Kieran Maguire makes ‘outrageous’ claim as Trent Alexander-Arnold confirms Liverpool news
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s new project can help address the ‘outrageous’ academy system used by Liverpool and the Premier League.
That is the view of finance expert Kieran Maguire, who spoke exclusively to Football Insider about the ‘great’ academy scheme set up by the Liverpool youth product.
Alexander-Arnold has launched ‘The After Academy Initiative‘ to help support young football players who are released from club academies.
The 24-year-old graduated from Liverpool’s academy after growing up in the club’s youth system, but he is part of the 0.012% of academy players who go on to play in the Premier League.
The England international is set to provide opportunities and education for players who are dropped or released by football academies, with the initiative set to be backed by Liverpool, the PFA, Under Armour and Therabody.
Maguire praised Alexander-Arnold for the scheme but insists that English football needs to re-work the current system in place.
“It’s great to see Trent Alexander-Arnold launch a scheme to support released academy players,” Maguire told Football Insider.
“It’s also representative of the outrageous present system in which young people are treated like inventory by football clubs.
“The elite player performance plan has failed in terms of its ideals and objectives in ensuring that these young people are given opportunities outside of football.
“There is a 99 per cent failure rate for academy footballers.
“What is more concerning is that the kids that are joining football clubs at the ages of 9 and 10 have higher educational attainments when they enter the academies but are below average when they leave academies.
“There is too much focus on football and too much sacrifice for education and friendships for young academy players.“
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