefit ultimately for us being in The Final.I was lucky enough to be the manager in 1996, when we had Michael Owen, Jamie Carragher and David Thompson in the team and we were successful against West Ham. A good few years on from then, it's good to manage the team again.Speaking of Michael Owen, what are your thoughts on Lauri Dalla Valle?
Typically like Michael in that he's a goalscorer. Always instinctive, always looking to get on the end of passes, always looking to run in the box and cause problems for the opposing defence. Very, very quick, very sharp in the penalty area. A lot of similarities of Michael; he's a poacher, he loves scoring goals and half chances and loose balls in the penalty area he latches on to very quickly. It's important he gets the right development and The Youth Cup has given that development to push on and improve his game. He's an excellent prospect for the future.You now face Arsenal in The Final...I'm sure the games we play against Arsenal will be good football games. We played them last year in The Youth Cup here and were fortunate to beat them 1-0. There's some excellent players on show. Hopefully we can get our homework right.
